Parents share their screen time management tips...

I run my own business so I have some flexibility with time and am able to help my wife at home during our children’s online classes. We make sure that they are seated at the dining table where we can peek at their screens and monitor to see what they are doing every now and then. Kids will be kids, so if they are unsupervised, they would probably be on YouTube or browsing the Internet, instead of paying attention to their teachers. So it is our responsibility to ensure that they are focused. Our children are aged 11, eight and five. From 8am to 2pm, they learn on their devices. Some days, my daughter, who is the eldest, has to get back online for tuition classes. During the short breaks in between their six to seven hours of being glued to the screen, my daughter likes to chat with her mother while the boys play football. After classes, they either watch some television shows, join in our exercises or just nag their parents to death. Now that the year-end exams are over and school holidays have begun, we let them use the tablets for leisure but usage time is strictly controlled. Initially, they used to get hooked on their tablets and it was very difficult to communicate with them. Drastic measures were taken and they were all banned from using their devices. This got them onto other habits such as reading, playing games and sports. It was one of the best decisions we made. Now my children are quite disciplined with their gadgets. If they are allowed an hour on their gadgets, they switch them off when it’s time to do so. If they throw tantrums, they will not be allowed screen time the next day.

Managing director and managing editor Gunaprasath Bupalan, 42