KIDS

and
ELECTRONICS
9 Practical Strategies
to Help You Manage and Limit
Your Children’s Screen Use

VIVIAN FOSTER
 Copyright © 2022 Vivian foster. - All rights reserved.

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 INTRODUCTION
For parents born in the 1970s and 1980s, it is amazing to
see the extent to which screens have become part and
parcel of everything from education right through to
entertainment, social interaction, and navigation. For the
first time in history, children are spending around seven-
and-a-half hours in front of screens for entertainment and
only four to seven minutes playing outside (Cohen, n.d.).

A plethora of scientific studies shows that electronics

can be addictive and, when used excessively, they can
cause physical, mental, behavioral, and interpersonal
issues. Just a few health risks linked to their overuse include
a heightened risk of depression, anxiety, attention
problems, weight gain, and poor quality sleep. Electronics
can also stand in the way of family relationships, making
children less interested in spending time with their parents
and taking part in a wider range of activities at home and
beyond.

Recent research has also shown that over two hours

of daily screen time is linked to lesser well-being in
children aged two to seventeen and that limiting
recreational screen time to less than two hours a day
(Walsh et al, 2018) is linked to improved cognition.
 To be a parent in this day and age and to radically
eliminate all electronics in the household is, in my view as
a teacher and parent of two teens, both futile and self-
destructive. Children need screens to learn, research,
work collaboratively with others, and even enjoy
occasional games such as Minecraft, Roblox, and other
games they can play alone or with friends. Moreover,
recent studies have shown that digital literacy is key for
children hoping to become successful adults (Gordon,
2020).
 As an avid student of psychology for two decades,
one important lesson I have learned is that when it
comes to human beings, prohibition only leads to further
interest. Since my children (who are now both in their
teens) were toddlers, I always believed that moderation
was the answer to everything—food, sport, study, and yes
—electronics.

As a parent, I understand how difficult it can be to

‘unhook’ a child from technology. Children can have quite
intense reactions to being told to get off their phone,
tablet, or gaming device, which is why laying down rules
from the outset is key. So long as everyone knows where
they stand and what is expected of them, there are no
surprises, no tantrums, and no raised voices. This is the
kind of atmosphere I hope this book will help you create
in your home.

God knows it can be tempting to appease a child

by handing them a tablet while you’re working on a task
or chore. I remember many days when I was researching
and writing my first parenting book, (Anger Management
for Parents: The Ultimate Guide to Understand Your
Triggers, Stop Losing Your Temper, Master Your Emotions,
and Raise Confident Children), when I was ‘up to my ears’
with work and was strongly tempted to hand my children
a tablet to keep them occupied. I soon discovered that
this only led to flustered emotions and frequent conflicts
in the long run.
 At one point I was so overwhelmed by my daughter
Claire’s seeming inability to enjoy anything other than
her gaming device, that I began researching and
experimenting.

This book distills what I found most effective and

presents you with nine strategies to effectively reduce the
amount of time your kids spend on screens.

In the following chapters, you will find the results of

my research and experience. This is a short, practical,
easy-to-follow guide that seeks to help your child
understand the importance of having a well-balanced
life, setting clear ground rules for electronics use, and
prioritizing family bonding and real-world connections.
 Practical
Strategies
To Reduce Your Child’s
Screen Use

Without further ado, let’s get straight into the strategies

you can use to limit your child’s use of electronics,
ensure your kids create healthy relationships with
others, and boost their physical and mental health and
wellbeing.
 Strategy ONE
Give Your Child Reasons Why Limiting Their
Electronics Use Is Beneficial

Children can be considerably more open to

understanding you when you have open lines of
communication in your home and when you manage
your household like a team leader instead of an authority
figure that simply doles out orders. Regardless of the
stance you take, you may find that your child is annoyed
about having to curtail their screen time but if they
understand the reasons for your decision, they are far
more likely to be cooperative.

Even if your children are young (aged six or seven),

you can already start explaining—in a simple, clear way—
why deciding on an appropriate amount of daily screen
time is important. Share a few interesting statistics and
pieces of information. Depending on your child’s age, you
can go into greater detail or speak in a more general
tone. You can explain to your child that violent video
games can be harmful (in particular, they can promote
greater aggression in teens) and let them know that the
overuse of electronics can make it harder for them to
focus in class, complete their work, and stay active. Even
little kids take pride in their academic progress. Knowing
that screens can interfere with their success can
motivate them to stick to healthy limits.

