As teachers, we often see tired young people because they stay online or devices instead of going to sleep at a reasonable and regular time. In school, we are seeing an increase in gaming addictions and online interactions, many of which are occurring in the late hours of the night and causing significant social issues and sometimes school avoidance. Often the drama fuelled online and by keyboard warriors is brought into the playground the very next day.

As an educator and a parent of three teenagers myself, I often think about the impact that phones, tablets, laptops and the world of social media are having on our children. It is always a strong talking point in the media. As parents, we need to think about setting the boundaries that will provide our children with a good night’s sleep and the best opportunity for good mental health.

I once read the comment that a mobile device in the bedroom is like having the window open for any visitors, both the ones you know in real life and the ones who are not very safe. They climb right through the window, into your child’s bedroom, which should be a safe space from the social and other pressures of school and the world of online interactions that do great harm. We would not leave free access to our children through the bedroom window in the real world, so why do we allow it in the online world. As a community we need to make sure we set the boundaries and do the little things to protect our children and give them the best opportunities for healthy sleep and good mental health.