Social media has been known as somewhat of a dangerous place for children.  It can pose risks such as exposure to inappropriate or upsetting content, a lack of responsibility for actions, and of course, cyberbullying. That being said, social media is also a place for children to learn lessons.

It’s a space that is welcoming of creative expression, new connections, and heightened awareness. So when it comes to protecting our children from the dangers of the internet, banning them from social media is not only an unrealistic but an unnecessary way to tackle these dangers.

Here are some tips to help keep your children safe in the digital world.

Media Mindfulness Tips

Lead By Example

Probably the easiest way to encourage mindful social media use with your kids is by demonstrating the behavior yourself. This means reassessing your own experiences with social media and the ways it has impacted your daily life. For most adults, this comes down to turning off and tuning in.

I’m sure you’ve seen a family out to dinner with all of their faces in their phones. Well, I can almost guarantee you that the parents started that habit. By not putting away their phone for dinner, the parents are sending the message that it’s okay to spend family time browsing the internet.

Try leaving your phone home, or in another room during family time. This will demonstrate to your child that there is a time and place for technology.

Consider Your Intention

One of the most powerful ways to help your child have a better experience with social media is by teaching them the importance of intention. For most people, scrolling through Instagram or TikTok is nothing more than a cure for boredom.

As we already discussed, there is a lot to be learned from social media, but it also leaves a digital footprint that becomes an extension of them. Instruct your child to consider what their intentions are before opening the app.

They may tell you that they wanted an update on their favorite singer, or that they heard of a new toy they want to research. In most cases, however, they are likely to tell you that they’re bored.

In this case, remind them that if they can’t think of a reason for scrolling, it’s better not to do so at all.

Create A Positive Feed

One nice thing about social media is that, to a certain extent, you get to decide what you want to see. Thus, the easiest ways to create a more mindful media environment is by going through your feed and removing all negativity.

If your child is young, take a moment to sit with them and assess who they follow. By looking through who you follow and considering their purpose, you will be able to create a feed that makes you feel good.

If an account isn’t sharing positive energy or information, it’s time to hit the unfollow button. Replace them with more mindful, thought-out accounts that promote positivity and motivation.

When It’s Time To Turn Off

Keeping all of these things in mind while on social media is a great way to boost your online mindfulness.  Possibly the greatest thing about these apps, however, is that when the stresses become too much, we can always turn it off and take a break.

This doesn’t have to mean any specific amount of time. Make sure your child knows that it is always okay to turn the phone; whether it be for a few moments to practice conscious breathing, or a whole day to hang out in nature.

It may surprise you how quickly what’s happening on the internet starts to flee your mind.

About the Author:
“Rita Thompson is a writer for The Joy Within, an online school for meditation, happiness, and personal empowerment. As a writer, Rita strives to help shed light on under explored topics to help others flourish and access their fullest potential. Learn more at thejoywithin.org or on Instagram @the_joy_within.”

Our society has had a tense relationship with media consumption for some time now. Since the dawn of television facets of the community have raised concerns about what influence the media has. Sometimes this has been from a physiological and mental health perspective, at others from the standpoint of intellectual or moral development.

In our digital age, this has taken on new dimensions as online media plays a more central role in our lives.

This is especially present when it comes to our children.  Our variety of digital media tools influences a young age. There are certainly positives in embracing technology, but there’s also a lot of discussion about the negatives. Indeed, a recent study found that 61% of parents polled sought advice regarding their children’s screen time from a medical professional. As such, this constant media presence in the lives of children is worthy of serious consideration.

We’re going to take a moment to look at what the relative positives and negatives are regarding children’s media consumption.

As a Source of Information

Whether the media your children consume is screen time as a distance learner,  entertaining, or social, it is all providing them with information.  This is, of course, essential to their ability to understand the world. Global and local news alike are at their fingertips, as are rich and varied stories in movies and TV shows.

