Tips to protect your toddler from overusing technology

Gadgets have taken over our world in a big way, don’t you also think likewise? Are technology and children a common sight in your home too? Are you worried that your toddler who loves watching nursery rhymes on a tablet may harm her eyes? If yes, then how do you as parents ensure that your toddler is doing other activities as well rather than always being on a tablet? Worry not, as here I share some interesting tips on how to protect your child from overusing the technology.

1. Common Room for computer: Place the computer or any other gadget your child is using in the common area, where you can monitor it. And if you are busy with household things then someone else can monitor her.

2. Mobile comes with a timer: If your child wants to use your phone set a time limit for it. You cannot isolate your toddler totally from the progressive gadgets around us. That would make her a misfit in society and the object of ridicule amongst her   friends. Oh yes, even a 3-year-old can be mercilessly ridiculed by her friends. What you can do is regulate their usage of these objects.

3. Become a gadget-savvy mom: Well! If you want to be ahead of your child in terms of using a gadget, then you must become more educated in terms of using gadgets, so that you can monitor the online activities of your child. This way you may protect your child from going on to the sites that she should avoid.

4. Internet safety: As soon as they are capable of understanding please do talk to them about the dangers lurking on the internet. So tell them to avoid sites where personal information is required. Talk to them in the form of a story, may be creating a fictional child and how something disastrous happened to them when they did this. Set aside a few internet rules, and guide them to interesting sites as options.

5. Other activities galore: Your 2-year-old doesn’t always need the gadget to keep her entertained. There are other ways too to keep her entertained. Give her a plain sheet, few crayons and then see her creativity. Your 3-year-old should be encouraged to go down and play with other children. Make some time for them and play some outdoor sports with her on weekends. If you will take her out, then she will get a chance to interact with other children as well thus helping her to develop her social skills.

These are few tips that I practice myself on my toddler. Do you have some more ideas? If yes, please do share them with us in the comments section below.