We know that technology is a big part of children’s lives today and that kids love nothing more than spending time online. However, we may not be aware of the dangers of online activity and technology in bedrooms.

There is a strong argument that all technology should be banned in children’s bedrooms so they can’t do things that may be unsafe.

Here are some of the reasons why banning technology in bedrooms may not be a bad idea:

It disrupts sleep – One of the biggest arguments is that technology, regardless of online safet, is bad for sleep. Sleep (as we know) is vital for children’s health and it is important for them to get the right amount each night. However, blue light keeps people awake whether it is a phone or tablet, in your child’s bedroom. It actively stimulates your brain keeping those who are using devices awake. Throw a phone into a bedroom with a child/teen and how much sleep will they get with a device beside them? Probably, not a lot!

Tech time runs over – It is normal, we are all busy so while you are doing dinner, cleaning and catching up on chores your kids are in their room on technology. It usually ends up a lot longer than you imagined, simply because you forgot they have a device in their bedroom. Social media, games and messaging apps are all incredibly addictive and your child will devour them without thinking about sleep, food or exercise. If they are in the living room, you will see them on their device and get it off them quicker than if they are in their bedroom.

Bedrooms are for resting – Isn’t it better if kids go to bed to read rather than sitting in bed with a device? Continuously being online is wiring up the brain and kids are vulnerable. How can kids relax and rest while trying to stay online and continuously respond to messages, new videos or games that are tempting them? The truth is, they can’t.

Think of family life – Here’s the thing. In our day, everyone watched TV together and they watched the same programme without complaint. It meant everyone in the family were in the same room for a few hours each day. Fast forward to today and this isn’t the case. We are not in the room together nearly as much because everyone has their own form of entertainment. Less family time isn’t good. In fact, it is terrible.

Exercise and mental health – We don’t know, for sure, how screens and technology will affect kids in the future. We don’t know if the rise in mental health issues is related to the rise in technology and we don’t know, for sure that the rise in obesity is related to technology use either. However, there are some arguments and research saying we need to protect our kids from too much technology time. Is that the right information? We can’t possibly know yet but let’s not make the mistake of ignoring it either.

Online safety – We don’t want to scare parents but there are online dangers and ones that are much easier to catch if your child is not alone in their room while using tech devices. Don’t think it won’t happen to your child, as it is happening to “someone’s” child, somewhere.

Bedrooms should be quiet, and we should encourage family members to watch TV together and have technology curfews. Otherwise, we are at risk of losing sleep and family connection.