My child is addicted to a tablet, what should I do? How to wean a child off a tablet? My experience
But gadgets create addiction, and sooner or later every parent will have to fight with them. What is the danger? Is it terrible when a child sits and pokes buttons for hours? After all, he's having fun, anyway. Develops fine motor skills, reaction speed, and attention. Receives a lot of positive emotions, while parents can go about their business. However, the danger of gadgets is great when the passion for them goes beyond the bounds of reason.
Child psychologists advise that children under three years of age should not be allowed to electronic devices(including to TV). And at an older age, it is necessary to strictly control the time that children spend on gadgets. Ideally, it should not exceed an hour a day. Gadgets take a child into a world where everything is easy and simple, where the most difficult problem can be solved with the press of a button, and where it is so difficult to escape. This harms not only your posture and vision. In the end, this also affects their character: without receiving their favorite gadget, children eat poorly, quarrel with their parents, and can even go on a rampage, damaging things, or, conversely, become depressed.
Sometimes solving a neglected problem requires the help of a psychiatrist. But if you missed your child “just a little bit,” what can you do to snatch him out of the virtual world?
Rule No. 1 Personal example. If you can’t imagine your life without virtual reality, you constantly sit at your laptop, and never part with your iPad or mobile phone, then you can be sure that your child will become an ardent fan of gadgets. If you are unable to cope with your craving for social networks, forums and games, sit at the computer not in front of your child. For example, devote evening time to your hobby when the baby is already asleep. After all, a child, especially a small one, first of all copies the behavior of the people closest to him - his parents. If you submit the correct personal example, then you don’t need any other advice. Try having a gadget-free family day once a week. There is only one condition: no one plays on tablets, mobile phones, iPads, uses the Internet, or watches TV.
Rule #2 Create a feeling of success. It is clear that the child is an ace in games and is great at shooting enemies. It turns out that in virtual reality he is more successful than in real reality. Play good old board games with your child - and maybe it makes sense to give in to him once or twice. The main thing is to praise the child, telling him how smart he is.
Rule #3 Show an alternative. Try not to leave your child too much free time. Of course, rest is necessary, but within reason. Make sure your son or daughter has other interests besides gadgets. Send your child to a sports section or choose a club.
Rule #4 Don't criticize computers and games. If a child is used to them, he may begin to see you as a person who encroaches on the sacred. Moreover, if other children are playing, then why do parents say that it is bad? Discuss Internet safety with your child. Install a program for monitoring play time on your gadget, as well as protection from visiting “non-children’s” sites.
Rule No. 5: Get proper rest. Make sure your baby doesn't miss gadgets so that they don't catch his eye. Spend more time with him outside, organize a trip out of town, keep him busy so that it occurs to him as little as possible to ask: “Mom, give me a tablet.” Go to the event with a whole group, with several children. But be sure to agree with other adults: no gadgets on vacation!
It's not just about tablets. The computer, mobile phone and other devices that have entered our lives have enormous power over us. Nowadays it is difficult to find an adult who is completely independent of the Internet and modern computer technologies. Children's addiction to gadgets is an even more common phenomenon. First, parents give the baby an expensive toy, which instantly captures the child’s attention with bright pictures that replace each other with one touch of the screen. But time passes, and anxiety arises: without a tablet or smartphone, the baby is capricious, does not listen, and refuses to play with ordinary toys. In adult children, the situation is aggravated by problems in learning and aggressive behavior. What to do? How to distract a child from mobile phone? This question becomes a real problem for young parents.
Even adults can't resist the temptation to flip through the pages. social networks, play exciting computer games with an interesting plot that takes the player far from reality. For a little person with an unformed emotional and psychological organization, interaction with gadgets and the Internet leads to serious, often disastrous complications:
- a sedentary lifestyle that has a negative impact on the growing body;
- pathologies of the development of the nervous system;
- psychological disorders that develop as a result of the availability of adult content;
- problems with socialization (the baby cannot communicate with other children, withdraws into himself);
- replacing the real world with a virtual one;
- development of deep psychological dependence.
