10 tips for parenting in the digital age
We are in a world where children are growing up in the digital age. Even infants are familiar with digital devices and by the time they become toddlers, some of them may know how to navigate their way with apps on mobile phones.
Times have changed. Parenting is no longer in the old-fashioned way that many of us were raised. We are now in an age where we have to combine traditional parenting with digital parenting to raise healthy and well-rounded children.
The thing about digital technology is it can be quite addictive and, thus, detrimental to our well-being. As much as it comes with several benefits, there is no ignoring the fact that it can cause more harm than good if one is not careful. As parents, it is important to help our children learn healthy concepts of digital use. That is a useful skill that every 21st-century parent should possess.
Table of Content hide 110 tips for parenting in the digital age 1.11. Be a good role model to your children 1.22. Treat the media the same way you will treat your environment 1.33. Download appropriate educational apps for children 1.44. Encourage playtime by setting limits to digital use 1.55. Play with your children 1.66. Don’t pacify your child with technology 1.77. Encourage face-to-face communication 1.88. Teach your children the importance of boundaries and privacy 1.99. It is ok to let your teens be online 1.1010. Kids will be kids, they will make mistakes10 tips for parenting in the digital age
1. Be a good role model to your children
Children are great mimics. So it is important to learn how to conduct yourself properly while you are using any digital device. For instance, limit your media use. It is not every time you should be found pressing your phone and browsing the internet. Also, mind what you post on social media. Being a parent comes with a lot of responsibilities. Do not say you are just catching cruise. You are a parent now, act like one even online.
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2. Treat the media the same way you will treat your environment
The way you monitor your kids in the real environment should not be different from how you monitor them in a virtual environment. Set limits on how they use digital devices. Children need them otherwise they will go to inappropriate places you may be unaware of. Know their friends, both online and off. Do not stop there. Also find out the platforms, software, and apps your children are using and what they are doing with them online.
3. Download appropriate educational apps for children
This is the internet age. We cannot ignore the fact that digital technology is now part of us. So it is better to take advantage of the many benefits and train your children properly. One of the useful tools of technology is apps. You can download age-appropriate apps for your children to learn and play with. However, make sure you know the app you are downloading. Many apps claim to be educative and interactive but might turn out to be something else. Be careful.
4. Encourage playtime by setting limits to digital use
There is time for everything. Tech time, like everything else, should have its limits. There should be time for tech and time to play without tech. Encourage your kids to just enjoy their environment without technology. Playtime is important for their development and well-being. Unplug all techs around them and let them just play with non-tech toys like normal kids.
5. Play with your children
Ditch that phone you are pressing and just play with your kids. Create special hobbies with them like cooking, painting, drawing or anything that has nothing to do with technology. Children love attention from their parents. Give them plenty of it and you will see they would not even remember that digital devices exist for a while.
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6. Don’t pacify your child with technology
Your child may throw the usual tantrums and you may be too tired to pacify them directly. In this case, the temptation to use tech to keep them quiet may be too strong. Resist it to avoid it becoming a habit. Believe me, children can be smart and manipulative. Once your child discovers they can get whatever they want to get from you by throwing tantrums, they will take full advantage. Do not fall for the temptation of using tech as a shortcut. You will regret it.
7. Encourage face-to-face communication
The thing about the internet is you can have millions of friends and chat with them daily without having to meet them face-to-face. This erodes the importance of communication. Don’t let your child grow up with that kind of mentality. It can be isolating and depressing. Instead, encourage your child to know the value of face-to-face communication by talking to your child. There might be times when you’re physically unavailable and you’ll have to make virtual conversations. But if you can help it, limit that as much as possible.
8. Teach your children the importance of boundaries and privacy
It is practically impossible to monitor your kids 24/7. As a result, you may not know what they are doing in your absence. Children, especially teens, learn a lot away from their parents. They want to explore, which might land them in trouble. The internet is a vast learning space for good and bad. Therefore, make sure you teach your children the importance of boundaries. Let them know that there is something called privacy and invasion of personal space, even online. Teach them that it is okay to create boundaries for certain things that make them uncomfortable. Also, teach them it is not everything they see online or in the media they should explore.
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9. It is ok to let your teens be online
As much as you want to protect your kids from the evils of this world, including the internet, understand that you cannot protect them forever. Allow some level of freedom for your kids, especially your teens, to explore the internet. This is a digital age and everyone must fall in line with the times. Let your teens know how to operate digital technology and browse online. The only thing you can do for them is to guide them into making the right choices as they explore.
10. Kids will be kids, they will make mistakes
As much as it pains, you cannot always prevent your kids from making mistakes. They may commit indiscretions, such as sexting, bullying, posting self-harm images, chatting with predators or even watching porn. Learn to control your temper and turn a mistake into a teachable moment for them. Also, watch out for red flags so you will know how to handle them before they cause more harm. If needed, seek the help of a professional.
Parenting in the digital age may appear daunting, but it is not as scary as it looks or sounds. All you have to do is to accept the fact that modern technology is part of life and find ways to navigate through them to raise your children to become responsible adults.
