How to Balance the workload of Online Schools and too much Screen Time?

No doubt that online high schools or online education has brought tremendous change in the education world, but at the same time one also has to be aware of the pros and cons of it.  It`s true that it has opened channels for the underprivileged, and the home schooled students to educate themselves and get their high school diplomas from the comfort of their homes but at the same time it also has cons to it.

The issue of concern here is the management of workload of the online schools and expenditure of time in front of the screen of the children.  Parents are often worried and concerned regarding the number of hours their children put into their studies while using the computer or the laptop. Since the use of electronic gadgets can produce both positive and negative effects, there has to be a wide line drawn betwixt the two. Often children are seen recklessly wasting hours on social networking sites and playing online video games under the pretext of learning or completing their assignments. As a guardian, it has become very difficult to figure out an apt solution to this problem because with children these days just surrounded by tons of electronic gadgets and mediums of communications. To keep a tab on the activities of the children, it has become very difficult for the parents especially the ones who are enrolled in open e learning school.

When a student lays hours using the internet in completing the assignments using various techniques, it also becomes confusing for the guardians to understand whether the technique their child has adopted is the right one or is he just wasting his time behind a futile technique.  The ill effect of intense exposure to on screen time is increasing everyday and this is the reason why many guardians have now become active.  Apart from the exposure to the video games and social networking websites, the potential harm just increases over the time with increased exposure of widening technology. But how should the parents approach this issue? What measures should they basically use to enforce a healthy and limited use of technology by their children?

Measures which would help your child in balancing his workload and screen time

Putting cap on the usage- well not only for online school students but for every student and every individual out there, families must spend few hours every day as `Technology Free` time.  By keeping your electronic devices at bay for a couple of hours, the family members get to interact with each other and this physical interaction is very important. It helps in alleviating anxiety and stress and also fosters good communication. Avoid using cell phones before sleeping and it always limit the use of technology to some extent.

Decide how much is to be used- the next measure to down the sleeve is to actually decide the number of hours your child uses internet in completing his school work. Set up a specific number of hours for your children and set this rule which applies to everyone.  Go on to frame a decision that suits the family in the best manner and stick to it. Children often abide by the limits once they see that the rule apply to everyone.

Encourage other alternatives- cell phones, tablets, laptops etc. are modern gifts of technology which students always use to eliminate boredom but since the side effects of intense exposure to these means is very harmful. As a guardian you must encourage other alternatives for your children that diverts their mind and also fills their mind with work. You can play with your child, engage in some extra-curricular activities on weekends and even ask them to share their home works with you. This would keep them wrapped in activities away from their gadgets.

Participate in other activities- children who are enrolled in online high schools should especially be involved in various sports activities or some other social work. The reason being, all through the day, they are using computer and laptops for their work and they have lesser opportunities or reasons of moving around as compared to students from traditional schools. Such children should specifically get out in the open and indulge themselves in other activities. As a parent, you should encourage your child to partake in physical activities. Not only will this refresh their minds but would also keep their electronic gadgets away for considerable period of time.

Parents will have to take up the initiative- The online school students are much prone and exposed to the technological negative effects since they spend much more time on screen than the students of traditional school. Online high school students need to be extra cautious because they spend major chunk of their day in front of the screens. As a parent, it can challenging as well as a little difficult in managing and dividing your child`s studying hours but at the end of the day, you will have to do so.

Have a friendly approach towards your child while regulating his hours he spends online. Tell him the cons of overuse of internet and how he would suffer in the long run. You will have to work as a family to figure out solutions to such issues.

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