Make screen time a topic of discussion

Do you think your child spends too long in front of a screen? Try to make it a topic of discussion. And are you going on holiday? Make sure you talk about it before you leave. No one wants a tense atmosphere during the journey.

Especially with teenagers, it is a good idea to talk a lot about gaming and social media use.

  • Listen to what they like so much about it.
  • Join in and talk about how it is good to find a balance.
  • Bear in mind that there is not necessarily a problem when your child behaves socially and puts their screen away of their own accord.

Would you like to know more about screen time? Also read How long may my child spend behind a screen each day? Would you like to know how you can help your child find the right balance? Then watch the video below.

Make clear agreements

Are your children a little older? Media use is often a negotiation then, and it is important to make clear agreements. Make them together, in consultation with one another.

And above all: do this before the holiday begins. What do your children consider important to be able to do during the holiday? How much time do they think it is realistic to spend gaming? Then try to reach a solution together.

Make sure you do not make unrealistic agreements. So do not necessarily agree to use no screens during the holiday. That is probably not really feasible for your children or for you as a parent.

Examples of agreements include:

  • You may use your smartphone at set times. For example, everyone can check their messages briefly just before a shared activity. After that, the phones are put away.
  • Are you taking photos or do you need to use your navigation? Then make agreements about who will use the phone for that. At the end of the day, you can share all the photos you have taken with one another and decide which ones are best for social media.
  • Use media together. Show an interest in the games your child plays and ask if you can join in sometime. And make sure to alternate this with a board game too.
  • Agree to turn off notifications from certain apps because they demand attention. Would you like to know why this happens? Then watch this video from NOS op 3.

Set a good example

When you make agreements, it is important that everyone sticks to the same agreements. Do you not want your children to spend a lot of time watching TV or using a tablet or smartphone? Then do not do it yourself either.

You can also help your children stick to their screen time by thinking along with them about what else they can do. For example, make a list of fun things to do without a screen and hang it up somewhere in the house. Think of outdoor games, arts and crafts, or baking something. Make it a habit to look at the list together and choose something when your children say they are bored without a screen.

How different families deal with rules during the holidays can be seen in a report by the NOS Youth News.

And remember: media are mainly fun!

If your child is looking at their phone during the excursion to that one medieval castle, ask them if they can look up some information. That way, you can learn something together as well.