How Much Media Is Too Much Media?

 Tackling the realm of technology in this day and age can prove daunting as a parent. There always seems to be a new social media platform, video game, or tech device that our kids fawn over. If you are a parent who didn't grow up with technology as it is today, how can we avoid missing out on what are children are up to?

It's important, crucially, that we as parents stay up to date on what types of media are children are consuming. You may think that TV show is okay or that video game is "just a game," but in reality that's far from the truth.

The consumption of media has drastic effects on our children whether we like to admit it or not. From the length of time they spend on devices all the way through what they post on social media. Each time they log on to the vast world of tech, they are putting themselves at risk. 

The effects of media can be as small as not sleeping well to as severe as suicide ideation or attempt. Scary, right? How terrible is it that children as young as babies are exposed to cyberbullying, violence, pornography and exploitation, false realities, and lies beyond measure? 

As parents, it is our job to protect our children from these features of the media. Though, we will never be able to offer full shelter, we can do our best to ensure that our children learn healthy habits for media use. We can make sure they are being smart about the time they spend on their devices, and the types of content they choose to look at. 

Here are some ideas to teach your children about safe media use:

1. Hold a family council. Talk to your children about the dangers of media exposure and why it is important to be safe online.

2. Set time limits. The amount of time your child spends on devices is incredibly harmful. It decreases positive self-image, self-efficacy, and creates a sense of lethargy or boredom for normal activities. 

3. Monitor, monitor, monitor! Set boundaries for where and when your children can use devices. Whether you have a rule where the bedrooms are off limits, or no text messaging apps besides the ones built in with their phone, you need to make sure there are rules as to what your child has access to. When children are alone on devices, they are prone to searching for or looking at things they wouldn't normally view. This is where pornography and other inappropriate content starts being viewed. Know what games or apps your child wants to download PRIOR to them downloading it.

4. Set an example! Your children will not want to follow your rules if you do not exhibit a good example of following them too. Media harms your ability to parent by taking your attention of off the important things such as: sharing a meal, reading bedtime stories, or going for a family walk. 

Remember, be present, and be aware. Help your kids stay safe and healthy with their media usage. 

Resources

Canadian Paediatric Society. (2003). Impact of media use on children and youth. Paediatrics & Child Health, 8(5), 301–306. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/8.5.301

How Media Use Can Affect Kids (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. (2022, August). Kidshealth.org. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tv-affects-child.html#:~:text=Kids%20who%20use%20media%20in

Keeping Children Safe Online. (2020, April 21). Www.justice.gov. https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/keeping-children-safe-online#:~:text=Supervise%20young%20children

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