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 Older children—especially those who love science
and are interested in the workings of the brain—can
benefit from learning what recent studies have to say on
the topic. For instance, screen use releases the feel-good
hormone, dopamine, in the brain, which can negatively
affect one’s ability to control impulses. It can additionally
affect the frontal cortex of the brain, as stimulant drugs
as cocaine does. As is the case with drugs, electronics set
off a pleasure/reward cycle that can impair one’s health
and happiness.

This is why, when we misplace our phones, we can

enter into a state of panic. This unique type of anxiety is
logical, considering how many hours kids (and indeed,
adults) can spend typing, swiping, and clicking away at
their devices.
 Screen addiction and excessive social media reliance
Screen addiction and excessive social media
also explain why follows, likes, and comments are so
reliance also explain why follows, likes, and comments
sought-after. Every notification bell indicating a like
are so sought-after. Every notification bell indicating a
prompts social media users to check out who has
like prompts social media users to check out who has
reacted to their post and it motivates them to keep
reacted to their post and it motivates them to keep
uploading new content.
uploading new content.

When it comes to explaining screen addiction to kids,

When it comes to explaining screen addiction to
it can help to watch short, informative videos on the
kids, it can help to watch short, informative videos on the
subject, summarize a few findings for your children, and
subject, summarize a few findings for your children, and
check out infographics alongside them. Rather than
check out infographics alongside them. Rather than
seeming like a teacher, make your children feel that you
seeming like a teacher, make your children feel that you
are interested in learning and discovering interesting
are interested in learning and discovering interesting
facts together. It makes little sense to be the ‘teacher’ in
facts together. It makes little sense to be the ‘teacher’ in
this scenario, since adults are often just as addicted to
this scenario, since adults are often just as addicted to
electronics as children and they, too, can benefit from the
electronics as children and they, too, can benefit from the
strategies laid out in this book.
strategies laid out in this book.

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 Strategy TWO
Follow a Daily Routine

Your child should have a daily schedule that covers

the different aspects of their lives—including homework,
sports, relaxation time, and screen time. Their routine
should cover:

The amount of time your child should spend on

their chosen devices.
If your child regularly uses more than one device
per day—including a smartphone, tablet, or TV—the
routine should include the allowed time for each
device or stipulate a total time they can dedicate to
all devices. For instance, if you and your child agree
that 45 minutes of daily screen time after
completing their homework is okay, then this may
include 20 minutes of TV plus 25 minutes on their
tablet.

A specific start and end time.

If you allow your child to watch or use electronic
devices “after doing their homework,” you could end
up with a child who rushes through their schoolwork
so they can start playing on their console asap.

Their routine should include a start and end time—

for instance, 7:30 pm to 8 pm. This way, even if they
finish their homework, they know they have to find
other ways to fill their time. They can read, perform
mindfulness meditation, listen to their screen-free
sound system, play with family pets, work on an
artwork or scrapbook, and more.

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Tasks that should be completed beforehand.

These can include schoolwork, chores, physical

activities, and the like.

A time that is appropriate to your child’s age.

This is something that you ultimately should

decide upon based on your child’s maturity,
progress at school, interest in physical activity and
social interactions, and the like. The American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that
children younger than 18 months avoid screen
media other than video calls.

Those aged 18 to 24 months, meanwhile, can

watch high-quality kids’ programs alongside their
parents since research shows that co-viewing
media as a family can protect children against
many harms of screen time (Pappas, 2020).
Children aged two to five should consume no more
than one hour daily of high-quality programs.

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 The above recommendations are based on research
indicating that excessive screen use can hamper
children’s health. One 2019 study (Hutton et al) found that
there is a link between increased screen-based media
use (compared to the AAP guidelines) and structural
differences in the brains of young children. Another study
showed that eight- to eleven-year-olds who exceeded
screen time recommendations scored lower on cognitive
assessments (Walsh et al, 2018).

For older children, a consensus is hard to come by. In

2016, the AAP recommended two hours’ maximum screen
time for youths. However, research conducted in 2017
(Ferguson) concluded that there is only a negligibly small
link between excessive screen time and higher levels of
depression and delinquency among teens. Despite the
often-debated nature of this subject, setting a routine for
media use is important to ensure a child’s life is well-
balanced. One thing that should not be negotiable is how
late children are allowed to use screens. They should turn
off all devices between half an hour and sixty minutes
prior to bedtime, since using devices until late at night
can interfere with sleep quality (American Academy of
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2020).

