Technology & Childhood... Can they co-exist?

Technology is a significant and unavoidable part of our life, and its influence will only grow over time. 

Technology comes with some wonderful benefits as it helps us access information, products, and people. And let's not forget, it's simply entertaining! And we all deserve some screen time!

And while there are some obvious perks to technology, like anything else, comes the drawbacks and cautions. Because technology comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, any given person (despite their age), may have a screen with them at any time.

But if children are too immersed with these screens that are anywhere and everywhere, it will undoubtably affect their social & emotional well-being, cognition, language, and physical skills.

Here's some considerations to keep in mind when offering your child some screen time:

Ensure it comes with consistent and reliable boundaries. This way, a child can anticipate when their screen time sessions will start and end. On the flip side, if we're too quick to extend screen time because they become upset, it will be that much harder for your child to cope with and transition to another event (while also showing them that if they react enough, they'll get what they want). 

This is why it's important that consistency remains through all events, even ones in which children should practice how to wait. Patience and the ability to self-regulate/occupy are crucial developmental skills we have to promote. 

Consider more child-led, open-ended materials and experiences that will develop you child's ability to "figure things out" on their own. This skill will naturally take some time to build upon, but again, a crucial skill nonetheless!

The most ideal screen is the larger, family-sized one, as it's most inclusive to all family members to join in on the experience - compared to a cell phone that can be more isolating. This means it's also ideal that the adult isn't always on an electronic device as well in their child's company (unless truly needed). We are our children's greatest models, so if we're overusing an electronic device, they'll want to also.