Do you know how to set parental controls on a tablet or phone? How important are time limits for screens when being used by children?
Technology and safety are the topics of a new information campaign leading up to Christmas this week, spearheaded by a local non-profit organization.
“Parents typically underestimate the true amount of time their kids are on screens,” said Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye, coordinator with Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy. “Since March 2020, screen time has ballooned exponentially for everyone, including kids and their parents. It makes total sense. The question I am asking for myself and my kids now is, ‘Is this how we are going to live now or should we go back to the way we lived before regarding screens? Or something different altogether?’”
Suspecting that some Cariboo children might be receiving tech gifts such as phones, tablets or video game consoles under the Christmas tree this year, Vance-Lunsdbye said it was a good time to start a community dialogue about what needs to be considered when giving such a gift.
Planning ahead for time limits is an important element of technology, and much easier to impose at the start, before the device becomes a problem.
“Have an idea of what limits you are planning to put in place for this device before your child has it in their hands,” she said. “We all know how hard it is to backtrack with our kids. Give with intention!”
Being aware of how easily children and teens can access inappropriate content online - and knowing how to block it - is another integral part of tech safety.
“Kids can’t unsee what they have seen,” Vance-Lundsbye explained, noting there are a variety of apps and programs available that can block inappropriate content.
“Is it really worth the risk?”
The concept of “opportunity cost,” which she describes as a fancy term for “what are kids not doing or learning when they are on screens” should also be taken into consideration.
“Research tells us time and time again that unstructured, mostly outdoor play without a time limit and with as little adult interference as possible is the most valuable for child development,” she said.
To help get parents and caregivers thinking about tech safety, Vance-Lundsbye has created a series of informational, yet fun, Tik Tok videos, which will be shared on CCPL’s Facebook and Instagram pages over the holidays. In the New Year, she plans to work on creating a community network of educators and other professionals who can help caregivers safely navigate technology with their little ones.
“Tech is moving faster than we are and it’s hard to manage, even for adults,” she said. “Our kids need us to pump the brakes a bit.”
melissa.smalley@100milefreepress.net
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