It looks like a scene from a scary movie.

Your kids are in a dark room. You can hear eerie music and flickers of light emanating from their hands.

It doesn't work when you call them. Nobody even looks at you. Finally, you can get their attention. They look at you in a daze when they raise their heads.

The expression is blank. Your children are zombies, addicts! Hooked to something very accessible- electronic devices!

The Addiction is Real.

We cannot live without our screens. And that's a fact. But we must not raise children so heavily dependent on their screens that they lose their grasp on reality. Here is a 4-step plan that you can follow to reduce the screen-time in your household. 

What you can do as a parent

1. Manage screen time

Keep an eye on how much screen time your children use. The best way to do this is to make a family media plan that has different time and content limits for each person, as well as learn about parental controls and privacy settings. Other suggestions include watching and talking with your kids, not using more than one device at a time, getting all passwords and log-in information, and talking about good online behavior.

2. Encourage meaningful screen use

Tell people how to use the screen in a good way. This means putting daily (non-screen) tasks first and helping kids and teens choose content that is appropriate for their age. You can be a part of your kids' media lives and encourage schools and child care programmes to think about making their own plan for digital literacy and screen use.

3. Be a Role- Model

Show how to use the screen in a healthy way. Take a look at your own media habits and plan time for other things to do and play. People should have "screen-free" times every day. You should turn off your own screens when they aren't being used (including background TV). Avoid screens at least an hour before going to bed.

4. Monitor for signs of problematic use

Keep an eye out for signs of abuse. These signs include complaining about being bored or unhappy when they can't use technology, and acting in a different way when screen-time limits are put in place. It's also bad when screen use interferes with sleep, school, face-to-face interactions and offline play and physical activities, as well as when people have bad feelings after having bad online interactions.

Quality Time over Screen Time 

One major reason that kids love watching television or Youtube, is because of how interactive and engaging the content is. Here is where Zigyasaw comes in. They ensure that your child’s toys are as vibrant and fun as the content  they see on their screens. 

The products by Zigyasaw are attractive and engaging. The jigsaw puzzles have top-quality images that grab your child's attention and retain it. The flash-cards are an amazing way to play with your children while stimulating their visually-wired brain. 

The more time you spend with your little ones, the better they feel. Playing, interacting and engaging in their world bring them closer to you and the “adult” world. Work with Zigyasaw to offer your children a screen-free and constructive childhood.