Life

Tackling the obsession of screen time for children (and parents too)

Suzanne McGonagle

Suzanne McGonagle

Suzanne has worked at the Irish News since 2004. Her particular areas of specialism are news and education.

Monitoring and controlling screen time for youngsters has become a common parenting issue
Monitoring and controlling screen time for youngsters has become a common parenting issue Monitoring and controlling screen time for youngsters has become a common parenting issue

IT was about 10.45pm when I was heading to bed last Thursday, tip-toeing upstairs, turning out the hall light and about to close my bedroom door when I caught sight of something.

It was a flickering blue glow coming from beneath my eldest son's bedroom door.

Straight away I knew that tell-tale sign.

It had been more than two hours since I had tucked him into bed and kissed him goodnight.

'You should be asleep by now', I whispered... 'Lights out'.

'Just a little while longer, I'm not tired yet', he wearily replied before adding, 'It's not that late anyway'.

'Turn the iPad off, morning comes early,' I added as I removed the tablet from his grasp and put it on his bedside table.

While he may have professed he was watching a news website or checking the latest football scores, I knew fine rightly he had been watching those particularly annoying Minecraft tutorials or playing the latest car racing app he had persuaded his dad to download for him.

Monitoring and controlling screen time for youngsters has become a common parenting issue.

Tearing them away from the television, tablet, smartphone or computer has become a task of monumental proportions.

Recent data has revealed that by the age of seven many children will have spent what equates to one full year in front of a screen, rising to three by adulthood. That is one scary statistic.

Another study has also found that parents often find it more difficult to get their kids away from screens than getting them to do their homework, going to bed or taking a bath.

The survey found a staggering one in four mums and dads struggle to contain their kid's screen use.

The findings reveal children are spending more time with screen media - and at younger ages - than ever before.

Psychologists and health experts have warned that kids are turning up for school tired and irritable after too many hours in front of a screen.

I suppose we all have to admit some responsibility in the whole screen time debacle.

After all if we hadn't introduced our children to the tablets, computers and phones, then life would be very different. Or would it?

I freely admit my second son, who is seven, has pointed out to me in the past that my phone is never far from my grasp. Not a nice feeling to be caught out by your child.

And what's worrying is that this may show there's not only double standards at work in our house, but I'm actually teaching my kids that there's really no actual off switch.

How can I lay down the law at 10.45pm when I know I will checking my Facebook, Twitter and perhaps my emails when I climb into bed myself.

But then again, we can't demonise the use of technology - it's crucial in modern society and we also can't turn the cultural clock back either to a time before smartphones, consoles, and tablets existed.

I can see already how much my kids need technology, even at primary school level.

I also know from friends about how much their teenage children use technology for their homeworks and where on earth would we all be today without Google to help us with research?

Technology is an often necessary part of the lives of children and parents alike, but it's important to maintain a balance with other activities and quality family time.

It's clear the growing reliance on technology is creating new challenges for all members of the family.

If youngsters are consuming too much technology, it's because as a society, we are not doing enough to make healthier alternatives available.

We need to be able to learn to police both our children's use of technology as well as our own.

That means switching off notifications so we can remain focused in front of them - and getting out of the habit of checking Facebook every 15 seconds.

Otherwise, technology's grip may take an even greater hold of not just them, but us too.

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Competition

To celebrate Easter, Lidl Northern Ireland has teamed up with The Irish News to offer readers the chance to get their hands on an 'egg'cellent prize.

For four lucky readers, Lidl has a £25 gift voucher up for grabs to spend on a range of delicious treats in one of Lidl's 38 stores in Northern Ireland.

For all of you chocolate lovers, Lidl has created Deluxe Easter Eggs which come in two glorious flavours - fudge feast and Eton mess.

The fudge feast is made with rich Belgian milk chocolate, loaded with Cornish vanilla and chocolate fudge pieces whilst the Eton mess has a creamy Belgian white chocolate shell laden with white chocolate drops and tangy strawberry and crunchy meringue pieces.

The Deluxe Easter Egg is available in stores while stocks last priced at £2.99.

Lidl has also extended its Favorina range of chocolate treats so there is something to suit both young and old.

From the Favorina Chocolate Bunny in a Box at just £1.99 to the Favourina Easter Egg Hunt bag at £2.49.

To be in with a chance to win a £25 gift voucher simply email your name, address and telephone number - along with the answer to the question below - to competitions@irishnews.com

Closing date for entries is Tuesday, March 22 at noon.

(Q) What kind of chocolate are the Lidl Deluxe Easter Eggs made of?

Normal Irish News Rules Apply

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What's Hot?

Kua 'Aina - Belfast's only Hawaiian-inspired restaurant has been going St Patrick's Day crazy with the celebrations still continuing over this coming weekend. Featuring a range of fresh and filling items available online and in their Victoria Square restaurant, their inspired food items are sure to help the masses through the festivities. For more information visit Kua 'Aina on Facebook or Twitter.

Ollies Blocks - Check out this new line of children’s blocks that brings back the traditional, tactile method of play for kids. The new blocks are designed to allow children to make endless creations and to let their imaginations run wild and possibly inspire a generation of little engineers.

So Not!

Less wages - Gillian Anderson has revealed she was offered half the amount of co-star David Duchovny for returning for the latest run of the sci-fiction series of The X Files

Black eyes - Chef Gino D’Acampo caused a bit of a stir on Twitter after appearing on This Morning in lashings of mascara and eyeliner.

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Competition

The winners of the Bone by Bone novel competition are Therese Ferguson from Tyrone, Paul Devlin from Coagh, Joan Haughian from Lurgan, Gretta McCambridge from Belfast and Helen Rooney from Newcastle.

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Easy Peasy Recipe

This week’s Easy Peasy Recipe is slow braised Mourne lamb, aubergine puree, carrots, red wine jus, courtesy of the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast

You will need:

2 kg lamb shoulder

2 carrots

1 onion

2 celery sticks

1 garlic bulb

2 bay leaves,

1 bunch thyme and rosemary

1 litre beef stock

1 glass red wine

1 carrot

3 shallots fresh herbs (tarragon, parsley, sage) finely chopped

Butter

1 aubergine

50ml double cream

To make:

Seal lamb in hot casserole pot with vegetables and herbs, add stock and wine, bring to a simmer.

Cover with foil and braise in oven for 2.5 hours at 155 degrees

Once braised, flake meat from bone and reduce stock to thick consistency to make red wine jus

Double line your work bench with cling film and place lamb onto cling film and roll into round cylinder and place in fridge to set for 2-3 hours

For the aubergine puree, roast aubergine for 30 mins at 180 degrees until soft, scoop out and puree in blender with 50ml double cream. Season to taste

Once lamb is set cut into 6oz portions then reheat by placing on a little parchment on baking tray topped with a knob of butter and roast for 10 minutes

Sauté carrots and shallot and mix all together with fresh herbs and season

Remove cling film and serve on a plate with carrots and shallots to the side and drizzle with red wine jus and aubergine puree.

Do you have an Easy Peasy recipe you would like to share?

Are you the queen of quiches, magnificent at muffins or can you turn out some nice scones?

If so, then we want to hear from you.

You can send your name, address, contact number and recipe (plus photo if possible) to:

Easy Peasy Recipes,

Suzanne McGonagle,

Irish News

113-117 Donegall Street,

Belfast,

BT1 2GE

or

s.mcgonagle@irishnews.com.