Tip: Use a timer or voice assistant like Alexa or Siri to let your child
know when their time is up. That way you won’t need to be the
one to end their designated screen time.
 Strategy THREE
Draw up a Contract for Screen Use

If children are to reduce their use of electronics, they

need to feel like they are part of the decision-making
process, and involving them in drawing up a contract
regarding screen use can achieve just that. Contracts
are always subject to negotiation, so when discussing
possible ‘contractual clauses’ with your child, you should
have non-negotiable ones (for instance, your child
cannot use their screen for more than one hour on
weekdays) and negotiable ones (for instance, your child
can choose the specific day on which they wish to use
their tablet or phone).

What Should the Contract Include?

Key elements to include in your child’s screen use

contract include:

● Norms regarding screen use as stipulated in Strategy Two

(amount of time per day, time of day, which devices, and the like).

● Rewards and consequences. For instance, a child who is

faithful to the contact throughout the week can benefit from an
extra half-hour or hour of screen time on Saturday and Sunday.
However, if more than a specific number of clauses are not
obeyed throughout the week, this extra privilege will be removed.

● When stipulating rewards and consequences, try to keep

them screen-related. This is because other rewards (such as
enjoying a family picnic on the weekend, going to see a play, or
having lunch at your family’s favorite restaurant) are all important
and helpful in building healthy family relationships. Therefore, they
are non-negotiable.

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 When negotiating the contract, make sure that
children enjoy a sense of autonomy and that they are in
charge of keeping their screen use within stipulated
times. So long as they are responsible enough to turn off
their devices in time, there is no need for you to remind
them to do so. Show them you have faith in their ability to
follow through, only stepping in when required.

Consider Becoming a Party to the Contract

When drafting your child’s contract, consider

committing to reduced leisure-based screen-time
yourself. The contact should contain not only stipulations
about screen use, but also include other daily activities.
Committing to spending your free time in a healthier
manner is an indication of your authentic belief in the
harms that addiction to electronics can cause. It is also
an ideal way to prioritize other activities that promote
health and happiness—including reading, playing non-
screen-based games, and taking part in sports and other
outdoor physical activities.

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 Strategy FOUR
Encourage Your Child to Avoid Multitasking

Once your child has agreed to cut down their

electronics use, encourage them to work, play, or enjoy
other types of entertainment without multitasking. When
you do too many things at once, it reduces your
efficiency and performance because the brain can only
focus on one main activity at a time (Gorlick, 2009).

In the US, around 53% of children have a smartphone

by the time they are 11 (Kamenetz, 2019) and 84% of teens
have their own phones. Many feel a little ‘nervous’ when
their phones are out of their reach and may alternate
between reading or studying and texting or playing on
their phones.

Children should be encouraged to study, read, or

enjoy their hobbies without interruption from electronics.
To discourage multitasking, have a designated docking
station at home where smaller electronics such as
chargers and devices can be kept. The station should be
located in a neutral area like the entrance hall or
beneath a staircase, since if you keep it in the main
bedroom, it may seem like you are ‘confiscating’ your
child’s phone. All devices should be turned off when your
child is concentrating on other tasks.

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 There are several apps that can help your child
avoid multitasking, such as Freedom, Serene, Cold Turkey
Blocker, and Forest. The latter works in the following way:
the user enters the app and says they want to plant a
tree. If they pick up the phone and use another app, the
tree will die. On the contrary, if they stick to their
resolution for 25 minutes, their tree will grow. Over time,
your child can build up an entire forest that symbolizes
their ability to focus. The paid version of the app allows
children to fund the planting of real trees via a
collaboration with Trees for the Future (Pot, 2021).

If your child is working on a desktop

computer or laptop for school-related
research, you can also rely on various
apps to block unwanted sites. The
Chrome extension StayFocusd, for
instance, permits users to add specific
domains to a list of blocked sites and
sets a window of time during which users
cannot visit specified pages.

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 Additional ways to discourage
multitasking include taking
breaks at set times (for
instance, every 45 minutes),
ensuring your child’s study area
is tidy, and setting up an
ergonomic workstation for your
child.

They should have a

comfortable chair whose height
can be adjusted so they do not
need to look upwards to use
their computer. They should
have a comfortable footrest
and their back, forearms, and
wrists should be well-supported.
Allow your child to adjust
specific components of their
study experience to their
preferences. For instance, some
children find that listening to
quiet Baroque music while they
are working can enhance
concentration.

