In this episode I am happy to address the topic that I hear about the most from Waldorf parents — media and screen-time. Though the benefits of limiting screen-time are clear, many Waldorf parents struggle with how to make limited media a reality in their homes.
Some of the things you’ll hear about in this episode include . . .
- My kindergarten parent evening story that brought home the importance of limiting media exposure
- A teacher’s perspective on why you should limit media exposure
- Strategies for making it easier to minimize media exposure in your home
- Suggestions for healthy ways to engage with media when you do decide to allow screen-time
It’s a complicated and challenging topic that can inspire guilt and shame in parents who don’t manage it as well as they would like, and my goal is to minimize those negative feelings by empowering parents to make conscious decisions that work for their own families.
Media Episode Notes
Some of the things I mention in the podcast . . .
My new ebook The Waldorf Home — Now available for purchase and download
Our Facebook group A Waldorf Journey | Teacher Tribe
The Facebook page A Waldorf Journey
American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations
Are you interested in hearing some thoughts about the challenges of media for older children and teenagers? Social media brings along with it a whole different set of challenges that parents need to think through and carefully guide for their children. Is this a challenge you are facing? Let me know in the comments if this is a relevant topic for you and your family!
Resources
Other media-exposure and screen-free resources
Media Mindfulness from the Denver Waldorf School
Media and Waldorf Education YouTube video from the Marin Waldorf School
I would love to hear thoughts/ideas on screen time and older children. We have an 11 yr old minecraft addict and a 14 yr old who loves music videos and anime. We are very relaxed with our restrictions but that sometimes causes me great stress I want them to create more ( though my 11 yr old argues that’s all he does on minecraft and my 14 yr old does draw and sew)
I hear you. As children get older, those media challenges just get harder! I think it’s still a good idea to have limits on media. It’s too easy for screen-time to completely take over and our kids need guidance in how to manage it. My kids at home are 18 and almost 15 and this is the first year we have broken the “no media during the week” rule (other than the occasional baseball game.) I’ve been glad to have that boundary all this time.