How to do this correctly? - set a time limit (for children 5-6 years old - a maximum of 35 minutes, for older children 8-12 years old - up to 60 minutes);
- make sure that it is comfortable for the child to study, so that the monitor is located at eye level at the optimal distance;
- offer the baby useful games and activities that contribute to his all-round development;
- apply virtual filters to control access to unwanted content.
- Be a role model. Active parents with a large list of hobbies and a busy life, children, as a rule, also live actively and interact with the world around them with pleasure.
- Spend time together. Common interests and household chores fill the child’s actions with meaning, forming in him a sense of significance and belonging to the family circle.
- Provide opportunities to regularly spend time with peers. Communication and games with other children have a huge impact on the development of communication skills and the ability to adapt in society.
- Ensure comprehensive development.
- Remember about the rational distribution of children's energy. Sports activities, dancing, football, swimming - any physical activity, including outdoor games in the yard, roller skating is only beneficial for the baby.
- To have a pet. Taking care of a pet will help develop responsibility, discipline, and compassion in a child.
- Be consistent, don't give up established rules using a computer.
And they don’t just play with them, but without any explanation they unlock them and launch applications. It's great that they are growing up so smart! Without knowledge of the language latest technologies children will not be able to successfully navigate modern world. But there is also a downside. Psychologists and pediatricians warn that excessive use of gadgets can have negative consequences. How to find the golden mean between safety and normal development?
Everything has its time
For a child, first of all, it is necessary to correctly, taking into account his age, determine the optimal permissible time that he can spend with gadgets.
■ Up to 3 years: It is desirable to have a complete absence of gadgets in children’s lives. True, it is not always possible to completely protect a child from a tablet. Therefore, try to limit it to 15 minutes so as not to harm your health. At this age, for full physical and psychological development, children need to get acquainted with the world using the full range of sensations - tactile, auditory, visual. The baby’s “screen life” is only a small visual part of this spectrum, which refers to passive pastime. In order for your child to develop harmoniously and not get used to sitting with a tablet, do more with it, focusing on active and educational games. Read books to him, draw, sculpt, go for walks.
■ 3–6 years: 30–45 minutes a day. As soon as a child gets acquainted with computer games, they captivate him so much that other types of activities become uninteresting to him. Immersed in a bright, accessible virtual world, children get lost in real life, withdrawing from communication and withdrawing into oneself. However, you should not completely prohibit your child from playing games, because, left alone with the tablet, he will try to satisfy his interest uncontrollably. It’s better to install apps and games for your child that offer tasks for attention, logic, and teaching reading. Show me how to use them. They will help him prepare for school.
■ 7–11 years: 45–60 minutes a day. Access to the Internet and computer games must be provided by your agreement and always with the “ parental control"(It’s too early to put him on social networks!). Explain what's on the Internet besides useful information There are many dangers that must be treated with great caution. View your browser history to see what your browser is doing online. This way you can not only control the quality of the information he receives, but also better understand his area of interest.
■ Over 12 years old: 1–1.5 hours a day. Teenagers need to be in the know, be able to navigate the Internet, and communicate on social networks. It is already difficult to control a teenager on the Internet, and yet constantly remind him of safety, including what photos and posts should not be posted and why. Unobtrusively ask him about virtual life, but do not criticize, but try to guide him. Ask him to help you find information or understand the functions of the gadget. This will increase his self-esteem and strengthen your relationship.
Two sides
■ Pros: gadgets develop fine motor skills, attentiveness, perseverance, logic, visual and auditory perception of information.
■ Minuses: worsen posture, weaken the immune system due to lack of physical activity, cause problems with communication, and contribute to stress and aggression.
How to tear your child away from gadgets?
■ Don't prohibit, but offer alternatives. Just tell your baby “No - that’s all!” or pick up the tablet with the words “Better do something useful” - a direct path to hysteria and quarrel. The interest that gadgets surrounding him on all sides arouse in a child will not go away on its own. It will only increase, spurred on by prohibitions. Therefore, try to switch the child’s attention to something exciting - games, family walks, joint chores around the house. The more intense his real life is, the less he will be drawn into the virtual one.
