One of the best ways to stop ourselves from making any progress is by being too hard on ourselves and our family members. Changing habits takes work over a period of time and usually involves a lot of speed bumps along the way. When it comes to supporting our children in changing their screen-time habits, trial and error is going to be a part of the process. My advice . . . do not to take things personally. When the change we’re trying to implement isn’t going as well as we would like, seek for patience and understanding both for ourselves and our children. Change is not easy but it is needed and it is worth it!
Let’s say we try to implement a new after-school routine for our children to help them not watch as much Netflix or video games.. Let’s say that after two weeks of trying a new routine, the amount of screen-time our children are getting each day has only decreased by 10-15 minutes. Our initial reaction may be one of discouragement or frustration. Whatever our initial feelings, we need to celebrate this progress no matter how small it may seem. Our children also need to be complimented on the progress they are making even when it is small. Celebrating our progress, even if small, will help pave the way for more and more improvement. Please, do not stop!
I firmly believe that putting forth effort, as imperfect as that effort may be, is so, soooo much better than not trying and making no effort at all. If we simply give up on a goal that matters to us, our children can sense this also and it will negatively impact them. So instead of throwing in the towel, let’s give ourselves a pat on the back for our effort and then keep searching for answers and improvement. Persistence is key, especially, when it comes to changing our habits with digital technology. Nevertheless, persistence . . . by itself, is not going to bring about the change we are seeking in our screen-time routines. Another element is needed.
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