This story appeared first on DurableHuman.com.
With the start of school, you want your kids to have plenty of time for homework. But what about everything else they need, like to play and sit down for meals? Two easy-to-use online tools help kids of any age to be more balanced, active, and durable–in school and out.
Get started with the Family Media Plan. Created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Plan allows you to set up and print out guidelines not only around media use, but other necessities like physical activity, enough sleep, manners, and good digital judgment (such as my personal favorite, to charge cellphones out of the bedroom).
You can make a custom profile for each child, based on his or her age. For older kids, the plan also covers tech use and driving.
To create an ideal 24-hour schedule, sit down with your child and click through the Media Time Calculator. The Calculator’s timeline starts out with LOTS of media time, but as you add in other activities such as getting dressed and meals, the minutes quickly disappear that are available for things like playing video games. The Calculator is pre-populated with the AAP’s recommended time for exercise and sleep.
You’ll also be glad to learn the AAP designed both the Family Media Plan and the Media Time Calculator so they can’t collect any of your family’s information – digital or otherwise!
For lots more practical advice on how to craft a well-balanced family lifestyle, be sure to read the listicle-filled, How To Be a Durable Human: Revive and Thrive in the Digital Age Through the Power of Self-Design, featuring the mindfulness story of Thrive Global founder, Arianna Huffington!