Al-Habaibeh, A

Shin, DH

English

Nottingham Trent Institutional Repository (IRep)

04/06/2020 Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more activehttps://theconversation.com/coronavirus-how-to-reduce-your-childrens-screen-time-and-make-them-more-active-136549 1/7AuthorsHyunjae Daniel ShinSenior Lecturer in Product Design, Collegeof Art & Design and Built Environment,Nottingham Trent UniversityAmin Al-HabaibehProfessor of Intelligent EngineeringSystems, Nottingham Trent UniversityAcademic rigour, journalistic flairEven prior to COVID-19 pandemic, our research revealed that 83% of parents wereconcerned about the amount of time their children spent in front of screens andmonitors. Recent events have made this even more of an issue.Every hour of TV viewed after the age of 25 reduces the viewer’s life expectancy by 21.8 minutes – and the pandemic has made it particularly difficult to encouragechildren, particularly teenagers, to switch off devices and exercise away from theirfriends.Exercise is a key way to improve health and levels of well-being. According to the World Heath Organization (WHO), “a short break from sitting, by doing 3-5 minutesof physical movement, such as walking or stretching, will help ease muscle strain,relieve mental tension and improve blood circulation and muscle activity”. Thoseaged five to 17, however, should spend at least 60 minutes a day doing moderate tovigorous physical activity.So what should we do to help our children become more physically active during the pandemic?Too much? ShutterstockCoronavirus: how to reduce your children’s screen time – andmake them more activeJune 3, 2020 1.14pm BST04/06/2020 Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more activehttps://theconversation.com/coronavirus-how-to-reduce-your-childrens-screen-time-and-make-them-more-active-136549 2/7Prior to the pandemic, our research revealed that 33% of children spent six or more hours in front ofthe screen every day, and that 67% of parents reported that their children failed to meet therecommended levels of physical activity.Read more: Digital homeschooling: we need to rethink our worries about children's screen timeNearly 80% of parents also struggled to limit their children to the recommended two hours of screentime a day. This was often down to resistance from their children, particularly when the children useda lot of social media or spent time video gaming with friends.The pandemic effectWith many children still unable to attend school and freely meet with friends, the pandemic has madethis even more challenging. Indeed, our recent unpublished online survey indicated that parents aremore concerned than ever about their children’s activities.Online lessons and schoolwork have of course contributed to an increase in the amount of timechildren spend in front of screens – and this is largely unavoidable. But 82% of parents said that theirchildren’s screen time has increased during lockdown, and 30% said that their children were havingan extra four hours or more of non-school related screen time per day.Read more: Cycling to watch TV ... and other clever ways to beat obesity from the comfort of your own homeUnder normal conditions, children benefit from a degree of everyday physical activity. They walk toand from school. They play with their friends in the park. They go to the shops. But this basic level ofexercise has also been affected by lockdown measures and school closures.This has put a huge burden on parents to make up for this shortfall, but they are also struggling to seta good example for the same reasons. Research has shown that children learn from and are influencedby what’s going on around them. So, when parents struggle to be active, children may follow suit.Parental support is key. But it is hard to control children’s screen time at the best of times, andparticularly so when we’re all spending more time at home.04/06/2020 Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more activehttps://theconversation.com/coronavirus-how-to-reduce-your-childrens-screen-time-and-make-them-more-active-136549 3/7We have been conducting research to help mitigate this – and one of our earlier models may help. Inthis, we suggest using exercise as a way to earn points which can be used to “buy” screen time. Indeed,our research suggests that goal setting is a key strategy and that parents can use several tactics to dothis.First, develop a diagram – such as a chart on their bedroom wall – to help track children’s screentime. This helps children to visualise the amount of time they are spending in front of screens and tomanage and set goals for their screen use.Second, use positive cues, such as the points system mentioned earlier, to encourage more exerciserather than penalising children for using screens too much.Third, be a good role model to encourage your children to reduce their own sedentary behaviour. Youcan change your home environment to encourage a more active, and less sedentary, lifestyle bydevoting space to a home gym or workout area, for example, and limiting screens to dedicated areas.Think differentlyPerhaps the pandemic is an opportunity for us all to rethink how we spend our time at home – andthe role screens play within them. At home, screens can provide an effective communication channelwith the outside world. But our homes are also a place to manage our health, and take care of ourcollective well-being as a family. It is important to manage this balance and to consider changing thehome environment accordingly.The author’s makeshift home gym. Amin Al-Habaibeh04/06/2020 Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more activehttps://theconversation.com/coronavirus-how-to-reduce-your-childrens-screen-time-and-make-them-more-active-136549 4/7Children Exercise Physical activity Coronavirus Screen time COVID-19One of us has a teenage boy at home, and it is difficult to convince him to stay away from screens –where he meets his friends online – and to be more physically active instead. Instead, with visits fromguests at a minimum, some of the usual social space at home has been transformed into a makeshiftgym (see photo above). NHS exercise videos are also helpful for families looking to stay physicallyactive.Now, of course, more time can be spent outside. But habits developed during lockdown will have to beaddressed. It is more important than ever for families to develop new routines for staying physicallyand mentally healthy – and to address the part screens play in our lives.Before you go...The coronavirus outbreak is causing confusion and panic, and misinformation isrife. For crystal clear explanations on everything you need to know about thepandemic, come to The Conversation, a global network providing evidence-basedadvice on everything from face masks to hand washing. If you want to supportour brand of independent, not-for-profit journalism, please donate today.Clint WitchallsHealth + Medicine EditorYou might also likeDonate now

Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more active

http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/39935/1/1331190_Al-Habaibeh.pdf

Coronavirus: how to reduce your children's screen time – and make them more active

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