We all know that excessive smartphone use and exposure to electronic screens can be harmful to infants and children, and can even have an effect on your older children. No parent out there wants their children to struggle with problems like obesity, ADHD or cognitive and language development issues. Yet many young children are still given gadgets as an easy solution for parents. A device is now a digital nanny, whose purpose is to placate a child. There are even parents who are in denial, who try to convince themselves that early exposure to digital screens can educate their children. The truth is that digital literacy is the effect of a structured curriculum, not cartoons and entertainment on a screen. Young children who have not even developed their social skills cannot benefit from gadgets if they are just glued in front of a digital screen without any real physical interaction.

Gadget-Free Parenting Parenting requires a lot of attention, patience and energy. In fact, many parents rely on digital screens to distract their children because they are tired themselves. A way to remedy this is by encouraging solitary play. With solitary play, a game that is chosen, started and directed by your child on their own. Once your child knows how to play alone, they will need less of your attention at all times. You do not have to tirelessly provide a source for your child's entertainment, and can instead sit back to let them explore on their own. Of course, solitary play is more than just a way to give the parent rest— it also builds emotional capacity, confidence, self-discipline and problem-solving skills. Exposure to digital screens reduces your child's motivation to engage in solitary play. When your child often watches entertainment on a screen, they become more dependent on the need to be entertained instead of actively creating entertainment for themselves. Thus, the more your child watches television or smartphones, the more their solitary play skills suffer. Here are some tips to promote solitary play skills in your child: Turning off the TV Some families find banning television altogether the most effective, while others reduce it gradually. This also depends on the age of your child. Here is a simple guide to maximum exposure to digital screens according to experts: 0-18 months: no screen time (except for video conversations) 18 months - 2 years: media can be an educational resource from 18 months of age, but its effectiveness is not guaranteed 2-5 years: no more than 1 hour each day 5 years onwards: set a consistent limit/schedule Creating a safe and comfortable environment How you organize your child's playspace depends on many factors! Here are some guidelines to get you started: Safety should be your utmost priority. If you may leave the room or focus your attention elsewhere throughout your child's playtime, their environment should be 100% safe. This could include fencing off a restricted area, or a small section of the living room for your child to play in. An outdoor space would be even better! Organize your child's playspace so that it looks neat and organized. Children are very sensitive to distractions, so it is important to make sure the space is conducive to your child for their focus. Instead of putting toys in a big toy box, opt for small baskets or display them on shelves. This makes it easier for them to view and choose their toys. Make sure all toys are accessible to your child without your help. Do not give your child too many toys, as they may get confused and overstimulated. If there are too many toys, your child will play with all of them at once and grow bored quickly. Child-sized tables and chairs are also a great addition to a playspace. When a child sits on a chair of their proportions, they are likely to feel more confident and can focus on his activities. Child-size furniture can be expensive, but you can save money by checking out Toy Libraries and/or opting for adjustable pieces. Choose non-complex toys that foster imagination and creativity over toys with overwhelming features and/or sounds. Something worth trying is removing the batteries from toys— active toys make children passive, while passive toys make children active. So, give them toys like open lid scraps, paper and crayons, books, musical instruments, kitchen and toy tools, toy blocks, toy cars etc. Encouraging Solitary Play You don't always have to involve yourself in your child's play. For example, let your child learn how to use a toy themselves instead of showing them. If the toy is age-appropriate, your child will be able to use it without your help. Don't interrupt! Children do very important work during playtime. By letting them explore their surroundings, they learn to fully explore the things they are interested in. Trust your child. Let them decide what they want to play with, how to play, and for how long. There are times when your child plays with one toy for a long time, while other times they may jump from one toy to another. What's important is they learn to develop the ability to direct their own play throughout long periods of time. Once your child has mastered solitary play and learns to focus during playtime, you will find that you have much more free time on your hands!