Tips To End Screen Time
As a mother to a toddler, I have struggled a lot to tell my son Aveer to stop seeing TV/screen after a certain time. I used to tell him, “Aveer, only two minutes, come here and let us do an activity.” And, like many of you my this statement either used to get ignored or being grunted at.
Two minutes later, as a typical mom, I will barge into the living room and will turn off the TV or iPad or iPhone thinking now he will listen to me. But instead, I used to get screams and tantrums. Initially, I thought it will improve and he will learn but then I realized something is wrong with my approach. And, one day I learned from one of my friends, there was when she introduced me to a parenting technique by Isabelle Filliozat.
Isabelle Filliozat is a world-renowned french psychologist who has authored many books about babies, their behavior, education, and positive parenting.
As I practiced her technique, my world started changing. It became easier for me to handle Aveer and end screen time without screams and tantrums.
This is what I learned from her and from my own experience.
Tips To End Screen Time Without Screams And Tantrums
The basis of the technique is based on two realities.
- All children want to communicate and want you to understand them.
- All practices are driven by three sound needs: power, insight, association.
Let us take an example to help you understand better. Suppose, if you are watching a suspense movie and suddenly your baby switches off the screen. What will be your reaction?
It’s hard, isn’t it? Since you are in that state of pleasure while watching something on the screen. I hope you can understand if it is so hard at that time for us adults, how difficult it will be for the kids. Yes, it can be devastating for them.
For those of you who still have doubt let me help you out with some scientific reasoning. When we watch TV or scree, our brain makes a compound named as Dopamine, which relieves stress and pain. Hence, when the screen is turned off suddenly, Dopamine levels come down fast and without any warning to the brain. This drop-in levels causes shock and hence screaming.
Do you face challenges with getting your baby off the screen? Does it often end in screaming and tantrums? If yes, this could help.
Tip – Make a Bridge
What is this Bridge? It is a technique that helps you to enter into the world of the baby, to bring them out of the world of screentime to the real world.
Does it sound mystical? Well, it’s not. You just need to remember the two bases which we discussed earlier.
It simply means whenever you want the screentime to end, you need to sit down with the baby and communicate with her/him about what’s happening in there. Suppose, if the baby is watching Peppa Pig, your question could be about, “Can you tell me what’s happening with Peppa?” or “Who is there with Peppa?” or “How does Peppa Pig do?” Wait for 30 seconds.
Also, surprisingly, simple questions like, “what are you watching?” can also work.
Kindly do understand that babies love when their parents take interest in their activities and get involved. They feel privileged.
If you feel that your baby is not reciprocating to your initial questions, don’t worry, and have patience. Stay there for a bit more and then ask about something which is happening on the screen.
Now, once a child starts interacting with you and starts reciprocating, that’s when you have developed that bridge. Now, it’s fairly easy for you to interact more and take them away from the screen zone to the real world.
Now is the time, have a smile on your face, and try to communicate that it is the end of screen time. Because of the bridge, your baby will be in a position to listen up and understand. Still, try to be gentle and subtle, that is the key. She/he might be so happy that you have shown interest in her/his activity that she/he might switch off the screen herself/himself.
To be honest, it really helped me to understand what’s happening in my baby’s mind. It wasn’t smooth always but I never have scream time now.
Tip – Utilise Technology
Yes, you heard it right. Use technology to your advantage.
If you aren’t aware, there is a function known as Screen Time on Apple Devices. By setting the kid’s devices as a family you can control the majority of it.
You can set hours of “downtime” where your baby will be able to see the screen and go online. On top of it, you can set APP LIMITS too.
It can be as simple as if they played games for some predetermined time as categorized by you, the games apps will be blocked and it can only be reactivated if approved by you post sending a request.
It also helps you to understand where your baby is spending time and how much. This can actually work very well until they require gadgets for their daily use and work.
Try It!
I know many of you might feel this doesn’t work or my baby is different. I will only ask you to try this technique of building a bridge.
Spend some time with your baby and ask an innocent question. Take interest in what they are watching.
Once they start responding, you’ve made a bridge. Now you just need to talk him through to whatever you want him to do.
It really helped me and I am sure it will help you too. Let me know, how it helped you and please share this with others so that everyone can get benefit.
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Very informative. I will definitely try it.
thank you.. let us know if it works for you