■ Stimulate your child's cognitive hunger. Don’t rush to give your little why one ready-made answers, but help him find the solution himself by thinking and analyzing. TRIZ (theory of inventive problem solving) techniques will be useful to you for this. They help your child learn to think outside the box by training their inquisitive mind.
■ Help your child understand digital technologies. Be his guide and mediator in mastering gadgets and the Internet. Explain that this is not only entertainment, but also a storehouse of knowledge. Show how to search for something on the Internet and solve puzzles on a tablet.
■ Communicate more. Children often “go away” into the virtual world due to the fact that their parents pay little attention to them. Don’t move away from your child, always support him in everything, even “virtually”.
The rules are the same for everyone
■ Learn to negotiate. Discuss with your child (if he is over 5 years old) at what time and how exactly he will use the gadget: play, watch cartoons, prepare for school using the application.
■ Set important rules. You can only use gadgets while sitting, holding the screen at a distance of 35–40 cm from your eyes. Every 15 minutes the child should look away from the monitor, taking breaks. But this does not mean: put down the tablet and turn on the TV. You need to change your “occupation”: do exercises, wash the dishes, learn a poem.
■ Lead by example. If parents themselves are at the mercy of screens and do not let go of gadgets, you can hardly expect any different behavior from your child. When setting rules for your child, try to follow them yourself. If a child can’t eat while staring at a tablet, then it should be a taboo for parents too.
■ Start a tradition: Only family members gather at the dinner table. No “digital friends”!
Ekaterina Morozova
Reading time: 9 minutes
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The problem of computer addiction among our children today is breaking all records. Whether teenagers or toddlers, children are instantly immersed in virtual reality, displacing ordinary life. Considering the harm that “virtual” causes to the health and, especially, the psyche of a child, the time of using a PC should be strictly limited by parents. The information that the child receives from the monitor screen is also subject to control. How to deal with such addiction in children?
How to distract a preschooler from the computer - 5 parenting tricks.
For a preschooler, the time allowed to play on the computer is limited 15 minutes
(nonstop). “Monitor time” (like TV) – only o in strictly dosed “portions”.
With the replacement of the real world by the virtual one, a replacement of values also occurs: the need for live communication, for enjoying life, dies away naturally. Lost ability
ruminate, health deteriorates, character deteriorates. 
What to do and how to distract your preschooler from the monitor?
- Remove computer and take it out only at a time strictly determined by mom. Place restrictions on access to “adult” sites, and monitor games for their benefits for the child.
- Communicate with your child. No computer can replace communication with mom and dad. Despite work, busyness, problems and undercooked borscht - be there for your child. Of course, it’s great when you can relax and take care of yourself by handing your child a laptop - “here, just don’t disturb”, but over time the child will simply no longer need his parents, because the virtual world will draw him in with all its depth and “brightness” of impressions.
- Play together with your child. Of course, at a strictly allotted time, but together. Find a game in advance that will be useful for your child’s development, and spend your time usefully.
- Hide your computer for a couple of days and spend this time with picnics in nature, searching for pre-hidden “treasure”, interesting entertainment in the city and evenings at home with Lego, watching good films, making paper kites, etc. Show your child that the world without a computer is much more interesting.
- Take your child to a circle. Choose a circle that your child will run to every day, forgetting not only about the PC, but also about you. Daily communication with peers and teachers, new knowledge and positive emotions will gradually displace the computer from the child’s life.
Do not speak to the kid - “this game is bad, close the laptop!” Speak - “bunny, let me show you a more interesting game.” Or “baby, shouldn’t we make a hare for daddy’s arrival?” Be more cunning. A ban will always cause protest. There is no need to drag your child away from the computer by the ears - just replace the computer with yourself.
