If your kid is home sick from school, is unlimited screen time OK?
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Tuesday, July 18, 2023
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Managing a child’s screen time when they’re home sick from school has taken on a whole new dimension.
Key Points:
- Managing a child’s screen time when they’re home sick from school has taken on a whole new dimension.
- For many parents, the challenge of juggling work and caring for a sick child at home inevitably leads to more TV or iPad.
Illness should not automatically equal unlimited screens
- The answer depends on several factors and understanding these elements can help parents manage their child’s screen time effectively and healthily.
- Still, we should also try to avoid a pattern where every minor illness is seen as a gateway to endless screen time.
- Over time, this could lead to a situation where children might exaggerate or even feign symptoms of illness to gain extra screen time.
How old is your child?
- The Australian screen time guidelines for young children and toddlers are less than those for older children.
- This means more guidance and support is needed to manage younger children’s use of screens.
- There are also continued concerns about the mental health impacts of young people’s social media use.
How sick is your child?
- Some illnesses, such as high fever or flu, necessitate ample rest to aid recovery.
- The stimulating effects of screen light can disrupt a child’s sleep, hindering the rest and recovery process.
What are the pre-existing rules in your house?
- Having a baseline – even if it is more generous – makes some screen time limits during a sick day an expected norm.
- Maintaining these rules can help prevent a free-for-all scenario, which could complicate matters once the child recovers and needs to readjust to their regular schedule.
- On the other hand, if there are no pre-existing rules for non-school days, introducing snap strict screen time regulations when a child is unwell may not be the best approach.
Keep an eye on things
- Consider supporting decisions that help them rest and then switch off after an agreed period.
- It’s also of course essential to distinguish between entertainment screen use and schoolwork that must be completed on a computer or tablet.
- Jordy Kaufman has received funding from the Australian Department of Education and Training to research children’s use of technology for education.