Is my child a screen addict?

It is the week after Christmas and the kids are completely immersed in their new smart phone; games console; latest game…Sounds familiar? You try to entice (or in my case – bribe) them to go outside and are met with loud moans and groans. So eventually, you just give up and let them get on with their tech addiction.
As this is almost 2017 we are all perfectly aware that this complete imbalance in time allocation between screen time and physical activity is right up there with “issues” raised by a large number of parents and experts on child development.

So if we know that there is a problem, why do we still give our children so much access to screens and technology?

I am sitting here writing this while my teenagers are chatting away on their social media accounts with heaven knows who. And I growl and threaten. And do nothing. So in a way I am writing this in order to establish my own new game plan for tackling “the issue” (If I find the cure you can meet me at a book signing for my wonder programme). To parents of younger children – my advice would be to start as you intend to continue. Or you can always book your kids into a very expensive “tech detox” programme at some point in their lives.

“Disconnect to reconnect” – I love it!

First (obvious) question we should ask ourselves:

Is my child a screen addict?

If you think your answer is no, consider this: do they pester you for the iPad, then get upset when told their time is up; do they expect to play on your phone in restaurants, sneak behind your back to find screens to play on, and prefer to stay in playing with a smartphone to outdoor play or time with you?
Second question:

What can I/we do?

Well, fortunately while you are waiting for my award-winning masterpiece to make it to the shelves there are quite a few places (online – somewhat ironically 😉   ) that you can turn to for advice. Amongst these are:
http://kidsfitnessfirst.org/
http://www.strong4life.com/pages/activity/articles/digital-detox-tips-for-the-whole-family

Or if you prefer an actual REAL book (with paper pages!):

• How to Unplug Your Child: 101 Ways to Help Your Kids Turn Off Their Gadgets and Enjoy Real Life – Liat Hughes Joshi
• Calmer Easier Happier Screen Time: For parents of toddlers to teens: A guide to getting back in charge of technology – Noël Janis-Norton