How to manage tablet use in children

Written by Cristina Muñoz Russberg | Psychologist and Child Educator | @melodas

How difficult it often is for us to manage children's use of technology, isn't it?

Sometimes we forget that we were born with them; there are screens everywhere and for everything: when we use our cell phone, TV, tablet, computer, in lines at the doctor's, and even when we go to pay at the supermarket ATM.

It's curious how a child as young as 2 or 3 can handle a tablet with those tiny fingers, yet an older person finds it a world to handle and struggles to learn how to operate it. As I mentioned at the beginning, even the youngest children are practically born with a tablet under their arms.

Now we ask ourselves, isn't it bad for them to use screens from a young age? How can we manage children's use of tablets?

Let's start from the beginning. Screens are overstimulating , that's true, but a tablet isn't the same for an 18-month-old baby as it is for a 5-year-old boy or girl.

It is important to avoid screens as much as possible until approximately 2 years of age .

My opinion is that it's difficult to ban something that we spend all day using. Instead of living against screens, let's live with them, but using them responsibly.

How could we do it?

- We must keep in mind that adults are their role models . They'll want to imitate us in everything. Children play at being grown-ups, so the first thing is to reduce our own screen use . It's not logical to tell our children that we won't let them watch TV or use a tablet while we're looking at our phones.

- Spend quality time with the children . Play board games or any toys that allow us to spend time with them .

- Some children don't manage the time to stop using their tablets well. You can set a time limit for them in advance. You can get an hourglass for those little ones who don't yet know how to keep track of time.

- If you can't beat your enemy, join them! Why not spend time together doing tablet activities? You can play different games or even watch your favorite cartoons or a movie together.

- The tablet isn't just for playing games or watching cartoons or movies. It can be used as a great tool for searching for information on a specific topic .

Most of us have often turned to screens to help us with our little ones. Being 100% focused all day is practically impossible; we need a break, and so do they, so we shouldn't feel guilty. Their free time isn't a negative if we do it with caution and limits.

Cristina Muñoz Russberg
@melodas
Psychologist and child educator