Here is my new holiday EM policy for the kids.
I don't care how much time you spend on Electronic Media as long as:
- you are always polite and co-operative
- you do one hour (or equivalent) of exercise a day (N and J >750m swimming, M>500m, good length bike ride)
- you have reading time (N>1hour, J>30mins, M>15mins)
- you have at least 1 hour of creative time (includes art, lego, music practice, general play etc.)
- your stuff is put away and your room is tidy
Day one and things are going well. Not too much EM happening. Everyone occupied and happy.
What do you think? Do you have a policy?
Our policy is that apart from a macbook on the kitchen bench we don't have any EM.
ReplyDeleteAnd the computer is used under supervision. Times vary depending on the weather and other things that the kids could/should do.
Oh. TV.
ReplyDeleteUm. No policy. about an hour a day on average.
The hypocrisy thing was getting a bit obvious.
ReplyDelete'Why is it okay for mummy to be on the computer for so long but not us?'
I can't even use the argument that I'm not playing games. The kids are happy not to play games too. N likes to blog and read stuff, J makes pivot animations.
I'd fail point 2.
ReplyDeleteIn my house kids who are misbehaving face computer bans or TV bans - length of time depends on the 'crime' committed. Dad sometimes comes home for lunch and turns off T.V. and tells them to run outside. Because it is so hot where we live and it rains a lot over Dec, Jan, I bought a Wii last Christmas so that I can feel like they are doing some exercise. My kids like to draw and read and do craft - they play with lego and other toys and one plays the piano ( a lot) so I just feed them at various points, try to clean up the mess (sometimes)and try to relax. I love holidays!
ReplyDeleteHey Simone, if you were trying to save yourself from hypocrisy, you should have put in a requirement for cafe time...then you'd _have_ to visit one regularly ;-)
ReplyDeleteOur policy, I should say, is to stall until they find something else to do. Unless we're both feeling lazy, in which case, we think that's a good time to concede some EM.
ReplyDeleteWere we meant to comment on the acronym, by the way? Feelin' too groovy now, man...
ReplyDeleteHa, ha - just having a quiet chuckle about 'polite and co-operative'. Electronic media in whatever form just sucks all of that out of my kids. They wouldn't last very long with this policy!
ReplyDeleteJenny - that's the idea. There is a natural limit on EM (yes Anthony, EM!) 'Your stuff is away and your room is tidy' is another one that limits it. But the kids know what they have to do if they want computer etc.
ReplyDeleteI like the policy - it makes the kids feel in control, but withing boundaries that prevent the too much EM time and problems associated with too much EM (eg. neglect of other activities, neglect of responsibilities). I might use it myself when the kids get a bit older and EM time becomes an issue (at the moment they would rather be outside playing than using EM)
ReplyDeleteThis would be a totally awesome policy for Andrew and I to adopt in relation to ourselves!
ReplyDelete