Limiting Your Kids Access to Technology
How can you tell if your child is spending too much time on phones, tablets or other devices and what can you do about it?
FOX’s Lisa Brady has part two of a “FOX on Family” report about screen time:
Kids and parents can overdo it with technology:
(Dr. Jantz) “The brain wasn’t designed for that amount of intense stimulation over a long period of time.”
Psychologist Doctor Gregory Jantz especially concerned about developing brains. So what are the red flags a child may be spending too much time on devices?:
(Dr. Jantz) “There could be academic struggles and failures. There could be the kid that just wants to walk around with their earbuds in their ear all the time. Disconnecting from their own peer group.”
Also changes in behavior or sleep patterns. Any of these could be signs of an overtaxed brain, or for older kids, something happening at school or online:
(Dr. Jantz) “Teenagers two questions are who am I and where do I fit in? Well, if they feel like they don’t fit in. Well if they feel like I don’t fit in anywhere, technology becomes their best friend.”
He says online isn’t where to build a trusting relationship. And while parental controls and limits can help, talking to your kids and taking an interest in their world and their concerns can help build trust at home, helping with any future problems.
With FOX on Family, I’m Lisa Brady.
