As the summer season approaches, families with teenagers are not only gearing up for day trips and vacations but also for the peak of exam season. With a significant amount of study and preparation now being conducted online, teenagers are spending more time in front of screens. Balancing this screen time to ensure it is productive and not causing unwanted distractions or disrupting sleep can be challenging for both parents and children.
To address these concerns, The Family Chat campaign, in collaboration with Tesco Mobile, aims to facilitate open discussions within families about online safety. Renowned author and podcaster Giovanna Fletcher, a mother of three boys aged seven to 11, is engaging with parents and children to shed light on the challenges they face. The campaign highlights how Tesco Mobile’s array of online resources can provide assistance.
In the latest installment of Family Chat, the focus is on exam season and managing the additional screen time and stress that accompany it. Giovanna emphasizes the evolving nature of revision for today’s youth, noting the benefits that technology offers in terms of learning and study techniques. She suggests that parents should acknowledge the positive aspects of screen time alongside the challenges it presents during exam periods.
For the Jackson family, smartphones are an integral part of daily life. While screen time management has been a concern, particularly regarding its impact on sleep, eldest daughter Lilia, currently preparing for her GCSEs, has learned to set boundaries to avoid distractions. Lilia restricts her messaging to essential communication and keeps group chats on silent mode to maintain focus during revision sessions.
When seeking information online, Lilia customizes it to suit her revision needs by converting online quizzes into flashcards. Her mother Ellie acknowledges the advantages of technology in aiding Lilia’s revision process, such as using AI to tackle challenging math questions and evaluate practice papers, providing valuable feedback and encouragement.
The Jackson family plans to utilize Tesco Mobile’s Top Tips for Supporting Children Around Exam Season, which includes practical suggestions like establishing a dedicated revision workspace using a laptop instead of a phone and recognizing signs of fatigue and stress. Ellie emphasizes the importance of utilizing resources that facilitate conversations within the family and promote a balanced approach to screen time usage.
Additionally, implementing strategies like disabling noisy notifications and utilizing tools like Focus Mode, Screen Time, and App Limits can help manage screen time effectively. Encouraging meaningful discussions with children about their readiness and confidence levels can provide crucial support, while emphasizing the significance of adequate sleep for memory and learning processes.