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 Strategy FIVE
Choose Quality Viewing and
Engage in Media with Your Children

This step may seem contradictory to the previous

four but it actually isn’t. Recent research from the
University of Oxford, for instance, has found (Przybylski,
2017) that “the broader family context, how parents set
rules about digital screen time, and if they're actively
engaged in exploring the digital world together, are more
important than the raw screen time.” Engaging in media
use with your child is a great way to make sure they are
consuming quality material. There is a big difference
between your child watching a classic animation like
Charlotte’s Web or an exciting underwater documentary
by Jacques Cousteau, for instance, and viewing a violent
animated film or content of little value on YouTube.

Familiarize yourself with your child’s favorite

programs and develop an interest in them. See viewing
time as an opportunity to teach your kids about the
media and how advertising influences choices. Point out
good online behavior, enlighten children on the potential
dangers of social media, and encourage them to take a
critical or analytical stance on the way content is edited,
scripted, and presented.

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 Games are particularly interesting when it comes to
user control. For instance, many popular games offer
rewards, gaming money, and extra privileges for those
who spend the most time on their games. Children are
often reluctant to stop playing a game because they
need to complete a specific ‘level’ (which may last half
an hour or more) to obtain coveted rewards. Remind
children that they have the power to refuse to be
manipulated into a course of action and let them know
that ultimately, levels and rewards matter less than
remaining fully in command of their media use. Let them
know, additionally, that they can use their free time to
take part in more engaging, rewarding experiences such
as playing sports, creating art, or reading a great book.

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 Run through essential cyber safety rules with your
children. They should know that anything they share—text
and images—has the potential to go viral in seconds and
that this material can be used maliciously by others.
Children should follow a strict cybersecurity protocol at
all times. The latter includes avoiding interaction with
strangers, reporting any instance of cyberbullying
immediately, using parent-approved apps exclusively,
setting a strong password and relying on two-factor
authentication via their phone, and never providing
information regarding their identity and location. The key
to mastering cybersecurity is to focus on empowerment
rather than fear. Children should confidently identify
unsafe websites, know who to turn to if they are unsure
about something, and know what to do if someone
makes them feel bad online (Kaspersky, n.d.).

Use available tech tools to monitor your child’s

online use. Tracking apps like Qustodio, FamiSafe Child
Tracker, Norton Family, and ESET Parental Control can be
particularly valuable for parents wishing to know more
about the content their child is consuming (Gagne, 2019).
When you gather information, consider using these apps
to limit what sites can be accessed and for what duration
of time. If you find that your child is spending what you
consider an unreasonable time on one app (think
Snapchat, YouTube or Instagram), talk to your child
about it. Discuss how if they have, say four hours between
the time they get home and go to bed, dedicating a full
hour to just one app can affect their ability to get their
homework and chores done. It can also take up time that
could be devoted to interacting with other family
members.

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 Strategy SIX
Designate MEDIA-FREE Times Together

Family bonding time—especially dinner—should be

totally tech-free as this may be the only time of the day
that all family members are present. It is important for
each family member to be mindful; to give themselves
fully to the present moment and generously pay
attention to loved ones. Currently, modern families spend
just 38 minutes together on weekdays (Davis, 2021),
giving each other little time to create cherished
memories and share thoughts, concerns, and opinions.

Enjoying time together without the distraction of

electronics is beneficial to mental health. It can boost a
child’s self-confidence, strengthen conflict resolution
skills, and enable parents and children to share
important moments of their day. Children who are
concerned about school relationships or academics can
give parents vital information that may require parental
action. For instance, it is well known that children who are
bullied often keep this information from their parents
(Gordon, 2021). They may do this because of shame or
because they feel that telling their parents and teachers
about a school bully won’t do them any good.

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 The more opportunities children have to talk with
parents in a relaxed setting, the more likely they are to
give parents vital clues that may indicate that all is not
right. Children can also share problems related to
specific subjects at school, indicating the need for help
from either parents or tutors.

How far can you take designated media-free times?

As far as you’d like. As is the case with families
celebrating meat-free Mondays, you can choose to
celebrate tech-free Tuesdays (Gearheart, 2014). If you
opt to celebrate a tech-free day, choose a weekday to
do so, since children and adults alike have more free
time on weekends and many enjoy playing computer
games and watching films and other quality material on
TV.

