School’s out and so are the devices! The summer holidays are underway, and we know it can be a challenge balancing time online with offline and outdoor activities. It is important children are allowed to stay connected with their friends online, chatting and playing games but not at the expense of their health and wellbeing.
Take the opportunity to chat to your children about what they are doing online and who they are in contact with. Just chatting regularly makes a huge difference, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have the perfect conversation.
Make sure their devices are set up safely using NetHabit and set up agreed limits to device use on the devices themselves. Agree the holiday device use limits together so your child knows they will be expected to switch off in advance.
Here are a few tips to help you keep a balance between screen time and a fun summer making memories:
Plan some fun days out, ensure everyone has a say and comes up with ideas.
Write a summer bucket list.
Invite friends or family over for outdoor play or along for days out.
Watch a film or series together and agree limits to reduce binge watching. YouTube can be tricky, we have all ended up in a YouTube hole and lost hours!
Create a challenge for the holidays to learn a new skill or hobby.
Get stuck into some card games or board games. Chase the Ace is a firm favourite here!