From the Desk of the Deputy Head: Junior Preparatory
Taming the tablet: dealing with screen addiction in your home
I recently read an excellent article about the harmful effects of excessive electronics on childhood development. This was written by Dr Brendan Belsham, a well-known South African Child Psychiatrist and author.
He likens early and excessive exposure to electronic devices to the way in which the presence of too much sugar and salt in the diet will ruin a child’s appreciation for good food.
He stresses that we cannot expect a standard of behaviour from our children beyond what we ourselves have attained. This is true for any behaviour, from picking up clothes off the floor, to punctuality, to the language we use, and to our propensity to live in front of a screen. Your child needs to see that you are more interested in finding out about his day at school than your Facebook page.
It is up to us as parents to create the culture we desire in our homes. We need to model to our children a lifestyle which prioritises the right things. In my family that includes spiritual growth, relationships, conversation, schoolwork, a love for nature, exercise and reading. Maybe your list is different, but have you articulated that list for your family? Perhaps a starting point is to do just that, and spend some time reflecting on how your own lifestyle matches up to those priorities.
Dr Belsham is of the opinion that “Children under the age of two should not watch screens at all. Thereafter there should be a gradual relaxing of limits, commensurate with the increasing maturity of the child and with their increasing ability to make wise choices for themselves.”
Here are some his rules:
- No electronic devices in bedrooms. They are bad for sleep and also difficult to supervise if they are not in more communal spaces.
- A smart phone is a privilege, not a right, and even a teenager should understand that having one is subject to random parental checks.
- No electronics at mealtimes. The TV should be off and the phones put away. It is very important for families to spend at least one meal a week all together around the table, talking and making eye contact.
- Weekends: Not more than three or four hours, including family TV time. Of course this also depends on the day and on other priorities. Screen time should not be first thing in the morning; other things must get done first, including chores, exercise, family activities and the like. In this way, electronics can be used as an incentive, and a very useful one at that!
- Weekdays: Ideally nothing at all, but one hour at the most, subject to other tasks being done. Of course, the problem with a set time limit is sticking to it. Your child won’t, so you have to. You will have to set a timer, and monitor it.
If we focus our attention from the very outset, and we are intentional about creating the right culture in our homes, then we will have less need to enforce rules in a legalistic manner. I, like Dr Belsham, firmly believe that playing board games, healthy conversation and outdoor activity is “More fun than Pixel Gun, but as with many worthwhile pursuits, these are acquired tastes and have to be practised.”
Society needs rules and boundaries, and so does every home. As with many aspects of parenting, “It is easy to default to Thou shalt not… but when the better activity is more fun and more enticing than the prohibited one, the rules fade into the background.” This is what we need to aspire to as parents. As with anything worthwhile, it takes planning, active engagement and, at times, downright hard work, but as with anything of value, it’s worth the effort!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
6 Specific Honours:
Academic Honours is awarded to any boy who achieves a combined aggregate of 86% in any two consecutive Mark Order Reports from the end of Grade 11 to Term 3 of his Grade 12 year. This aggregate must include an examination mark.
- Joshua Clegg
- Andrea Giuricich
- Justin Hall
- Nicholas Reuss
- Massimo Rizzo
- Shane Weisz
1 General Honours:
For achieving full colours in three disciplines Cricket, Hockey and Academics
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The St David’s Marist Inanda Parent Teachers Association (PTA) continues to be an active committee of parents and teachers committed to building and strengthening the St David’s Community, hence our mantra “Build Community within the School that strives to create an environment of mutual support, co-operation and friendship”. The PTA team is comprised of a vibrant, energetic and committed group of parents, teachers and representatives from School Management and the St David’s Marist Foundation. We meet at least once a month for approximately 90 minutes on a Monday evening starting 17h30 at the School. Our mandate has a number of arms including “fun-raising” and “fund-raising” through community events and initiatives that stimulate, encourage and develop parental involvement in the School. We fulfill a vital link between the parent and staff, acting as a sounding board to deliberate and ventilate matters of mutual concern pertaining to the educational welfare of our boys and for the benefit of both staff and boys.
Your PTA is continually on the look-out for new ideas and volunteers to join us in these endeavours – in addition to the Monday evening commitment mentioned earlier, you may also be called upon to plan and participate in community events within our school calendar. We are currently seeking new members who can bring insights and ideas to the team, especially parents with boys in the Junior Prep. If you would like to be a part of the PTA team please contact the Chair, Grant Krog (grantk@nimblegroup.co.za) or our Deputy Chair Liesl Bebb McKay (liesl.bebb@rmb.co.za), both of whom will “never so NO” to a chat and a chance to get to know our community better. We look forward to building our best St David’s together.
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Well done to the Prep boys who received scholarships to the College for 2017.
Joshua Maroun
Daniel Ferriman
Adam Bhatt
Matthew Bebb
Banqoba Bungane
Matthew Cooper
Ryan Fermoyle
Matthew Hutton
Christopher Leisewitz
Robbie Schaafsma
Matthew Shahim
Adam Simpson
Aidan Stuart
Lukas van der Merve
Jacob Walbeck
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iMfolozi Wilderness Trail
Grade 11s (Jason Farr, Kiernan Scott, Thomas O’Donoghue, Jarred Breen, Jarryd Boden, Jon Jon Benfield and Mr Kyle Biller) on the Five Day iMfolozi Wilderness Trail in the April Holidays
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First Team Hockey Captain, Spencer Botes, in action at Aitken Tournament last weekend: St David’s play in the semi-finals against KES V11 on Monday 23 May, 16h45 at the UJ Astro in Melville please come and support.
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