As I write this, I’ve just signed up for a free online course in children’s mental health. I haven’t felt this excited about a training course for a long time; I really believe this will be eye-opening and so helpful in the work I do supporting children and families.
The sudden decline in children’s happiness has seemed to be slowly creeping up on us and I feel, like many other people who work with children, this is now rapidly approaching a crisis point. There are many reasons educators, psychologists and doctors cite for this ‘recession in children’s happiness’, such as:
- The pandemic and cuts to educational budgets
- Long NHS waiting times for mental health support
- A decline in reading for pleasure (as an avid reader this reason intrigues me so much)
- An increase in anxiety and depression that mirrors how much time is spent on screens
If it takes a village to raise our children and young people, how can we ensure that we are playing our part in setting them up well to thrive?
Let’s talk about screen time, social media and raising our children and young people as tech-healthy, happy humans — and modelling this well too!
WHAT DOES JESUS TEACH US ABOUT BALANCING SCREEN TIME?
Even though Jesus didn’t speak directly about technology, His teachings still apply to the dangers of too much screen time:
Guard your heart and mind
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23
Too much screen time, especially on social media or video games, can fill our minds with unnecessary distractions, unhealthy comparisons or even sin. Jesus calls us to protect our hearts and focus on what is good.
Seek Him first
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
If screens are taking up most of our time, are we still seeking God first? Jesus teaches us to prioritise Him over everything else in life.
Prioritise what’s important
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better.”
Luke 10:41-42
Just like Martha was distracted with tasks instead of listening to Jesus, screens can keep us from what really matters — spending time with God and our family and friends.
True rest is found in God
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
Screens can make our minds restless and anxious. Jesus invites us to find true rest in Him, not in endless distractions.
HOW CAN WE SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE?
The message for us and our children is clear: Technology isn’t bad, but it must be used wisely.
So, how can we live this out? What can I do as an aunt to my ‘niblings’ (niece and nephews)? My niblings live on the other side of the country and I rely on texts/FaceTime to communicate with them. I love getting a video call from my 15-year old niece. I love that my nephew nags me when I’ve dropped my Duolingo streak!
Here some practical tips that we can implement for ourselves and our children and young people:
- Check in regularly: Ask how they feel about their screen time. Children and young people are super reflective and more aware than we think, they will know when too much scrolling is having a negative effect on them e.g. eye strain, lack of focus or feeling stressed.
- Model healthy, balanced tech use: If they see us setting limits with our own screen time, they’ll be more likely to do the same. Also, let them see you enjoying books, outdoor activities and social interactions without screens.
- Use parental controls & monitoring: Keep them safe by ensuring your WIFI has filters to protect them from harmful websites. Also, look into using built-in parental control options on devices to set screen time limits, restrict inappropriate content and monitor app usage.
- Turn off notifications: Help them reduce distractions by muting unnecessary alerts.
- Agree on limits: Instead of dictating rules, collaborate on a balanced screen time plan that works for them.
- Introduce screen-free times: Suggest “no-screen” zones like mealtimes, before bed or during family activities.
- Encourage hobbies and social activities: Help them explore sports, music, art or other hands-on activities. If they like a certain hobby, do it with them! It will strengthen your connection and make offline time more appealing.
FREE RESOURCE FOR FURTHER LEARNING
Finally, we also need to educate ourselves. Spacemakers, an organisation run by Christian award-winning author and TEDx speaker, Daniel Sih, are offering a free tech course — Raising Teach-Healthy Humans — for those of us who want to learn more about navigating the digital world with wisdom and balance.
This insightful course will address questions like:
- When should I give my child a smartphone?
- What types of media are better for my young child’s brain?
- How do I set a healthy tech-culture at home?
- How do I talk about hard stuff such as online pornography?
- How can we parent together as a community?
As we navigate the ever-changing digital world, let’s be intentional about guiding our children, and ourselves, toward a healthy, balanced and Christ-centered approach to technology.
Much love,
Kat Wright and the eFocus team