“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So sail away from the safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

The biggest issues parents confront today with kids are their use of smart devices and spending most of their time on them. As we know, children in today’s world suffer higher mental health issues compared to previous generations or before the invention of smart devices. How do we limit them? This is a common question which parents ask themselves when they see their kids spending hours a day with gadgets. Smart devices do take a toll on children, and this article will talk about ways how parents can change their mindset & practices for a healthier mindset of their kids.

Outdoor Activity

Parents need to ensure that their kids spend at least an hour or two outdoors playing with other kids either at school or once they reach home. This is particularly important, as it improves their physical health and social skills at the same time. This activity also ensures that a kid gets tired and goes to sleep soon without spending time with the smart device.

Healthy Conversations/Bonding with Kids

It is important that parents take time talking to their kids and understand what is going around in their mind. Asking your kids healthy and thought-provoking questions like, “What five words best describe you?”, “What do you love doing that makes you feel happiest?” etc. These conversations help kids build their thought process and at the same time parents get an understanding of what their kids are thinking. These conversations could happen over breakfast or dinner – just before the kid goes to bed. It is great to have these on a daily basis as a practice to improve and strengthen the bond.

Channeling Energy

Parents should motivate and help identify what their kids are good at. They could help kids choose an activity such sports, dance, a self-defense skill, a specialized study like math, science or art. If a kid develops an interest in any of those areas, it will ensure that they stay away from smart devices and spend more time towards their interest. All this helps channel the energy in the right direction.

Parents taking the right step today will help their kids have a safe and bright future. Things we do now will help our kids down the lane, so parents should Explore activities to engage kids to make them Dream big and Discover themselves better.