Many of us may remember the days when students left school, went home, and then played outdoors. There was a lot of running and playing games that were physically active as well as socially interactive. It seems that many of today's students don't know what it is like to play outdoors and reap the benefits of the sun, the fresh air, and wide-open spaces to play.
With the growth in technology use over the past years, students are spending more and more time sitting indoors and playing on devices. While this isn't necessarily bad, it can be unhealthy and may lead to future health issues.
Banning technology is definitely not the answer nor should it be. Rather, students should be limited in the amount of time they spend using technologies. This is the perfect opportunity for parents to talk with their child about how much time using technologies is acceptable. Once a mutually agreed upon time is established, stick to it. Encourage outdoor activity and spending time with friends. Basically, "get up and move" is a good mantra to have for a family.
This is a good time to remind parents that how they model using technologies will be observed, and quite likely copied, by their children. Parents should be a good technology role model. As a matter of fact, adults getting outside and socializing with friends or neighbors would be a good thing for them, too!