DIGITAL DEVICES LIKE smartphones, laptops and tablets come with many benefits. They’re excellent communication and education tools and can be a source of entertainment too. But when it comes to the amount of time we spend using such devices, it’s important to strike the right balance – especially when children are involved.

While it’s worth reading up on the apps that your kids are using, it’s also worth considering whether they are balancing this with offline activities, says Jane McGarrigle, project officer at Webwise.

Here, she shares a few ground rules for helping your kids to have a happy, healthy relationship towards their devices and their time online.

1. Set times when it is and isn’t acceptable to use their devices

Unfortunately, there is no magic number for screen time, says McGarrigle. What is important is “to set clear boundaries on screen time and set a good example”. This can include agreeing times when screen or devices are allowed or not allowed at home – for example dinner time, during homework or at bed time. And of course, it’s vital that you follow these yourself too.

2. Find out how your kids actually spend their time online

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“It’s all about striking the right balance”, says McGarrigle. “Encourage your child to use their time online for learning, creating and entertainment.” As a parent, it’s important to be aware of whether your child is being productive versus passive online – are they learning, or spending their time scrolling through social media? Once you have this information, you can agree on some house rules and review them as your child gets older:

The internet can be a wonderful resource for children and teens – but only if they are using it productively… for parents of young children, any technology use or screen time should be supervised.

3. Show your kids you can follow the rules too

And along with setting these rules, “modelling good behaviour is really important when it comes to establishing good habits”, says McGarrigle. If we do set certain rules around screen time, we need to give our kids the right message by following these rules ourselves. For example, if you’ve asked them not to scroll during mealtimes, try to refrain from using your phone yourself.

4. Set a cut-off point every evening for time online 

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For younger children, the general advice from Webwise is that the use of technology close to bedtime should be discouraged, and that any internet use should be supervised. If you have a teenager however, this can be more difficult, so here are a few simple pointers:

Set simple rules such as ‘all screens in bedrooms have to be off after a certain time’. Alternatively, switch the WiFi off an hour before bed. It can also help to give a warning ten minutes before.

5. Find alternative family activities

If you are concerned your child is spending too much time online, then try to set an example by spending some time together as a family doing things that don’t involve screens or devices. Things like reading books together, playing board games, or getting outdoors are all great ways to get the whole family cutting down on internet use. “It’s all about striking the right balance,” says McGarrigle.

6. Even in times of stress, try to keep the rules you’ve set

Ultimately you will only know what works best for your kids. But if you can, it’s worth trying not to overly rely on screens to keep them amused, says McGarrigle. “It can be easy to encourage kids to pick up the tablet or play a game to keep them occupied”. However this can confuse rules on screen time. So only do this if it’s within the guidelines you’ve set.

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7. Try to reduce screen-time little by little

If you are concerned that your child is spending too much time online, talk to them about it and take a phased approach. “It can be difficult for children to go from spending lots of time online to very little,” says McGarrigle. For this reason, Webwise advises starting with a minor reduction and working from there. Similarly, try to help your child understand both the benefits of going online and the negative impacts that spending too much time online can have.

8. Disable notifications and use time limits to help

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Finally, when you are trying to help your child balance their time both online and offline, it’s beneficial to make use of the tools at their fingertips to do so. “Encourage your teen to switch off notifications”, says McGarrigle. You can also make use of the screen time manager tools on many devices that allow you to set time limits on apps. Tools like these do not replace practical parenting advice and guidance, but they can still be a great support for parents and teens.

February 11 celebrates Safer Internet Day. Parents can get involved by using the brilliant resources and videos developed by Webwise – the Irish Internet Safety Awareness Centre, part of the Professional Development Service for Teachers, a Department of Education & Skills-funded support service. Webwise is co-funded by the Department of Education & Skills and co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility.