The average teenager spends a lot of time on his or her smartphone these days. No doubt, having a phone for kids UK and the internet access have many benefits but the excessive use of screen time can cause harmful effects.
These harmful effects include:
- Lack of sleep,
- lower physical activity, and
- Poor focus.
If you’re a parent and live in the UK, then one question often comes into your mind is that how you could limit the screen time of your 15-year-old kid. So don’t worry because we are going to discuss all this in the following article.
Understand the Recommended Screen Time for Teenagers
Experts suggest that a 15-year-old should ideally have 2–3 hours of screen time each day. In this time, children can use social media, gaming, and watch videos. So when you set a screen time limit for them, so they can prevent by the harmful effects of excessive usage. Limiting screen time also helps them to spend more time on other activities like sports, studies, and social interactions.
Choose the Right Phone for Your Teen
When you decide to buy a phone for your child, so consider the best Android phone for kids UK that has built-in parental control features. Choosing the best phone for kids UK means you’re looking for a phone that has all safety and controllable features such as a set time limit feature and restriction-specific app feature.
This way, you can easily manage their screen time right from the start. Some of the best first phone for kids have settings in which you can easily block inappropriate content and also make sure children use the mobile very safely.
Set Clear Screen Time Rules
- Set clear rules before handing over the phone.
- Talk to your teen about the importance of limiting screen time.
- Explain the negative effects of too much screen time such as impact on sleep, influence on mood, and potential harm to physical health.
- Discuss specific screen time rules with them like no phones during dinner and no devices an hour before bed.
- Making these habits early makes it easier for your teen to follow them.
Use Built-In Parental Control Features
Most of the phones especially safe phone for kids come with parental control options. You can easily find this feature in the best Android phone for kids UK. You can use Google Family Link, which is an app designed to help parents so that they can easily manage their kids’ phone usage.
With this app, you can:
- Set daily screen time limits: Decide how long your child can use their phone each day, so they don’t spend too much time on it.
- Block certain apps: If there are apps you don’t want your child to use, you can block them or restrict access to them.
- Schedule downtime: You can set up specific times like during family meals or bedtime, when the phone will automatically lock and your child can’t use it.
Encourage Other Activities
You also need to encourage your teen to spend more time away from the screen. For this purpose, you can introduce them to other activities like reading, playing support, or engaging in a creative activity. The main reason behind this is to make them stay active and find fun activities that do not involve screens.
For the latest updates and information, keep checking SimpCity.