General
Primary School News Primary
Secondary School News Secondary
Issue 59 27 August Thursday, 2015 [2015-2016] 10 October 2013 Issue Issue 25 101 31 January 2018 [2017-18]
Events & ASA Events-CCA
School SchoolClinic Clinic
Sports Activities
E– Team
Healthy Technology Habits – Promoted Balanced Technology Use in Children Written by Damien Marshall At Raffles World Academy we understand the importance of a healthy approach to the use of technology. As a school, we are very conscious of managing screen time while the students are at school, and this article has been written to help you in how to manage screen time at home. "Screen time" is a term that is used to describe activities done in front of a screen, such as watching TV, working on a computer, or playing video games. On average, children spend about 3 hours a day watching TV. Added together, all types of screen time can total 5 to 7 hours a day.
Age
Recommended Range
0–2
No screen time*
2 -7
Up to 1 hour*
8 – 18
Up to 2 hours*
Some of the negative consequence of too much screen time can: Make it hard for your child to sleep at night Raise your child's risk of attention problems, anxiety, and depression Raise your child's risk of gaining too much weight (obesity) Recommended Screen Time Levels The following table has been developed to act as a guide in managing your child’s screen time at home. * The times below guidelines that are based on a range of research and should act as a guide: Recommendations for Managing Screen Time at Home Cutting down screen time at home can be hard because technology (e.g. TV, computers, etc.) may be such a large part of daily routines. But you can help your children by telling them how sedentary activities affect their overall health. It is important that as parents you talk to them about things they can do to be healthier. Below are a few strategies you may choose to implement in your house to help manage screen time more effectively. Manage levels of television use: there are many strategies that can be implemented to minimize their television use, including: Limit TV on school days and try to avoid TV before school. Don’t have the TV on during meals or homework. Decide which programs to watch ahead of time and turn the TV off when they are finished. Keep a record of how much time is spent in front of a screen. Try to spend the same amount of time being active. Be a good role model as a parent. Decrease your own screen time to 2 hours a day. Implement a technology curfew: implement rules such as technology must be turned off during meals and by a certain time each night (e.g. 8pm). Also, don’t allow phones to be kept in your child’s bedroom. Make bedrooms off-limits for technology - Require that computers and smartphones be used in public spaces and charged in a central area - like the kitchen. Every 20 minutes Look 20 feet away For 20 seconds Offer alternatives: Challenge your family to go one week without watching TV or doing other screen-time activities. Find things to do with your time that get you moving and burning energy. Remember the Rule The rule that we use to ensure we are promoting eye health at RWA is the 20-20-20 rule. Use this at home and make sure that you as well as your children are using it.