Tips on how to get your children off TV, mobile phones

 Tips on how to get your children off TV, mobile phones

Dickson Tumuramye, a child advocate and founder of the Men of Purpose Mentorship program, says many children today are addicted to the Internet and smartphones. 

YouTube and digital televisions, which avail viewers of unlimited content, have worsened the situation.

This exposes children to sleeping disorders, anxiety, poor eating habits, and withdrawal from family members.

They also lose interest in family activities such as prayers and meal times. Tumuramye advises parents to make a deliberate effort to take their children off phones, computers, and TV. 

How to get started

Set rules and limit the time children use the gadgets. Be strict and consistent in enforcing them. 

Learn how to use the gadgets and follow the children on their social media platforms to see what they share there. It is embarrassing to limit something when you do not know how it operates. 

Only allow children to use the phone, iPad, or laptop in the living room not in the privacy of their bedrooms. This will protect them from consuming bad content.

Trust your instincts when you feel something is wrong. Seize the bull by its horns and save the situation. Young people will never accept that there is a problem and they need help. 

Withdraw the gadget, which takes up most of their time. You can also deny them particular programs and explain why they are not good for them. However, endeavor to provide alternatives to keep them busy. 

Where necessary watch programs together or use parental controls to stop certain apps or programs on their gadgets. 

Avoid installing TVs in children’s bedrooms.

Most important, be exemplary. Mind the time you spend on your phone and what you watch in their presence. Children see and do like monkeys.