Children's Health
Tips for Cutting Screen Time
By
Jul 5, 2012 - 1:14:24 PM

From the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - NEW YORK) July 5, 2012 – With warm weather to bask in, there are plenty of reasons to cut down on screen time. Replacing sedentary hours with creative or physical activities can lead to a happier and healthier home. To help your family unplug, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national non-profit founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to combat childhood obesity, brings you 10 ideas on how to cut down screen time.

For more tips on ways you can cultivate a healthy lifestyle and help reverse the trend of childhood obesity visit: www.HealthierGeneration.org

Create a Schedule – Craft a plan to decide which shows your family will watch. To increase effectiveness, create a schedule for other electronic use, such as Internet and video games.
Keep a Log – Have your kids track the time they spend in front of screens. The number may prompt them into making behavioral changes.
Make Goals – Instead of setting strict time limits, create goals for cutting back on screen time and reward your family for reaching them.
Mix and Match – Constructively multitask when using electronics. While watching TV, perform exercises or make crafts. When using the computer, take breaks to stretch and walk around.
Participate in Outdoor Activities – Join a family club or play a sport!
Find a Hobby – Adding a hobby to your family’s day can help you evade those omnipresent electronics.
Screen-Free Zones – Eliminate screens from mealtimes. Instead, have family discussions or eat outside if the weather permits. In addition, remove screens from bedrooms.
Cover it up! – Cover up electronics not in use. This will encourage your family to engage in other activities.
Build a Blockade – Put all electronics in one room for a day and avoid the space at all costs.
Have a Library Adventure – Take a family trip to the library. Reward your child for reading by allowing them to stay up 15 minutes past their bedtime.
About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation’s leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, doctor’s offices and communities. For more information please visit: HealthierGeneration.org

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