Experts agree that children should not have electronic devices in their bedrooms.

1. TECH IN THE BEDROOM AN
ABSOLUTE NO FOR KIDS, EXPERTS
SAY

2. Do you think that TV or gaming before bed is a nice,
calming pre-bed ritual?
If you do, think again.
A new University of California Berkeley study has found that
allowing TV or screens in the bedroom significantly impacts
children’s sleep. Access to a TV in the bedroom cuts 18 minutes of
sleep on average, while access to mobile devices means hitting the
hay 37 minutes later, and getting 21 minutes less sleep.
And anyone with kids knows that
that is no small amount. I swear, I
can see ten minutes less sleep on
my kids without even trying.

3. Why does it matter?
It all comes down to a little thing called melatonin – the hormone
responsible for managing our body clock. Historically, melatonin has
interacted with the sun to determine when to sleep and when to
wake, but with new sources of light, it has gotten a bit out-of-whack
and wonky…
It’s no secret that as technology increases in our children’s lives, it’s
harder and harder to get them to bed without it. Kids today are
actually sleeping with their devices in their beds! I know, because until
recently, my kids were doing it themselves.

4. How do we make the change?
As our kids grow up in this technology saturated age, there are
very sound reasons to at least limit the technology in their
bedrooms. By establishing their bedroom as a “no technology
zone”, you will be inducing a more relaxing environment and
helping increase the chances of them getting the recommended
hours of sleep for their age. Sleep, after all, is incredibly
important for their development.
Limiting tech in the bedrooms is no easy task, especially if your
child has had no restrictions at all before bedtime, but is an
important parenting challenge to take on. Studies show
numerous negative effects of allowing TVs, computers, cell
phones and tablets in your child’s room. Everything from poor
school performance to health concerns like obesity, lack of sleep
and lack of energy have all been cited as growing trends among
kids who have access to their devices in their room at night.

5. While this all seems very daunting, there are things you can do as a
parent to instill good habits to help them take a break from their
screens before they hit the hay and make your kid’s bedrooms ‘no-tech
zones’…
1) Set up a bedtime routine. Making sure your kids have a consistent
bedtime routine will go a long way toward slowing them down and
getting them mentally ready for bed. This can include a warm bath
or shower, soothing music or a bedtime story that will help them
wind down and relax.
2) Use a regular alarm. If your middle-schoolers or high school
students use their cell phone for an alarm, choose a regular
alarm clock with a light dimmer
or one that can turn it off
altogether. Take them out and
allow them to choose their very
own alarm clock, giving them
some choice in the matter.

6. 3) Choose a specific area for a charging station.
Keep everyone’s electronics in a certain place in your home to plug in.
This keeps the alluring pull of the Internet out of reach for everyone,
parents included!
4) Unplug 1-2 hours before bed. Setting up a curfew for electronics
to be turned off is imperative for a good night’s sleep. Experts
recommend unplugging a couple hours before bedtime, optimally.
5) Block their phone during bedtime hours.
Using the OurPact application, parents
can block access to Internet and
applications on their kid’s devices. That way
you don’t even need to argue about
restricting devices in the bedroom. You can simply block access
through an automated schedule an hour or two before bedtime and
let the app do the rest of the work! Extra hint: If your kid is using the
“I need my phone as an alarm excuse” OurPact does not block native
applications, alarm clock included! Aha!

7. 6) Relax as a family. We seem to never have enough down time to
spend with our families these days. Getting everyone off their devices
a few hours before bed can change that. Instead of them playing
another game on their tablet or surfing the Internet (moms and dads!),
get together as a family and talk about your day, play some cards or
read together.
7) Set a positive example.
Your children will do what you do,
so if they see you up late at night
staring at a screen in your bed-
room, they will think this is normal.
Be a role model for them and
unplug at least one hour before you plan on going to sleep.

8. As your kids grow older, it may become more difficult to establish rules
and guidelines without it turning into a power struggle. Set the tone
early and be consistent with your expectations. This will allow you and
your children to enjoy better sleep, better health, and better
relationships!