Screen Time
Posted on: 04/11/2022This week we have a guest blog from Mrs. Hunt.
November is upon us and the dark nights are here. Going to the park or playing in the garden becomes harder and you may find that your child is inclined to want to turn to various screens to keep them occupied. As one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads at St. Helen’s College, keeping children safe online is a high priority of mine. Despite the age of your children it is never too early to ensure that they are safe online. It is fair to say that we do not know what our children’s future will look like but there will definitely be technology in it. It is paramount to teach our children skills and understanding so that they are masters of technology and not slaves to it.
As you may be aware, through St. Helen’s College, you are members of National Online Safety (NoS), so please do take a look at the NoS website as I am certain you will find it very informative. The link is below and gives you an opportunity to creates your NoS account if you have not already done so. This is a really valuable resource for all teachers and parents.
In addition, I have included two age appropriate links from Internet Matters that you may find insightful. The links are directed to parents of 0-5 year olds and I would highly recommend that you take a few minutes to read the guides. They do give food for thought.
As with many aspects of parenting, creating the right balance around the use of technology is fundamental. Please think carefully about how frequently you use your own phone when your child is present and about the message it gives your child about how much you value the phone.
I am also reminded of a saying I heard throughout my childhood: there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing! So why not get outside and embrace November!
https://www.internetmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Age-Guide-0-5s.pdf
https://nationalonlinesafety.com/enrol/st-helen-s-college
Mrs. Hunt
Head of Lower School
Designated Safeguarding Lead
