Dear Children, The World is More Interesting Than a Cartoon Character

During my stint as a management student, I learned that employees can be more productive if they are involved in the mission and decision-making process of the company. Likewise, children will be more willing to follow instructions if they are aware of the motives for the actions and rules. Asking for the child’s point of view and suggestions is also a good idea for making him feel part of the mission.

So, I first educated my child about the side effects of television and let him read through various researches on the same. I accepted the fact that screen time relaxes the kid, but then at the same time, I explained to him how the brain works. Since he has chosen television for entertainment and prefers the time spent on it, the mind has joined these two activities: being happy and relaxed is tantamount to watching television. Once clear, we agreed that it is time to change this equation in the head. It is necessary to develop new good habits and train the mind to enjoy those newly developed interests.

It is easy for young children to limit TV time, we just have to show them that it is normal to watch television occasionally. In the case of older children, we have to set certain rules for screen time. I then realized that simply making rules does not help much because kids who have no other easy choices are always tempted by smartphones and televisions.

By nature, children are always curious, creative, and ready to learn new things. Let us accept that they simply cannot find their way to work alone. Here are some of the activities I have done with my kid and led him to the point where he has started to get interested:

1. Our favorite time together is mealtime. At the dining table, we discuss new things we have learned during the day and share our views and experiences, which encourages the child to continue learning and to search for new concepts and knowledge.
2. Most importantly, I taught my child to be bored. It’s nice to just sit idle without being constantly busy. I explained to him that he needs to have a few quiet moments in a day to make the brain think about new ideas.
3. We have a small science laboratory with some simple motors and simple machines. With the help of various websites, we built our own tiny robots and other scientific stuff.
4. It is fun to program a computer game and play together. There are many child-friendly platforms to learn software programming.
5. Introduce kids to meditation. You can start small, say for about a minute a day, and gradually increase the time. Use a habit tracker to ensure that this is done on a daily basis.
6. We have a pact of not using smartphones outdoors. This means we have ample time to observe the surroundings and people while we are waiting for the food to be served at the restaurant, or waiting for our turn during medical check-ups.
7. I accumulated age-appropriate books with themes that fascinate the kid. I read for him every day until he started to read proactively.
8. Encouraged the kid to write down thoughts and imaginations so as to express feelings more succinctly.

I admit that the introduction of many new things at once, or the total restriction on television can overwhelm the child and cause tantrums. We need to gradually reduce screen time and provide support and guidance to children and help them take up a new hobby — parents need to set an example by choosing productive forms of entertainment beyond television and smartphones.

Finally, a few rules that could be useful in separating children from the idiot box. These rules shall apply as strongly to the parent, as to the child. Make sure to follow these to the spirit and see the results.

• One home — one TV, that too in the common room. TVs in the bedroom are a strict no.
• No TV time or surfing on mobile while having meals.
• No use of smartphones outdoors.
• One day a week is family time — and that should be a no TV day.
• No watching TV for at least an hour before and after bedtime.