GRAY, Tenn. – April 20, 2021 – PRLog — Before 2020, school would not have accounted for an excessive amount of screen time for most students, but at the start of the 2020–21 school year, 52% of US students were learning virtually (CNBC (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/11/half-of-us-elementary-and-high-school-students-will-study-virtually-only-this-fall-study-shows.html)). In addition to child and teen usage of social media, entertainment (movies, reality shows, etc.), and video games, now screen time spent on schoolwork must be factored into total screen hours.

Is living a digital life dangerous?

It is for children and teens. It does not prepare students for life. If devices are taken away, children who have become addicted could face withdrawal symptoms when not receiving the artificial stimulation of a “reward” every few minutes. Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician who studies children’s use of mobile technology at the University of Michigan, encourages parents to turn off Wi-Fi except during school hours so kids don’t feel tempted every moment to check their social media accounts. Her concern is that the longer they’ve been doing a habituated behavior, the harder it’s going to be to break the habit (NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/16/health/covid-kids-tech…)).

What can parents do who want to nip this problem in the bud?

Many have found that switching from their public online schooling to homeschooling gives them the freedom to monitor the time their children spend online. Although technology is still oftentimes used, the control is placed back into the hands of the parents, giving them the freedom to monitor their children’s online activity and adjust as needed.

The Old Schoolhouse® understands the need for balance between online and tactile learning and presents this balance well with its curriculum platform, SchoolhouseTeachers.com. It allows parents to download materials to teach outdoors, in their dining room, or even on the road. “We do have online components such as videos and interactive content, but many of our courses can be used by parents offline,” shared Gena Suarez, publisher of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. “We want to help parents teach their children by offering them the tools, confidence, and support necessary to give them control of their child’s education. We provide activities, printables, and resources so parents can enjoy spending time with their children while teaching them along the way.”

The Old Schoolhouse® is extending its hand to new homeschoolers offering them a free, “How To Homeschool Info-Pak.” By breaking down what homeschooling is and isn’t, parents who visit TryHomeschooling.com (http://www.tryhomeschooling.com/) and utilize the free resources will have the tools needed to help them get started with homeschooling. Homeschooling does not need to be overwhelming, and with twenty years of experience, The Old Schoolhouse® provides both the resources and the training needed to ensure parents can provide their children a quality education.

About The Old Schoolhouse®

The Old Schoolhouse® (www.theoldschoolhouse.com) is a privately held corporation that publishes the industry-leading homeschool education print magazine, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, as well as hundreds of books and planning support tools for homeschooling families. SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a division of The Old Schoolhouse®, supports over 9,000 member families with more than 475 courses for preschool through high school, as well as educational videos, World Book Online, transcripts, report cards, planning tools, and recordkeeping. Established in 2001, The Old Schoolhouse® is focused on providing high-quality, encouraging, affordable solutions for homeschooling families.