FUTURE-PROOF YOUR SCREEN TIME

Three ways to reduce device drama…

1 Swap them

“Rather than focusing on reducing screen time, focus on increasing other activities that bring you joy,” advises Eloise Rickman. Make fun,

enjoyable activities like drawing, building or painting easily accessible and try to find pockets of time to spend doing fun, device-free

activities as a family.

2 Share them

Co-view programmes and videos, or co-play games, especially with

younger children, to help you understand them and be a part of their online world. “You don’t need to watch it all the time, but the first

time your children are watching something, I would try and co-view

it with them,” says Eloise. “You’ll then be able to have conversations with them about it and share that

interest.”

3 Remove them

If you want your children to spend less time using screens, don’t have them on view. This might mean rearranging the living room so that the TV isn’t the focal point, or keeping devices tucked away in

cupboards when not in use.