Create a healthy play schedule for your children
The summer holiday honeymoon is officially over for one in three families as we move into the third week of the school summer break for many across the UK. Parents are suffering from the school-break blues as the kids get restless and time spent nagging starts to increase, according to new research from E.ON.
The soggy summer has done little to comfort anxious parents, with one in four dreading wet weather days. And with a third of families scaling down holiday plans - almost half for financial reasons - many are contemplating a frugal summer with more time indoors. Gadget use amongst children is set to be at an all-time high with low-cost play-dates with friends and watching TV taking a more prominent role in the holiday entertainment line-up.
As electronics remain the entertainment of choice for many children, parents will spend over 14 hours nagging their children about gadget use over the course of the summer holidays.
Getting the children involved in planning their days, so there’s a mix of activities, perhaps building in some time on electronic gadgets can help keep everyone happy, and help cut the nagging time."
By the end of the summer holidays parents will have spent over 100 hours nagging their children. To help, E.ON and Mumsnet have partnered to gather insight into ways to manage gadget use in the home.
Beverley Maguire, Energy Fitness Expert at E.ON, said: “As the summer holidays progress we found parents are having to nag their kids more and more in order to keep the peace at home. TV and games can be a great way to have fun as a family and keep the kids entertained, but we also know that increased use of electric gadgets over the school holidays is causing one in six parents to worry about energy bills.
"We’d urge parents to check that they’re on the right energy tariff for them and think about the simple steps they can take to keep their energy use to a minimum during the holidays, such as not leaving gadgets plugged in unnecessarily.”
Carrie Longton, co-founder of Mumsnet, said: “We know electronic gadgets are a great way to keep the kids entertained, especially on rainy days, and playing interactive games together as a family can be great fun. But Mumsnetters are keen to make sure children have a variety of activities throughout the day, particularly with a long summer ahead of us. Getting the children involved in planning their days, so there’s a mix of activities, perhaps building in some time on electronic gadgets (but not all day!) can help keep everyone happy, and help cut the nagging time.”
Mumsnetters talk about managing gadget use at home
1. There are so many apps, games and websites to choose from these days. Ask friends and family for their recommendations, and balance entertainment apps with the interactive educational games that are available.
2. Mumsnetters suggest supervising younger children and keeping an eye on what older children are playing with to ensure they don’t access content which isn’t child-friendly. It’s also worth making sure they don’t fiddle with your settings or delete anything they shouldn’t.
3. If your child is playing to a set time limit, use a five-minute warning system. The child can get to a point in the game where they can save it in order not to lose their place, minimalising arguments.
4. Encourage children to bring what they enjoy or imagine from online games into real life. Why not build Lego versions of the fantasy worlds, or play themed games in the playground?
5. On the plus side, many parents find gadgets can be a great way to keep kids entertained. They can be a great help on long journeys, at the doctor’s or in the supermarket.
FemaleFirst @FemaleFirst_UK
Shabana Adam @Shabana_FAM