How cool is technology? It’s so cool, that you’re probably reading this on a device that is playing music or a podcast wirelessly to your headphones right now! It’s an exciting time but this widespread use of digital technology means that the parents of today need be conscious of how to parent in the digital age. 

To help, here are some helpful tips for parents of children of all ages to help them parent with technology, rather than against it. 

1. Choose the right content

You won’t be able to keep your children from technology. So it’s helpful to view technology like food. When giving your children a snack or a meal, more often than not you’ll provide them with something that’s good for them. The same approach should be taken with screens and technology – should they consume digital content, it should be worth their while. For example, if your kids want to watch cartoons, why not show them some great free kid’s cartoons that aren’t just educational, but fun too? 

1. Lead by example

You are the number one role model for your children. In fact, they learn most of their behaviour from you – which includes how they speak, their mannerisms, and also how they use technology. If they see their parents constantly scrolling, watching TV, and spending their time glued to screens, can you blame kids for doing the same? 

Take the time to review your use of technology and whether you want your children to do the same, then make the effort to set a good example for your children. A good place to start is by making things like watching TV a family activity or trying not to use social media in front of your children. 

1. Limit devices

Today screens outnumber people in most households thanks to things like TVs, phones, smartwatches, and tablets. If there is an abundance of technology in your home, it’s more likely that your children will spend a lot of their time using it. A quick fix is to limit the number of devices that you have and to place things like passcodes and parental locks on them. This will help you to better control how much your children use technology. 

Marcelino Tromp