That said, a wealth of information at their disposal does not automatically equate to trustworthy knowledge. The open-source nature of our digital landscape means that the information your children consume may well be colored by more negative influences and agendas. Misinformation and discrimination are rife across the media today. When children’s consumption is left unaddressed, these influences may well be inadvertently given as much weight in their minds as credible sources, affecting their opinions and decisions accordingly.

While there may be some benefit to reducing screen time in a more general sense, the answer is not necessarily censorship. Depending on your child’s age, removing their ability to consume less trustworthy forms of information reduces the opportunity to engage critical thinking skills. Rather, as a parent, it is important to support your child’s viewing with discussions. Talk to them about the context of the information they’re seeing — the biases and the influences. Follow this up with exercises in information reviews and how to identify credible resources. Provide them with the knowledge of how to more effectively process the information they’re receiving.

As a Cultural Touchstone

Digital media has become a key part of our contemporary culture. More importantly, though, it is a conduit to share and learn about more diverse cultures. This is perhaps the true value of an open, globally-connected media ecosystem — your children have the opportunity to engage with different ideas from exposure to their media. Not just professional media, either, but the content made by citizens through YouTube, Twitch streams, and TikTok.

Additionally, it’s important to understand that media as a cultural touchstone is a positive tool for representation. The media available today is becoming more diverse — particularly on streaming services, which are making efforts to feature not just actors and characters but also creators from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. Television, podcasts, music, even video game streaming can help demonstrate to children with diverse identities that their cultural perspectives and identities have an important place in the global community. These media provide them with positive, relatable role models, too.

But is there a negative side to media content as a cultural focus? Only when as a parent you rely too heavily upon it. Media is a tool for knowledge, but it doesn’t give your kids valuable life experience. Combine their consumption of media from other cultures with encouragement to also engage with them. Demonstrate the patronage of minority-owned businesses and just reaching out to start conversations and build relationships. Allow the media to inform their impressions, but provide experience to build their sense of empathy and community responsibility.

As Part of a Social Development

It can’t have escaped your notice that media consumption comprises a core part of your child’s social development. They are among the first generation of true digital natives, and both they and their peers will not just use media to consume information and culture, but also to communicate with one another and form social bonds.

By empowering your children to grow socially through media consumption — learning from TV shows, communicating (with safety elements in place) through social media — they can develop practices for the responsible use of these on their own terms. Indeed, we’ve already seen how this engagement is developing Generation Z into more socially and environmentally conscious citizens. Let’s not forget that Fridays for Future is a social media-led campaign. Rather than just dictate the use of their media tools, this is an opportunity to give them ownership of these. They can understand the responsibilities involved, and the social limitations and challenges they may face. The key is to be communicative and supportive throughout.

Of course, it’s not healthy to have them entirely focused on social development through screen media. It’s important to introduce other sources of information. Comic books are a helpful tool here, and also have in-built social credibility, even sparking discussion points among peers. Importantly, there are efforts to improve diversity in comic books, moving away from the harmful minority stereotypes of years past and providing positive and empowering representation. This extends beyond the characters and includes creative teams composed of and led by Black, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and Asian American creators. This expands their media toolkit, and also provides sources of social connection with their peers.

Conclusion

Media consumption tends to get a bad rap when it comes to our children. Yet, as a parent, you need to be cognizant of the various positive and negative roles it can play in their lives. This in turn empowers both you and them to make more informed decisions about usage and how to support them.

As a parent, you know how important it is to meet the basic needs of your children. Most parents understand the benefits of proper nutrition and exercise for their kids. But, when it comes to making sure kids get enough sleep, there can be struggles.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, school-age children should get anywhere from 9-11 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, studies have shown that many children only get around 7-8 hours each night, and sometimes even less.

There are a variety of factors that can play into your child’s sleep health, but technology is a big one.

We live in a digital device society, and kids are getting smartphones and tablets in their hands very early on. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s important to set boundaries when it comes to technology – especially when it comes to getting better sleep.

