As parents and children around the globe have switched to full-time remote working and learning, it’s more important than ever to make technology work in positive ways for the whole family. Our own data shows huge surges in screen time since the COVID-19 lockdowns began and that a good part of this new online activity is devoted to communication and learning. It is therefore more important than ever to strike the right balance between time spent on and offline and to ensure that extra screen time is helping to enrich our children’s lives and maintain a much-needed sense of stability in these turbulent times.
These are unprecedented times. Here at Qustodio, we’re in the same situation as many of you – desperately trying to balance working from home while maintaining our children’s education and supporting our families through a stressful and scary time. It’s been hugely comforting to see an increase in the positive use of technology come out of such adversity. We’re seeing people use the internet to come together, build communities, and help and support each other like never before.
As a company that is fully committed to helping families across the globe stay safe online, we want to share what we know about digital parenting and answer your questions as we all navigate this extraordinary moment in history that we are living through. That’s why on Friday, April 3 we hosted our first live Q&A to help parents manage screen time, digital wellbeing and general parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Questions were answered by Digital Wellbeing Expert Georgie Powell, Child Psychologist Dr. Nicole Beurkens and Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of bullying prevention charity, Kidscape. You can watch the full recording below or skip to the sections that interest you most.
Watch the COVID-19 Parenting Q & A
Key question points
-How do I help my child to understand what is happening and to manage anxiety? 5:00
-How do I know if my child is experiencing something negative online like online bullying? 9:40
-How can I structure my days when I am trying to parent, look after my kids and educate them all at the same time? 11:40
-How can I manage positive screen time schedules throughout my day? 16:20
-How should I manage my own own digital habits as a parent? 23:30
-What apps are age appropriate for my child? 27:00
-Should I monitor my child? How can I build trust? 33:40
-Which platforms are safe for my kid? 39:30
-What should I do if we’ve already fallen into bad habits during lockdown and we need to reset? 44:30
