Screens Galore
Netflix, Instagram, Facebook, Video Games, the options are endless. Everyone is surrounded by countless options of screens for their entertainment. But how do we know how much is okay before it starts effecting our mental health, especially for our children?
Less Screens, More Exercise
I recently read an article in the Epoch Times that discussed the importance of monitoring screen time in teens and encouraging healthy habits such as exercise is vital for teens mental health. In the article it discussed a study that was done on teens between 11-15 years of age and the effect of screen time amongst mental health. The lead author, Asaduzzaman Khan of the University of Queensland, Australia, says, “If screen time goes beyond about two hours per day, there’s a detrimental relationship with mental health”. He also added teens who got more regular exercise had “greater life satisfaction”. Less screen time and more time exercising seem to be recipe for a happier life.
Model Behavior
As parents, we have a responsibility to model exercise and monitored screen time to our children. If we are constantly on our phones or watching TV, our children will be doing the same. However, if we can monitor the time on the screen and ensure we are exercising on a regular basis, our children will follow. “If I’m watching Netflix for five hours, it’s nonsense to assume that my teen is going to go outside and do activities there,” he says. “Parents and kids need to work together on this and figure out how to replace some of their screen time with ‘green time” (Khan). Our kids are like sponges, whatever they see, they will model! Let’s be role models to our kiddos of limited screen time and regular exercise for an all together happier life.
Click on Learn More to read, “Why Your Teen Should Replace Screen Time with Green Time” on The Epoch Times Website.
Click on the button below to read my blog discussing Joanna Gaines’ Tip to curb cell phone use of kids.
Xo,
Merr