STAY AT HOME KIDS BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS AND THEIR DIGITAL EXPOSURE – TIPS FOR PARENTS

Apr 26, 2021 | Parenting Advice

Now that the closure of all schools in almost all communities is a reality that will force kids to remain in their homes as a measure to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the question that many families make is none other than how they will occupy all these hours.

It seems that the screens will fill half of their time. Since the measure was adopted on March 5 in Italy, minors’ visits to websites and time spent on mobile apps have skyrocketed by 50% in the first four days. With the start of total isolation in the country this week, this trend showed an increase of 71% compared to the start of the outbreak.

Although we will still have to wait a few days to review the trend of the use of new technologies, tech experts foresee that the figures could be very similar. Today, teenagers spend more time online than any other generation, increasing their online exposure on weekends or holidays by 20-30% more than on a typical school day. That’s why most of the parents and caretakers are worried about the closure of schools in Italy since it means that Italian children are practically living a 100% digital life. 

The digital entertainment resource

This increase is mainly due to the fact that parents are forced to work from home and take care of their children at the same time, so they cannot control the time they spend in front of their devices. Parents in order to concentrate on their work, hand over a digital device to their kids, so they stay busy in their digital exposure. 

To deal with the situation, experts recommend parents to show firmness in setting standards as it is the key when it comes to children and the time they spend in front of the screens. If the rules are changed now, it will be extremely difficult to return to the way things were before. Just as it is recommended that parents do not give children extra time in front of the screens during the summer holidays, the same should also apply in this situation. Children are already undergoing confusing and important changes due to the coronavirus, for what consistency in online time will not only contribute to their digital security and well-being but will give them a much-needed sense of normality. 

And it’s not just about how much time they spend in front of devices. It also matters what they’re seeing. Many online services are taking advantage of this crisis to provide free tools or content, such as Smartick, which is offering its online method of mathematics for free to families affected by quarantine. But so has PornHub, which has offered free access to its content to all users in Italy, which can be a problem for families with children.

The solution to all these problems is the screen time limit app that allows parents to not only manage the time kids spend in front of the screen but also empower them to decide what content should be consumed by their kids. In addition to that, apps like FamilyTime allows parents to block apps while facilitating them to schedule a remote lock on their devices. In addition to using the screen time limit app, parents are needed to give time to their kids. They should balance both work and family together so kids’ don’t feel isolated in this panic situation.

FamilyTime helps families manage and protect their children’s digital lives.

More Post