Do you know that the use of smartphones, tablets and video games may alter the physical formation of your children’s’ brains? You must keep your children off their screens as often as possible!
According to preliminary data from a study of the National Institutes of Health, children who reported more than two hours a day of screen time got lower scores on thinking and language tests. There is also some evidence that children who watch a lot of television during the early elementary school years perform less well on reading tests and may show deficits in attention.
As a single parent, I am already worried enough about my ability to provide for my son. I want him to grow and be successful, to do better than me, improve his success in learning. And if I am not around someday, I want him to be independent. Low scores, thinking and languages issues, deficit of attention are just not an option, I cannot let it happen!
Keep your children off their screens!
Screen time is a critical issue for single parents. Because they have to deal with so many problems on their own, they work very hard and are so busy that they do not have enough time available to entertain their kids. As a result, children may spend more time in front of the TV, their tablet, their video game or their phone. That time spent on screens, is a time where they would not interact, exchange, express their feelings, create, enjoy quality time with family, etc.
It is essential to connect with your children to keep them off their screens. However, when you are a single parent, your day is full, it is really hard to find extra time so what to do? Guess what: you can actually perform your tasks while interacting with your children, no need to find extra time to your over busy day. I got you covered with those 3 great everyday activities (that you have to do anyway). They will allow you to get things done around the house while keeping them off their screens.
1. Cooking to keep your children off their screens
You have to eat everyday, so want it or not you have to cook. It takes a significant amount of your time when you are a single parent as you have to do everything on your own. Use that time to connect with your children and keep them off their screens.
Cooking is a great everyday activity to keep your children busy without using a screen. Whenever you cook make sure to involve them. Cooking together creates closer bonds and helps build lifelong memories. You can also use that time to listen, share and talk with your child. Give them easy tasks, experience new tastes together, discover recipes from other countries/regions, challenge their creativity and inspire their curiosity with different spices, tastes, colors etc.
When I cook with my son, we can go for hours without realizing that time is passing. It is always a pleasure to see how concentrated he is in performing small tasks such as mixing soup or adding salt to meat. In the end, he is so proud to eat the food he prepared himself that it makes me happy too. It motivates me to look for new recipes and try new tastes. I always cook with him and it got to a point where when he’s not around I don’t feel like cooking.
2. Baking
Baking is essential when you are a single parent. Kids love cakes, cookies, muffins, candies, pancakes, etc. You can either buy them or make them. Obviously, when you are a single parent , money is critical so you should rather make them yourself at home. It is a great everyday activity to do with your children to keep them off their screens.
Baking does not require the use of screens. Involving your kids when you bake allows you to keep them off their screens while getting things done. Let them mix ingredients, measure quantities, create forms, touch the dough with their little hands, lick the spoon, etc. Baking is a great everyday activity that stimulates their creativity, makes them happy and creates funny memories. My son tells me stories from the school while we are baking, we spend time talking and laughing and he won’t even think of a video game, TV show or tablet during that time.
You don’t have to be a professional baker and it is pretty easy to learn how to bake. I did not know how to bake until my son was 4 years old. Once I saw how much I was spending to buy cookies, pancakes and so on, I decided that it was crazy to lose so much money. I started to learn how to bake myself at home. There are some very cheap, easy, and quick recipes that anyone can make.
3. Gardening
Working together on your garden with your children is togetherness time. You build bonds with them and create memories from your experiences in the garden. Growing plants excites their curiosity, they see how life is taking off and they are totally engaged in bringing something real to life.
When you are a single parent, gardening is necessary to help you save money. You can easily grow vegetables indoors, no need to have a yard. You will save money growing your mint, basil, oregano, and other fine herbs. While your children are learning a lifelong love of growing things, you will be learning more about how they think, what they like or dislike and how capable they really are. Your plants will also create a beautiful environment, whether they are in a garden, a raised bed, or a pot. I am confident that You and your children will enjoy every stage of the process. It is a great everyday activity to keep them off their screens.
If you don’t have a garden yet, now is the best time to start one. It doesn’t involve a screen and will help you keep your children active and focused on something real.
Use those 3 great everyday activities to keep your children off their screens. Plus, you will actually connect with them and use that time to create lifelong memories together. Share with us in the comments what are your strategies to keep your children off tscreens?
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