How to get a primary school child away from the computer - we show miracles of ingenuity and initiative
For “treating” the addiction of a younger student, the advice will remain the same. However, given older age
, you can supplement them a little with a few recommendations: 
- Start some daily traditions. For example, during meals - no TV or computer phones at the table. Be sure to prepare a family dinner together - with serving, interesting dishes and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Let the child take part in this. It’s enough to captivate him, and then consider that for 2-3 evening hours you have won your child away from the Internet. After dinner - a walk. You can collect leaves for a herbarium, sculpt snowmen, play football, rollerblade, ride bicycles or draw landscapes from life. The main thing is to evoke positive emotions in the child. Positive “adrenaline” is like a drug.
- Show your child “on your fingers” how much time he is wasting. Write it down on paper, draw a diagram - “this is how long you have been sitting at your laptop this year, but you could already learn to play the guitar (become a champion in some sport, grow a garden, etc.). Confirm your readiness to help your child with this through your actions - enroll him in a sports section, buy a guitar, give him a camera and learn the art of photography together, dig up a wood burner on the mezzanine, etc.
- Take your child out of town as often as possible. Look for interesting and safe ways recreation - catamarans, mountain paths, horseback riding, travel, cycling from city to city with overnight stays in tents, etc. Show your child the “offline” reality - exciting, interesting, with a lot of impressions and memories.
- Every child has a dream. “Mom, I want to be an artist!” “Go ahead,” the mother answered and bought markers for her son. But you can give your child a real chance to try his hand at this. Enroll your child in an art school or hire a teacher, invest in paints, brushes and easels, and ensure regular classes. Yes, you will spend a lot of time, but the child will sit over the canvas together with the computer, and there is no need to talk about the benefits of this event. If after a year the child gets tired of these arts, look for a new dream and go back to battle!
- Radical method: turn off the Internet in the house. Keep the modem, but turn it on only when the child is busy with his own business. And the Internet is prohibited. Instead - everything listed above.
And remember that personal example
always and in everythingmore effective than educational conversation, screaming and radical methods. No matter how much you would like to “sit on VK”, “like” your girlfriend’s new photos or download a brand new melodrama, leave your computer “sessions” for late in the evening, when the child is already asleep. By example prove
that life is beautiful without online.
How to wean a teenager off the computer - important tips for parents to prevent computer addiction in children
The most difficult thing to deal with computer addiction in a teenage child is:
- Firstly, You can’t turn off the Internet and you can’t hide your laptop.
- Secondly, Studying today also involves tasks on a PC. .
- Third, It is impossible to distract a teenage child with construction toys and playing snowballs. What should I do?
- Don't ban the Internet Don’t hide the computer on the closet - let the child be an adult. But control the process. Block all unreliable sites, install filters for viruses and for access to those resources where a teenager has nothing to do due to his still unstable psyche and susceptibility to outside influence. Make sure that the time on the PC is used usefully - learning new programs, mastering Photoshop, drawing, creating music, etc. Send your child to courses so that at home he wants to practice skills, and not spend hours on social networks.
- Sports, sections, etc. The pleasure that a child gets from sports, dancing and other active activities cannot be compared with the joy from another “like” or “game” in a shooting game. Do you like to shoot on the Internet? Take him to the appropriate section - let him shoot at a shooting range or paintball. Wants to go boxing? Give him to boxing. Does your daughter dream of dancing? Buy her a suit and send her wherever she wants. Is your child embarrassed to communicate in real life? In virtual reality, is he a brave superhero? Take him to training, where they will help him develop a confident, strong person.
- Become your child's friend. At this age, an orderly tone and a belt are not helpers. Now the child needs a friend. Listen to your child and participate in his life. Be interested in his desires and problems - it is in them that you will find all the answers to the question “how to distract...”.
- Give your child gym or fitness memberships , concert tickets or trips to youth holiday camps. Constantly look for ways to keep your teenager busy with a real, interesting activity that will be both useful and emotionally fulfilling. Based on what your child lacks, why exactly he runs to the Internet. It's possible that he's just bored. This is the easiest option (it won’t be difficult to find an alternative). It is much more difficult if avoiding boredom in the “virtual” has developed into a serious addiction. Here you will have to work hard, because the moment has already been lost.
