Too much screen time? Here are tips on managing kids’ online activity

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Parents often sigh out of defeat when children throw tantrums because their phones or tabs are removed from them.

Some even go as far as screaming or sulking for days because their beloved gadget has been kept in a drawer, and they are told to go outside and play or do a certain chore.

“As a parent, it might be difficult for you to ban them from apps like TikTok and Snapchat,” says Julie Nassolo, a teacher and counsellor, in a Kampala secondary school.

She thus shares some tips of how parents should instead engage their children about online usage.

Nassolo says instead of banning them from apps, parents should ask children to show them how those apps work.

“Talk to them about the downsides of these apps. Remind them that the internet never forgets,” she says.

She believes that through engagement with their parents, children will be drawn to think twice before they hit the “Send” button.

“Remind them that if you cannot say it to the person face-to-face, then do not post it. What you put out there today, can be your downfall 10 years from now,” says Nassolo.

She says that in the event that children follow some influencers, parents should endeavour to find out who they are, have a hint and ask children why they decided to follow that person.

Importantly, seeing is believing, so Nassolo advises parents to look out for real-life situations depicting that what they see online is far from the truth in real life.

“People edit their stories online to amass a following and likes. Do not always believe what you see,” she says.

Additionally, Nassolo points out that children need to know that data means money.

“So, they should learn to budget for those Mbs, and use them to better themselves, not to scroll aimlessly.”

To counter aimless scrolling, she suggests introducing them to learning apps instead, such as Khan Academy and Udemy.

Other tips are:

-Never to share personal data online, especially on promotions that seem " "too good to be true". There are no free things in this world.

-Be keen as a parent when you notice change of behaviour in your child. If he or she is active on the internet, probe to find out what is happening.

-Encourage the children to use laptops in open home spaces if they are still primary school and lower secondary because these days, learning is online. This way, you get to see what the child is all about when online.

-There is also tech software that helps you activate parental control; make use of it too.