Hi all 👋🏼 I’m due this summer and I’m just getting my head round all the routines etc that I hope to (loosely) follow.
I’m a primary teacher (I teach 5 year olds) and have found the biggest issue by far in my class is the obsession children have with technology these days. If I bring laptops into the room they will frantically pace round them asking who’s getting on the laptop?! They can’t focus on anything else when they’re there! If we do group activities on them some children really struggle to get off to go to the next group and will end up in tears over it. When I ask for their weekend news many of them just want to tell me about playing roblox. We were writing about our favourite hobbies the other day and one child said his was playing his tablet 😳 The instant gratification they get from these games with loud noises and bright flashing lights in their faces means they don’t want to sit in school doing a phonics lesson or listening to a teacher for 5 minutes. I think many parents don’t know what else to do so for a quiet life just hand the tablet to them when they get home. I know how addictive it is as an adult so I’m just really glad I was brought up before it all existed and I learned the ability as a child to be bored without needing constant entertainment.
Now as a soon to be parent, I’m wondering how strict I will be 🙈 I know many parents start off saying they won’t give their child devices etc then realise how tough it is and give in. My degree before teaching was in psychology and as part of my course we studied how damaging screens are on children’s brains before 3 years old, so I’m really sure I don’t want to let mine have any, although I know how difficult this will be. If you’re like me, do you watch tv with your newborn in the room? I know this sounds ridiculous but if I’m going to try to avoid baby tv and just stick to songs, nursery rhymes etc (not on the tv), if I’m watching This Morning for example is it bad if he ends up staring at it? 🙈 I’m guessing my mum watched tv when I was growing up and baby tv didn’t exist then, so I’m sure it must be okay but just wondering what your thoughts are?? X