A recent survey of parents of school-aged children gleaned some alarming results: On average, parents spend only around 24 minutes more with their children than on their smartphones. The survey also found that nearly 70% say they are “addicted” to their phones and that 62% spend too much time on their phones even when they’re with their kids. (Read more about the survey here.)
How moms of Smart Parenting Village manage their screen use
The findings of this survey prove that just like young children, adults can be vulnerable to being unaware of how much time they spend staring at screens. If you are a parent struggling with the amount of time you are online, the moms of Smart Parenting Village have some tips that can help you.
Use your phone during your free time
And by “free time,” we mean the time of day when you’re not looking after your child, doing household chores, or finishing other important tasks. Many SPV moms said that they would wait until their kids are already asleep before bringing out their phones. A few even mentioned that they browse through their social media accounts while in the bathroom!
Multitask
Some moms said they would use their phones while breastfeeding their babies to keep themselves occupied. Once their little ones have finished feeding or fallen deeply asleep, the moms would then move on to finishing other important tasks.
Install an application
Nowadays several applications and phone features can help you monitor how much time you spend on your phone. One mom said that using these features helped her become “more conscious of the time I spend on the phone especially on social media. As much as possible, I limit my use to three hours a day and even less on the weekends.”
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWLay down ground rules
Rules help establish order, so if you’re trying to reduce your family’s phone usage, it can be beneficial to create certain guidelines for everyone to follow. Moms wrote that their rules include not using cell phones during meals, playtime, or when out with the family. One even shared that she and her partner would inform their colleagues that they would not be available from 6 p.m. onwards because that’s when they’ll be with their family.
Use data instead
According to one mom, they found it helpful to have their Internet connection at home cut off when it became clear that it was causing them to spend less time with their kids. Instead, they would purchase prepaid data whenever necessary. “Effective na mas marami kaming time sa mga anak namin kesa nung may internet line,” she wrote.
Uninstall some apps
If monitoring the time you spend on your phone is challenging, you can also try uninstalling certain apps, like social media platforms and mobile games, just like what one mom did. Aside from giving you less reason to stay on your phone too long, this would also free up storage space for more photos of your tot!
Spending too much time on your phone can lead to distracted parenting. Click here to learn more.
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