When enjoying screen-free time with loved ones,

make sure you do so mindfully. Make it a point to use eye
contact to make your children feel heard when they are
talking. Don’t feel like you have to fill in silences. Being
able to simply ‘be’ together without necessarily speaking
is a sign of trust, confidence, and feeling relaxed with
each other. Prioritize quality time and whatever you do,
don’t multitask when your child is telling you about their
day.

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 Strategy SEVEN
Plan Family Activities Your Kids Will Love

Electronics are tough competition when it comes to

capturing your child’s attention. They are entertaining,
creative, and provide loads of rewards. It may sometimes
seem like an uphill battle, but it is one you should
definitely strive to win.

It’s all good and well to espouse the evils of excessive

media use but if you don’t provide your child with fun
alternatives, you can hardly blame them for seeing your
advice as little more than “typical nagging.” Take time to
plan fun activities your family will enjoy, taking
advantage of weekends and vacation time, when you are
all likely to be more relaxed and have more free time on
your hands.

Building family ties are important for children’s mental

health, with research showing that they protect them
against suicidal behaviors (Science Daily, 2009), soothe
anxiety (Science Daily, 2015), and strengthen family
values. In order to motivate kids to spend time with you,
try to personalize chosen activities to their tastes. If your
child loves action games, for instance, they will probably
feel over the moon if you book a paintball session for
family and friends.

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 If children enjoy swimming or going to the beach,
then organize a day or weekend in a seaside or lakeside
destination and make it an active one with stand-up
paddling, snorkeling, and canoeing activities on the
agenda. If your child is into the arts, take them to a free
outdoor play in a nearby park or book an elegant night
out at the opera or ballet. If science is your child’s
passion, plan and source materials for fun projects like
creating crystals, building water-powered vehicles,
building an electric circuit, and the like. There are a host
of kits with all the materials you need, which can be
convenient if you are busy and don’t want to shop for
individual materials in various different shops.

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 Arts and crafts are always fantastic ways to spend
time together and indeed, once you start painting a large
canvas, sculpting, or creating a scrapbook or collage, it
often feels like time has flown as you and your co-
creators become lost in a creative “zone.”

Don’t worry too much about achieving perfection;

focus on fun. Regardless of the activity, you choose (even
if it is just playing board games or cards), up the wow
factor by serving fun snacks, playing cool music, and
taking photographs for posterity.

In addition to planning regular bonding times together,

try to take a family vacation once or twice a year.
Research shows that vacations have a positive impact
on all family members (Kidcentral TN, n.d.). They enable
people to enjoy themselves without worrying about
typical daily responsibilities, make it easier to unplug
from devices and provide the opportunity to explore
beautiful sites, natural landscapes, and cuisines together.
Even the act of traveling to and from different areas on a
train, plane, or automobile can provide family members
with the opportunity to discover fascinating things about
each other.

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 Strategy EIGHT
Spend Time in Nature with Your Child

The term “Nature-Deficit Disorder” was coined by

author Richard Louv (2019) and it describes the human
cost of alienation from nature. The proliferation of
electronic devices, poor urban planning, and recent
technological changes, Louv explains, are leading to the
diminished importance of the natural world in public and
private education. The author points to many studies that
show that failing to spend enough time in nature is linked
to attention problems, obesity, diminished use of the
senses, and various mental and physical illnesses or
conditions.

Spending time in nature, on the contrary, can boost

working memory, self-confidence, problem-solving skills,
and the ability to relax, with a Cornell University study
showing that just 10 minutes in a natural setting can help
students feel happier and reduce the effects of physical
and mental stress (Meredith et al, 2020). Research by
Moula et al (2021), meanwhile, found that when children
were asked to draw their “happy place,” most created
drawings that included aspects of nature such as trees,
parks, lakes, rivers, grass, rainbows, and sunlight. Trees, in
particular, were drawn by around 30% of children.

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 Research has also shown that time in green spaces
can improve ADHD symptoms (Science Daily, 2004) and
boost children’s ability to concentrate (Kuhn et al, 2021).
Kids who have a strong bond with nature are also more
likely to be more in tune with the challenges faced by the
Planet.

Most learn plenty about sustainability and ways to

lead an eco-friendly life at school, but being in nature
enables them to appreciate its value in a very real sense.
When they build a bond with nature, they are more likely
to know why lowering their carbon footprint matters so
much.

