We like to use the metaphor of food in this article to help us with our screen consumption. What does this actually mean in practice? We know it’s not necessary to sit down together with friends or even by ourselves. You can eat a sandwich on the go, or keep a prepared meal in your fridge. Food has always been a subject of rituals in all cultures. This is because food has been socialized to be a time of creativity and sharing. We believe that this is what screens can do.
Take nine areas of food rituals to understand how they impact the organization of screen consumption.
First, both moms and dads should know that babies shouldn’t be fed steak, fries, or spaghetti. These foods should not be considered toxic. This means the baby’s digestive system may not be suitable. The baby’s brain is also not equipped to use the screens. The baby is unable to perceive the distance between the images and the emotions they provoke in him.
Second, all cultures encourage children to observe the time-table for meals. Also, we don’t nibble all day. The same applies to screens. Let’s as adults take a look at how often we use our screens and encourage our children to do so. Let’s ritualize the introduction of a screen to a child’s daily life. For example, from 5.30 to 6pm or 6 to 7pm. This will allow us to set a time before any activity that cannot be moved such as the bath or dinner.
It is a pleasure to be able choose from a variety of food options. It’s more rewarding to be able to choose from a variety of foods than just eating what is offered. Let’s ensure that our child has access to a small DVD collection. He can have as many or as few titles as he likes so that he can pick and choose according to his day. He will be able to see himself as a citizen of the globe more easily. He will also be able to understand the programs better if he watches them multiple times.
We eat on a plate, not in the dish. Each person receives a portion of the food on the plate. We can only eat more if we have finished. Television, as well as Netflix, YouTube, and all other access providers, presents a problem in that it allows the child to watch a continuous stream of programs, without interruptions between them. It’s almost as if the child’s plate was filled automatically when he emptys it. In these circumstances, it is clear that many people would eat too much. The DVD allows the child not only to view the programs that interests him but also lets him see the endings of the programs and then move on to the next activity.
We all know that sharing meals is more fun than eating by yourself. We should encourage our children to use split-screen. Let’s make a habit of watching a feature film together at least once per week. We prefer to play video games with others, preferably in close physical proximity, than those that we do alone.
A teenager or child is not allowed to bring a box of cookies into their bedroom for the night. We should not allow him to take a package of cookies to their room in the same manner he does with his phone. Let’s make it a family rule and everyone must leave their phone at home every night on the breakfast table so they can find it the next day.
Everybody knows that comments about food are always welcome during meals. This allows you to share your thoughts about the dishes you’ve eaten, as well as the ones you’ve had in different circumstances. The conversation becomes lively! Let’s also talk about screens.
Let’s not forget about the significant changes in our relationship with food over the past few years. The need to eat more was the main focus of the past. Now, it’s all about eating better. While some people eat too much, they don’t necessarily eat the most. There are many factors that can contribute to obesity. But, it is well-known that obesity can be linked to many other factors. Some people eat too much. These people are not always the most dangerous. You can consume a small screen but it is possible to do so in a way that is detrimental to your social life and mental health. This includes overexposing your privacy or engaging in hateful acts. It is possible to use screens for creative and socializing purposes, particularly through video games and social networks.
Most of us don’t have a problem with the amount of time we spend looking at screens. It is our tendency to do repetitive, stereotypical, uncreative, and non-social activities. It has been proven that those in pain, both psychic and/or social, use digital media less frequently.
Limits on screen time
Many parents will be asking how these tips can be implemented to limit screen time for their children after reading the above tips. The smartest solution is to use the apps. You can limit the screen time of your kids with these apps. These apps make it easy for parents to manage their children’s screen time. This app provides screen lock scheduler, remote lock options, screen timer, Time bank feature, and app blocker. You can also benefit from many other useful features. What are you waiting to do? Get the FamilyTime app for free. The trial version can be downloaded from the app store. You can now go to Google Play Store or iTunes, depending on the operating system of the phone. The app will be installed in just a few steps.
We invite you to socialize your relationship with screens in the same way as we socialized our relationship with food. We will achieve both family harmony and personal balance, and our children can learn how to manage screens without any pain or crisis.
