Worried About Overuse of Electronics by Kids?

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This post brought to you by TOPs Balance. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Day by Day in Our World.

Electronic devices are here to stay. Many of the families I know have more than one electronic device.  Some are for entertainment while others are used for a mixture of applications. A common concern for parents is the overuse of electronics by kids.

I know that as a homeschool family, we have our share of learning done on things like the iPad. However, there are days when if left unchecked the boys will spend hours playing games or watching videos with little to no merit to them. Silly cat videos are okay for a once and a while laugh, but not hours of them in one day!

As tossing all the electronics is not an option, I need to be more proactive in my approach to the problem. Technology addiction is a real problem.  I’ve seen it here…the boys can be ‘bored’ until one of the magical devices of entertainment is provided to them. And I’ve seen plenty of teens and adults showing signs of cell phone addiction with the need to constantly check a smartphone to see what is new on Facebook in the last 2 minutes.

I was excited to hear about TOPs Balance.  This app changes the way a device is unlocked by your child. Rather than going straight to the home screen, the kids are given a “Knowledge Burst”—a 10-second infusion of grade-specific educational content.

The material presented ranges from moments in history to vocabulary and science, all combined with dramatic imagery and drawn from partnerships with content leaders such as Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster and Getty Images. The iOS version of TOPs also features an “audio read” function.

When you set up each child on your account, you are given the choice of delivery method.

The optional delivery method (low intensity) gives the user a unique prompt or persuasive option for a 10-second Knowledge Burst at every unlock screen. The mandatory delivery method (high intensity) is a more dedicated balance strategy and requires the completion of a 10-second Knowledge Burst at every unlock prior to gaining access to the home screen.

This app is available for just $2.99 as an introductory offer in both the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. The price will eventually go up to the regular fee of $4.99.