We remember the time fondly. About to be new parents, we made certain vows and promises to ourselves about how we would raise our kids. Fresh, organic vegetables at every meal, endless hours of outdoor play, and absolutely, positively, no screentime. Then a pandemic moved most of our kids to online schooling for months and our best intentions suddenly went out the window. While kids seem to be mostly back to in-person school, the precedent has been set and the habits have been formed. Also, let’s not kid ourselves. Sometimes handing our child a screen to keep them occupied just makes things a little easier. The unfortunate reality is that screens (like many things) are affecting our kids, and often not in ways we want. Parents, I know this is tough, but it’s time to rip off the screentime band aid and start adding in more screen-free fun to our kid’s days. Not convinced yet? Check out some trusted resources below to understand how screens are impacting our kids.
1. Screen Time and Children (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
2. Screen Time for Kids: Guidelines, Boundary Setting, and Educational Recommendations (healthline)
3. Children and screen time: How much is too much? (Mayo Clinic)
Phew…we know that was a lot. Congrats, really, on trying to do right by your kids! At Beeloo, we realize busy parents still need to get things done, and this means keeping our kids occupied while we tackle the never-ending list of to-dos. Have no fear, we’re here to help! We are also a team of busy parents trying to get by. One of our solutions to screen-free fun is curated, on-demand activities you can print right from home. Does you kid like unicorns or dinosaurs? We got you! Head over to our Printables page for coloring pages, mazes, color by number and more!
Good luck parents. We know the struggle is real and limiting screentime is going to take some practice. At the end of the day, you’ll need to decide what balance works best for your family. We hope our products are part of that discovery.