- Self-realization. Now is the time to deeply and completely immerse yourself in that area of interest that is probably already stuck in the child’s head. It’s just a little while until adulthood. If a child has already found himself, but does not have the opportunity to develop in the chosen direction, give him this opportunity. Support morally and financially.
How do you deal with computer addiction in a child? Share your experience with us!
All parents try to give their child the best: toys, clothes, equipment. It often happens that the best efforts of parents turn against themselves and their children. How much time do children spend holding a tablet or phone in their hands and playing games? In most cases quite a lot. How to wean your child off tablets and smartphones or limit the time they use them?
In fact, not every parent is worried about their child sitting for hours playing with a tablet. Well, what's so scary here? The child is busy, not capricious, and the parent can safely go about his business at this time. It would seem that the benefits are obvious. Only a few years will pass and such parents will throw up their hands in bewilderment: why does our son or daughter spend all his time on a computer or tablet, and not communicate with family and peers?
The harmful effects of the tablet
Decreased vision
When a child stares at small objects on a tablet screen for hours, myopia develops (especially in those who bring the screen close to their eyes). Sometimes children even forget to blink, and dry eyes lead to inflammation and infection.
Sleep patterns are disrupted
The “white light” that illuminates tablet screens prevents the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Melatonin is produced in the body gradually as darkness falls. But the body of a child looking at the white backlight of the screen is deceived into thinking that it is still day. As a result, a child playing on a tablet in the evening falls asleep later, sleeps worse and does not get enough sleep. TV has a similar negative effect, but electric light does not have a similar effect.
Spinal curvature develops
As a result of tilting the head down, the cervical spine is deformed, which in children under adolescence is not yet formed. In addition, posture disappears and stoop appears due to a certain body position while playing on the tablet.
Coordination of movements is impaired
Children who sit for hours at a tablet have problems coordinating actions between brain commands and hand movements. Such children cannot even throw a ball in a straight line because their hands do not respond adequately to brain signals.
Stagnant processes develop
Children should move a lot; these are the features of age that help the muscles and the body as a whole develop. Stagnant processes occur in the body due to the lack of the required number of movements. The muscles that are responsible for the functionality of the hands and fingers are not formed correctly. This subsequently affects writing abilities.
A persistent psychological dependence on the tablet develops
Children increasingly want to play and spend more and more time on the tablet. And parents’ threat to ban the tablet is perceived as the worst punishment. Thanks to parents, a communication style is developed according to the principle “you do something, and I’ll let you play on the tablet.”
Decreased concentration
IN Everyday life and during lessons the child becomes more distracted and restless. Most often, it is “gadget addicts” who are diagnosed with “hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.” The range of interests of such children is meager, their thinking and imagination do not develop in the right direction.
Communication skills are lost
The child becomes phlegmatic and communication skills are lost. Communication with peers becomes a difficult task, which such children try to avoid.
Increased aggression and irritability
The child becomes impulsive, hysterics and quarrels with parents often occur.
At what age can a tablet be allowed?
It’s hard to imagine the modern world without a tablet or smartphone. But nevertheless, there are certain age restrictions on getting to know them.
In Western America
The American Academy of Pediatricians and the Canadian Society of Pediatricians say that children under 2 years of age should not be exposed to modern technology. At 3-5 years old there should be a limit of up to 1 hour per day, and at 6-18 years old - no more than 2 hours per day.
In Russia
What should you do if your baby is already holding a tablet or smartphone in his hands almost from the cradle, constantly sitting in front of the TV, but absolutely does not want to communicate with peers, draw or sculpt? Is a tablet harmful to a child?
How to wean a child off a tablet?
It will not be possible to completely eliminate gadgets from a child’s life, but limiting their use as much as possible is quite possible.
