#2 - Get past screen-time guilt. Here are playful ways for children to be informed, digital citizens.

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The screen-time topic was already hotly debated with many of us having a vast spectrum of opinions on it. However, the inevitable just became inevitable. Our professional, social, and intimate lives are today, tightly bound together with dense digital threads. For many of our children, these threads are now an integral part of their childhood and their lives ahead.

In recent conversations with parents what has stood out to me is that almost everyone seems to attach a slight tint of guilt to letting kids use the screen.

• “Sometimes, we have to get work done.”

• “Oh you know how it is”

• “It’s easier to feed ____ when something’s playing on YouTube”

While before we could ask the kids to run and play outside or get off the TV, Now the debate has moved. Now we’re talking about

• How much screen time is too much screen time

• What is an appropriate age to start using a tablet

• “I want my kids to learn 21st-century skills”

• “I allow cartoons but nothing else.”

• Social Media, Cyberbullying, Digital Access the list goes on but the debate has definitely shifted!

In a shifting conversation, keeping track of what is right or what is wrong is incredibly hard.

I think there’s a much better place to start.

It starts with talking to your children about the internet in a safe, playful way!

Not just putting surveillance apps, threatening them, or giving them vague advice. Having dedicated time and activities to speak to your children about what the internet is and how do we be responsible and safe when we use it. Some studies estimate that on average, parents speak to their kids about safety on the internet for less than 46 minutes in their entire childhood.

Let’s take a quick look at resources to have these conversations.

1. Play Interland, a series of free games around online safety from Google! The minigames inside it - Tower of Treasure, Kind Kingdom, Reality River & Mindful Mountain are great, playful ways of learning about digital citizenship!

2. Lego’s Build and Talk toolkit has a list of playful activities to speak to your child about online bullying and trolling, phishing, online scams, and managing screen time.

3. Grade-wise lesson plans from commonsense media address a wide range of online issues.

4. Digital Passport has six free interactive minigames to learn about making safe passwords, sharing information, etc.

5. Lots and lots of printable leaflets, flyers, booklets.

So, instead of letting the guilt build-up, use the time now to help your child develop a healthy, safe attitude towards the digital world.

Have a great weekend!