Hello,
So many parents raise issues with the technology daily in all parenting groups I belong.
This is the reason I decided to share some ideas how to use the technology for a great connector, this time thanks to Whatsapp group games!
You can find the parents who believe technology is fine and good for our kids and encourage from early age with absolutely no problem. You have the other extreme view thinking technology brings more issues than doing good so the more we can delay the best it is. And you have the others, most parents, who are in between, feel at some point the smartphone got into the hands of their 7-8 or 9 years old and from there hard to get their attention, hard to control screen time (between PlayStation, TV and phone applications and games). You have those who believe to have control and those who know and admit they lost control and their kids are addictive at 10 or 11 years old. You even have those parents of teenagers at 13 or 14 years old who feel so helpless when their kids only want to be home and play and do not enjoy being outdoor or with their family.
Newest article on this matter can be read here.
I have been myself involved where I live trying to influence the community around me to push away smartphones until 12 years old and use “simple” phones if needed until then. The truth is if any change can be done, it is only all together as a community. If your child is in 2nd grade or 3rd and the only one without a smartphone, he or she will be very affected by it, socially and emotionally.
Today, I wish to share my conclusions based on a lot of reading and listening on this matter, but also based on my own experience. I wish to share with you not the risks and issues but concentrate on what can we do to keep risks low and use technology for conscious parenting, connection & family bonding!
1-Until a certain age, I do keep control and limit screen time all in total. Until 5 years old, maximum an hour a day for example. Between age of 7 to 9 is tougher because more and more children get smartphones and I tried to delay as much as I could. Only TV was allowed pretty much and they could see 1-2 hours a day. With my boy, it was hardest because he is younger one, a boy and need to be active all the time…
In 2019, The World Health Organization Released Screen Time Guidelines For Babies and Young Kids as below:
Infants (less than one year): “Screen time is not recommended. When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.”
Ages 1-2: “For 1-year-olds, sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, playing computer games) is not recommended. For those aged 2 years, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better.”
Ages 3-4: “Sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better.”
2- Show some example: Children learn more by watching us than listening to us so we should learn to place the phone away during meal time, playtime together and as much as possible in weekends, to enjoy the moment together without being distracted with each notification.
3- Control the content so screens are not in close rooms (only from 13 years old I allowed it and only because of the school from home this year with the Covid-19). I know and hear what they watch. We have a written or virtual contract we all signed to, in which the girls agreed to certain rules. Rules include that the phone is our property so if they have a password, we need to be able to access their phone if needed. We will not get into it hiding at night when they are asleep and checking personal messages, but we will ask them occasionally with them to check what is going on those phones. We allow them to download a game or an application thanks to “family link” so they cannot download anything. Not all apps are allowed at any age. Tic Toc for example is allowed for my 14 years old and not to the 10 years old. Instagram is private account only for the 14 years old. Nothing is done on their back. Everything is known. I do not look daily, and I am not obsessed with it but I have the possibility to check occasionally.
4-allow lots of play time and quality time so there are lots of other options except going online or on TV. This is what my blog is all about. You can find lots of recommended games to play together and learn collaborative play, independent play, sibling play time, play outdoor, indoor, be active, work on fine motor skills….
5- As soon as my 10 years old got her phone (and again mainly due to the Covid-19 during which too many messages were received daily for each child and I needed her to be responsible for her classroom), we opened a family group on WhatsApp (only my boy 6 y. old is not in there since he does not have a phone yet).
So what I wish to share in this article mainly is Whatsapp Group games.
I came up with some great ideas how to bond and connect also in the virtual environment, using the technology we all have and love, because it is part of our world today. I wish to share a 10-weeks fun.
Each week, a different family challenge or game so everyone can take part, each on his own phone. Parents included!
- Week 1- selfie from a different angle so take a picture of something that characterize you but not just front face as a normal selfie.
- Week 2– take a close-up picture of something we all see or pass by daily and may not pay attention. Lets see who can guess the exact location of this item at home! This works on challenge, attention to detail…
- Week 3– share smart famous quotes that you connect to. You have no idea how much dialog this opens…
- Week 4- share funny things that happened to you or things that made you embarrassed. PARENTS TOO! Anything that has to do with humor is welcome in a family! Let them get to know some parts of you they never knew!
- Week 5- take a picture of a part of your body so others need to guess which one (example: close-up of the knee)
- Week 6– share some great jokes. Here is a great article about best funny games to play in the family.
- Week 7– share a GIF you like to use and tell us why. again this is funny, and makes all of us share stuff we use daily…make us think about it.
- Week 8– share a song on youtube that you love (it can be once a day or few times a week depending on how much each wishes to share)
- Week 9 – take a picture of you in a strange position (not something you would usually do or take picture of)
- Week 10 – look for a recipe you wish to try, that looks tasty and share to the group! maybe you will have time to make it and surprise your loved ones on this one day…
I welcome you to share additional ideas you may have.
I encourage Whatsapp family groups, not only to send messages and announcements but connect, laugh, learn about each other through the technology and thanks to Whatsapp Group games!