First of all, you need to remember a simple rule: you cannot simply ban gadgets. The child will cry and whine so that his favorite “toy” will be returned to him. As a rule, many parents cannot stand it for long and make concessions to their child. When prohibiting a child from using a tablet, you need to find some alternative. You need to make sure that your child doesn’t get bored, and the recommendations below will help with this.
When prohibiting the use of a tablet, you need to offer your child a replacement.
Find an alternative
You need to try to keep the child occupied as much as possible so that he does not have free time. Of course, this does not mean that the child should constantly run or read a book. Rest is also needed, but within reasonable limits.
Weaning a child off a tablet at 3-4 years old
At 3-4 years old, children will be interested in light educational games. You can look for a hidden toy and match the colors. Games that develop speech are also suitable. Each child begins to speak at different times, but in order to gradually increase vocabulary and develop correct pronunciation, you need to constantly practice with it.
How to wean a child from a tablet at 4-5 years old?
At 4-5 years old, favorite characters from cartoons or games, funny children's musical compositions will help distract the child from cartoons on the tablet. In the paper version or in the form of soft toys, characters from games and cartoons come to life. You can put on a real puppet show with your child.
Drawing or modeling would also be an excellent alternative to a tablet, just don’t leave the child alone, but do these exciting activities together. If parents do not have a special talent in drawing or modeling, there are now many different creativity kits on sale, which include everything you need to create some interesting crafts.
Children really like coloring books. You can search the Internet for coloring pages with your child’s favorite characters, print them out and color them together.
Simple tasks will help develop your child's creative skills. Very little time will pass, and the baby will come up with new games and entertainment on his own.
Weaning preschoolers off tablets
Creativity will help wean a child off a tablet at 6-7 years old. At this age, children already know how to assemble construction sets, make crafts from blanks, burn, weave from beads, and much more.
Preschoolers are very inquisitive and are interested in everything new. A set of “mini-laboratories” will interest any child. This could be an electron telescope or digital microscope, chemical experiments, crystal growing or soap making.
How to wean a schoolchild and teenager from a tablet?
It is necessary to identify and translate into reality all the interests of the child. This could be dancing, music, singing, interest groups, for example, robotics or beadwork.
From the age of 6, a child can be sent to sports sections. These are health benefits, communication with peers, and emotional release.
There are also many options for conducting scientific experiments for schoolchildren. They will interest the child in studying chemistry and physics.
You can give your child an inexpensive digital camera. Taking photographs develops creative skills and imagination.
Anna, mother of 8-year-old Alena: “Six months ago, my daughter couldn’t live without a tablet. She came home from school, hurriedly did her homework - and played! I bought the book “Dunno on the Moon” and when we went on vacation and didn’t take the tablet, I started reading the book out loud to her. At first she did not listen carefully and suffered from the tablet. But then I became interested and finished reading the book myself, already at home!”
Be an example for a child
If parents are constantly sitting at a laptop and do not part with a smartphone and tablet, the child will definitely try in every possible way to inherit them, and over time will become the same fan of modern gadgets.
Irina, mother of 5-year-old Ilya and one-year-old Sasha: “I’m on maternity leave and often work at home on the computer, and so that Ilya doesn’t get distracted, I give him a tablet with some kind of game or cartoon on. Ilya now spends all his free time whining about his tablet and the youngest is constantly reaching for my phone.”
Therefore, you need to try to ensure that the child sees his parents with a tablet or at the computer as little as possible, devoting time to this activity when the child is already asleep.
Set aside one day a week to spend with the whole family together without electronic devices. On this day, no one will be allowed to play on tablets or smartphones, use the Internet, or even watch TV.
And in order to accomplish this, it is better not to sit at home, but to go out with the whole family for a walk in the park or nature. Such days will help the family get closer, take a break from the everyday routine, and time will fly by in the fresh air.
You can’t scold the tablet and games
If a child spent a lot of time with a tablet, of course he got very used to it. And then suddenly his favorite toy is taken away from him.
In this case, the child may begin to see in his parents people who are encroaching on his most intimate possessions.
