Parents in the UAE have been constantly engaging in practical ideas to keep their children off their devices and to encourage more family time. This way they’re not only enhancing their bond with their offsprings, but are also reducing screen time which can be extremely harmful in the long run.
Here are some of the best ways that you as a parent in the UAE can encourage lower screen time and a better family bonding with your children.
Four ways to get your kids off devices and encourage more family time
Kids might suffer several negative impacts from screen time, ranging from newborns up to late adolescents, even young adults. As amazing as technology is, your child can always benefit from less time with it. Apart from homework and project-related work, school-aged kids should not be allowed to spend more than an hour or two with a screen every day. Here are some of the ways by which you can curb their screen time:
Give your kids no smartphones or tablets
Talking to your kids is preferable to giving them a smartphone or tablet at an early age. Yes, it’ll allow you to work freely and spend your time at your convenience, however, the harmful effects of increased screen time will certainly be more prominent as they age.
Keep TVs and laptops in the areas where your family gathers
It’s easy to monitor your kids’ games, programs, websites, and most crucially, screen time in the living room or drawing room.
Making every moment fun with board games
One of the best ways to get your kids to spend time with you without being bored is to employ board games in your everyday routine. A short period of playing board games every day won’t hamper your schedule and at the same time, your children will keep themselves away from devices, and interact and enjoy with everyone in the family. Board games are extremely popular in the UAE, especially among families with kids. You can always visit any local store, or search online to shop board games in Dubai.
Schedule screen-free time for your family
Kids of any age should know when devices are off, such as before bed and during meals. There’s nothing more harmful than being exposed to the screens of smartphones, tablets, laptops, or TVs before going to bed as these can certainly hamper the sleep cycle and the quality of sleep.
Many health sociologists recommend setting aside time every week for the family to do something fun together. This can be gardening, playing games together, cleaning the house, going on a short trip, and so on.
Final Words
Like other parents, UAE parents want to get their kids to spend more time with them besides minimizing screen time. Technology has made kids more tech-savvy, making it hard to pull them off their gadgets. To bring the family together, try board games or other entertaining activities. With such games, children will enhance their thinking and problem-solving skills, besides enjoying every moment with you and the others in the family.