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 Bringing your kids into nature is easy. Your first foray
“into the wild” can involve something as simple as having
weekend lunches in your backyard to growing a
vegetable garden, visiting the park every day for a few
minutes, or planning vacations to natural areas instead
of urban ones. For an extra health boost, try to let your
children enjoy a little “rough and tumble” play.

A study by researchers at the University of British

Columbia (Brussoni et al, 105) has shown that outdoor
play improves children’s health and encourages
resilience, social skills, and creativity. Climbing, jumping,
and running are just a few activities that can foster these
qualities. Researchers suggested taking children to
playgrounds with natural elements, changes in height,
and enough freedom for kids to choose their own
activities. Instead of supervising children (particularly
older ones), the researchers recommended monitoring
their activities as a way to balance safety and health
outcomes.

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 Strategy NINE
Lead By Example

Raising children in a digital age can be challenging

indeed. On the one hand, you should be digitally savvy so
you know about the games they are playing, apps they
are using, and potential dangers they may be exposed to
when they are online.

On the other hand, it makes little sense to curtail a

child’s use of electronics if you are on your computer,
tablet, or phone during practically all of your free time.
Ask yourself how many hours a day you use your
computer for leisure purposes, think of how often your
child sees you behind a screen, and try to recall the last
time you headed outdoors, went to the gym, or simply
met friends for a little phone-free social interaction.

An example of the importance of leading by example

can be found in the story of the woman who asked
Mahatma Gandhi to tell her son to stop eating sugar.
Gandhi told the woman to return in two weeks and when
they did, he instructed her son to stop eating sugar. When
the woman asked him why he hadn’t simply said this to
her son when she first approached him, Gandhi
answered, “because then, I was eating sugar.”

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 If you think about life with your children, you will realize
that they have learned many of the most important
things in life from you (Professor’s House, n.d.). When they
are young, their entire aim is to please you and they
follow everything you do. They love cooking with you,
happily help with doing the dishes, and rushing to your
side when you pull out a book from the shelf to read
alongside them.

As children get older, they begin interacting with more

people, reflecting the patterns they have learned from
you within a larger context. This is when their focus is less
on pleasing you and more on demonstrating the
behaviors they have learned to others.

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 Lead by example in a myriad
of ways.

Control your anger, resolve conflicts wisely, take care

of your physical and mental health, and don’t be a slave
to screens. If your child sees that you are fulfilled in many
ways, have a good social life, exercise daily, enjoy good
quality media, consume quality food, and keep screen
use to a reasonable and measured time), they will be
more likely to exercise the same self-kindness strategies
that you do.

If you are addicted to electronics, then a bit of detox

may be in order before you start making demands of
your children with respect to screen use. Lay down the
path you choose your child to walk on. Be their role model
in terms of leading a life that promotes health, happiness,
and loving family relationships in which gratitude,
mindfulness, and generosity abound.

https://vivianfoster.com/
 CONCLUSION
People who are living in the current millennium are by
nature digital citizens. We work, communicate, and
socialize in no small part, thanks to technologies such as
ubiquitous connectivity. Encouraging your child to be
digitally savvy can help them in their schoolwork and
future professional lives. However, if they are addicted to
electronics or spend so much time on them that other
areas of their life are suffering, then it is time to try out the
nine strategies I have shared with you.

I believe that moderation works better than prohibition

and indeed advocate for the importance of setting
reasonable goals when it comes to the use of electronics.
Your child should take an active role in creating a media
use plan to ensure they fully understand its need and feel
that they are agreeing to reasonable terms.

Curbing electronics use isn’t only about curtailing

screen time. It is also about enriching your child’s life with
a host of healthful, fun, meaningful moments. It takes
work to provide these for them, but the results are
definitely worth it.
 Prioritize family bonding time
and plan your outings mindfully
and with your children’s tastes
and passions in mind. Make
nature a part of their
upbringing, for time outdoors is
vital for your child’s health and
wellbeing.

Make a change today by

talking with your child about the
effects of excessive screen use.
Try out the strategies I have
provided, picking and choosing
the ones that work best. Finally,
work on yourself and remember
that a leader always shines the
brightest when they set a good
example for others. Pursue a
rich, purposeful life; one that is
not excessively dependent on
the ‘high’ afforded by social
media and one that is centered
on pursuing your passions and
caring for those you love.

https://vivianfoster.com/
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