Why do parents consider a tablet or laptop to be some kind of evil if other children play and no one forbids them to do so? With older children, you should definitely discuss the issue of the safety of “walking” on the Internet. It is recommended to install on a tablet special program, which will limit play time and also block access to “adult” sites.
The child should feel like a winner
While playing computer games, a child goes through levels, winning or losing. Of course, there is no limit to joy if, after passing each stage, he achieved the maximum result and became the winner. IN virtual world the child feels successful, he can do anything. In real life, everything is much more complicated, so the child may have the opinion that he is much more successful in the game than in reality.
To make a child feel successful in real life, board games that the whole family can play are suitable.
And it’s good if everyone gives in a little the first time, letting him win. Well, praise will come in handy here more than ever. The child should feel like the smartest and most successful.
Let's have a full rest
So that the child does not miss the tablet, you need to make sure that it catches his eye as little as possible. Spend more time outside, organize a trip out of town.
The child should have the thought as little as possible: “Give me a tablet!”
If you are planning an event with friends who also have children, you must definitely coordinate with them so that they also do not take tablets on vacation. Believe me, relaxing in the noisy company of other children without this “necessary thing” is much more interesting and fun.
Time limit
You cannot suddenly deprive your child of a tablet. Weaning should be gradual.
Of course, you won’t be able to completely isolate your child from gadgets, because modern life is simply impossible without them, but limiting the time of use is quite possible. To do this, you need to agree with your child that the weekly usage limit will be, for example, 3 times 20 minutes or 2 times 30.
You can also set restrictions on using your tablet while doing other things. For example, he should stay away while eating, communicating with family, when guests come. The child must understand that the reason for the restrictions is really important.
The main thing is not to violate the established restrictions.
The appearance of a pet in the house
If there is no pet in the house yet, it would be nice to get one. Only the child needs to be prepared for the appearance of an animal in the house. The child must understand that an animal, regardless of its type, requires care, and these responsibilities will be assigned to him. Who will appear in the house? This could be a medium breed puppy, then walks in the fresh air will become mandatory several times a day. If the child is still small, then it is better to give preference to a kitten. You can also get a hamster, guinea pig or decorative rats. The main thing is that the child is interested in playing with the animal.
Oksana, mother of 4-year-old Vitya: “Vitya loves the iPad very much, he simply cannot live without it. We tried many weaning methods and finally settled on pets. We gave preference to decorative rats, because... They require minimal care, have no odor at all and are trainable. The last fact became the most important. We trained the two rats we bought together with Vitya. They now know how to walk on their hind legs, pull a cap on a string, climb up clothes onto their shoulders at the command “come to me,” and jump on chairs. Of course, my son plays with his tablet. But now, choosing between him and the rats, Vitya runs to the rats!”
Funny company
A child who spends a lot of time in the virtual world is deprived of communication with peers. He simply doesn't need it.
Children's games with peers are much more useful in reality. A cheerful children's company is a great alternative to a tablet.
You can safely go to the playground, where the child, due to his sociability, will quickly make new friends. Surely, many of the parents’ friends also already have children, so various children’s holidays, parties, just trips to a cafe or to nature will help distract the child from playing on the tablet.
A ban should not be a punishment
The child did something wrong, misbehaved, or simply does not want to carry out simple instructions from his parents. The first measure: “That’s it, you don’t use your phone, tablet, or computer for such and such a time!” This is fundamentally wrong. A child, having received a ban, will even more want to spend as much time as possible playing computer games.
There should be no electronics in the nursery
To be able to control the time you use the tablet, you need to remove all equipment from the nursery. Move the computer to another room, determine a place for other electronics. You need to develop a habit in your child that before going to bed, the tablet should go to its place, then you can safely go to bed.
It all depends on the parents themselves, and weaning a child off a tablet is not that difficult. The main thing is to find an alternative to it, to interest the child, to give him as much attention as possible. With a little patience, your child will find many other activities that are much more interesting than spending time in the virtual world.
Video on the topic