So, what’s the real issue with tech and sleep? If your child is having trouble getting to bed each night, what can you do to establish healthy boundaries between them and their devices? Let’s look at why your child needs to get more sleep, how technology could be hindering it, and how you can help.

Why Sleep is Important for Kids

You’ve probably heard that sleep is important for healthy growth. If your kids have had trouble sleeping for a while, you may have even said that as an incentive for them to get some shut-eye. But, making sure your children get enough sleep is crucial for so many different reasons beyond basic growth and development.

Not getting enough sleep, even as a child, can lead to problems like:

• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Increased risk of depression

Additionally, a lack of sleep can impact your child’s quality of life and how they get through each day. They might start to struggle in school, perform poorly in extracurricular activities, and even develop issues in their relationships. Their behaviors and attitude can change at home, especially if their mental health becomes impacted.

So, while sleep is vital for physical development and healthy functioning, it’s just as important for their mental and cognitive states.

How Technology Can Create Poor Sleep Hygiene

What does technology really have to do with kids not getting enough sleep? First, it’s been proven that most digital devices emit something called blue light. Blue light causes the body to produce less melatonin – a useful hormone that helps you feel drowsy. Exposure to blue light at night can distort the body’s natural circadian rhythms – the signals in the brain that tell your body when it’s time to be asleep and awake.

When your child’s circadian rhythms get out of sync, they’ll have a harder time falling asleep at night. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make them any less tired. Their body still needs sleep. So, they might start napping during the day or even falling asleep when they shouldn’t. That can create a vicious cycle. If they take a nap during the day, they’re less likely to sleep at night, throwing off those rhythms even more.

Digital devices can also stimulate your child’s brain, especially if they’re playing games or watching videos. That makes it even harder for them to get into a relaxed state and fall asleep. So, while many kids might have their phones or tablets by their bedside, it’s likely time to set boundaries to preserve their sleep hygiene.

What You Can Do

Not sure how to set those boundaries? It may not be easy, especially if your child is used to having their device(s) before bed. One of the best ways to make a change is to develop a routine with your child. That should start with them going to bed around the same time each night.

Part of the routine should include something you can do to replace technology. One idea is to try mindfulness with your child. When done correctly, it can reduce stress levels and bring them into a calmer state of mind. Especially if your child already practices it at school, you can practice mindfulness at home in a variety of ways, including:

• Guided meditation
• Breathing exercises
• Listening
• Journaling
• Gratitude practicing

Your main goal should be to establish an environment of relaxation and let your child know that their bed is for sleeping, not for scrolling through Instagram. As part of their routine, cut off electronic devices two hours before bedtime. This will give your child’s mind and body a chance to adjust and for the blue light to “wear off,” so their natural circadian rhythms won’t be disrupted.

Because we live in a world saturated with technology, these boundaries are difficult but necessary. Now that you know the importance of healthy sleep for your child, and what technology can do, try to implement a better routine and get them back in sync with healthy sleep habits. Talk to your kids about why these particular boundaries are important. When they have a better understanding and know the benefits of healthy sleep, they’re less likely to argue against the limits you’re putting in place.

Multiplication tables are a huge landmark in kid’s mathematical studies. In order to get promoted to higher grades and start solving complex mathematical problems, kids need to be proficient in the art of multiplying numbers.

If you have given your child a good initial multiplication training, it’s going to help them in the long run and be very beneficial in higher grades when they begin working with larger numbers.

Following are the 5 quickest ways with which kids can learn multiplication tables.

1. Skip counting

Skip counting is when you count at intervals of any number you like. If I were to skip count by seven, I would count 7, 14, 21, and so on. You can easily accomplish single-digit multiplication with this method. For example, suppose your teacher asks you to multiply 4 x 7 =. Simply count sevens four times, 7, 14, 21, and 28. 4 x 7 = 28 is the answer.

