AyiConnect Staff, Jun 18, 2021
Taking care of children requires a lot of attention and patience. You have to keep your eyes on them all the time they are awake and while they sleep because a few seconds of distraction could have them choking on plastic or touching something they should not be around.
Most working parents do not have the time to watch over their children when they are very young. They prefer hiring helpers to send their children to daycares. At daycares, their children would not have the attention that they desire for them. Helpers look after your children almost the way you would look after them yourself.
The decision on how much screen time a child should have has differed from parent to parent. It also depends on the age and development of the child. Most parents prefer their children to have more playtime off-screen as much as possible. A study has shown that the younger a child is, the less screen time is allowed. The World Health Organization recommends that children below four years should not have any screen time. What this means is that you should engage the child at all times with either reading or storytelling. Hiring a helper would make reducing sedentary screen time for your child more achievable. If children have less screen time, what happens if the helper you hired has more screen time than you find comfortable?
With the growth in the entertainment industry; and new social media platforms coming up by the day, most helpers find it hard to give undivided attention to kids these days. While it is understandable that they have their own lives to live, your child is a priority to you and, you need their undivided attention while they look after them for you.
Too much screen time for your helper means them being on the phone or watching TV for long hours at the expense of focusing on your children. You paid for the hours your helper spends with your kids; so, they should be accountable for every minute spent with your child. They are supposed to keep your child active all through the time they are with your child. Putting this in check would be beneficial to how well they will care for your child. If you notice that your helper cannot afford to miss their favorite TV show even during babysitting hours, it could be an issue. Another instance of your helper having too much screen time is when you realize that they cannot stay away from their phones for longer than 5 minutes. This behavior means they can be online and actively updating their social media; during the hours you agreed that they should watch over your children.
Since your child is allowed very few hours of screen time, your helper is also not allowed to have that much screen time as well. The ideal time they should have is when the children are napping. They can use their phones or watch TV while staying alert for the child if any need arises. This arrangement is better than them sleeping when your child is also napping. During the babysitting hours, their full attention should be on your child and making sure that they are attended to and cared for at any given point.
The best time to handle a situation where helpers use too much screen time when watching your kids is before hiring them. Tell them how important it is to you that they give your children full attention. If their being on their phone will be a problem for you, you can inform them. Find out if it is something they can handle before they take up the job. However, if you notice that your helper spends so much screen time after hiring them, you can communicate your concerns to them. Listen to them and find out what their opinions are so that you both can agree. Your priority while handling this should be the well-being of your child. Less screen time means better attention to your children.
Your helper should have very little screen time, which can be when your kids are having their allowed screen time, or when they are napping. Other times should be focused on your kids.
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