Go over the skip-counting list until you get to the halfway mark (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18). Allow your child to speak it out loud while pointing to the answers one by one with a finger or a pen.  This engages many senses at the same time.

Ask them to repeat the list from memory after they have gone over it a few times.

The mind is similar to muscles in that it requires exercise to grow stronger.

Require them to memorize this list in both ascending and descending order.

Go through the remaining items on the list: 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36.

Finally, go over the entire list of answers. Repeat the list UP AND DOWN until it seems natural and effortless.

Time table sheet

Time table sheets can be used in multiple ways. You can use it to practice and put it in front of your kids so they can keep memorizing it regularly.

2. Adding method

If kids are starting to learn multiplication, tell them to use their previously learned knowledge of addition. Adding similar amounts to the times you want to multiply will work great.

For example

If you want 4×4 then you can add four, four times to get the desired result.

4+4+4+4= 16    4×4=16

You will get the same answers. Once they get fluent with this method make sure they memorize the table.  If get stuck they can use this technique to master multiplication.

Learn from easy to hard

Make sure that your child learns the easy multiplication table first before moving on to difficult ones. This way they will not lose interest in the subject and consider it far more difficult than it actually is.

Table of 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, and 11 are comparatively easy to learn. Than move to 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12.

For example 2 ×2 =4 and you can always add two to the previous answer to get the next amount. This is only easy until the number gets big enough to learn new ways.

The table to 5 has 5’s and 0’s as the end digit.

Table of 10 is the easiest.  Just add zero next to the digit of multiplication.

Once they learn the easier ones and practice to perfection, make sure to slowly and steadily introduce them to hard ones.   They will soon discover that not all are easy. More difficult ones simply need some extra attention.

3. Tricks for learning tables

Some multiplication tables can be memorized with easy tricks. Math games can also help children stay engaged in learning.

Take for example the table of 9. You have to write the counting once in ascending order and then in descending order. But when it’s done they must be memorized properly. You will put 9 multiple one is 9 and then 1st digit is in increasing order from 1 to 9 and other digit in decreasing order 9 to 1

For example

9×1=9

9×2=18

9×3=27

9×4=36

9×5=45

And so on to 9×10=90

4. Use of fun toys

The best way to make sure your kids learn multiplication tables is to make it fun. You can use any type of toys, coins, Lego blocks, or even jigsaw puzzles, whichever one is of most interest to your child.

You can teach them multiplication by making pairs of their favorite coins.  Then ask them to put pair together and count how many coins are there altogether.

For example, if you are teaching kids table of 3 give them 3 pairs in order to get 3 × 3 =9.   This way they will know that combining 3 pairs of 3 will get 9.  This will help them learn more effectively and efficiently.

Once kids do this multiple times they will not only enjoy their experience and have a good time, they will learn new multiplication tables as the progress. It’s been shown that

5. Learn by drilling

This is the most widely used way for achieving the goal of learning times tables. Make sure that you encourage your kids to drill three times a day and memorize their multiplication tables. This way they will most quickly remember and respond when certain multiplication questions are asked by the teacher.

Constant drilling is the key here as much as possible.

Make sure that they memorize it in every order whether upward or downward. This way kids will be able to answer in any way possible.

Another way of drilling kids is while listening to their favorite songs. Music has been proven to enhance a child’s memorization even while studying for an exam.  Studies show that it’s not the type music that matters.  It’s that the person enjoys the music.  Rhythm in music through songs is also an effective way to grab attention and help children learn.

A major part of the times table learning process that kids are constantly quizzed. If they memorize a table, quiz them regularly to perfect their memory.

Rewarding kids for hard work is also a great way to ensure they stay enthusiastic and ready for upcoming texts and quizzes. Incorporating pictures like your child’s favorite animals to visually enhance multiplication tables. This helps to awaken all sense for learning and make the experience much more fun and memorable.