Every child’s first love in this contemporary era is a smartphone. Not only do they think that mobile phones but also the pressure of their peers to be accepted socially have created having a phone at hand a standard norm. With that being said, they stay engrossed in binge-watching silly videos instead of going out, having fun, and developing a hobby or interest. Even many times it’s seen that parents see mobiles as a way to keep their children constantly entertained or keeping them occupied when their parents go out.
Although parents resort to mobile phones to help themselves out, they fail to realise the harmful effects these have on their offspring. And, different studies and psychologists actually back this finding. Here is a list of certain effects that using mobile phones for very young kids can actually have on them.
- Mobiles Make Children Dumber
It has been seen that children who use mobile phones very often are not able to do even basic arithmetic calculations like addition, and subtraction. Ironically, they rely on calculator apps on their cell phones to help them with it. Similarly, children are no longer able to remember anybody’s contact number as they have picked up a habit of saving them on the mobile phone itself.
- Poor Eyesight
As everyone is now aware of the fact that every screen whether small or big emits blue light that is very harmful to the human eye, it has become the prime reason for poor eyesight even among very young children.
- Insomnia
Does your kid too binge-watch his favorite Web series by staying up all night? Well, this cannot all be blamed on the director or maker of the series, Netflix neither. It has also to be blamed on the science behind the mobiles. Factually, various researchers have found that mobile phones can actually cause sleeplessness as they are highly addictive.
- Hostile Behavior
Violent media shown over the internet often provokes kids to act more violently or aggressively. All those fancy dialogues that just sound good on the silver screen are brought to life by the young ones who generally live in their own fantasy world.
- Chronic Body Aches
When kids use a phone for extended periods of time to play games or send texts, their hands must move constantly, which can cause chronic discomfort in their shoulder and hand joints.
- Increased Laziness
It would not be shocking for anybody to find out that children usually keep laying on the bed for hours while using the phone and not just this they lay like a bean bag for hours. This not only makes them lazy but also makes them procrastinate on everything they should be doing.
How to stop children from falling prey to this dreadful addiction?
Now, it’s you who introduced your children to mobile phones so it is your duty to bring down their screen time.
- Set Good Examples in Front of Them
Your kid is picking things up from you. Please refrain from using your phone in their presence. The majority of parents use their smartphones often. Simply ordering or asking kids not to use their phones in these situations won’t work since they will follow your lead. So, set a positive example for your youngster by using your phone responsibly. It is the most efficient approach.
- Spend More Time with Them
Instead of giving their kids cell phones, parents should offer them adequate free time, especially enjoyable time. Instead of letting them play with their phones, engage them in play, take them on a nature walk, tell them tales, and stimulate their curiosity. Now is the moment to forge a solid link between parents and children. Imagine a time before cell phones when you were still growing up.
- Introduce Them to the Real World Around Them
Some therapists and counsellors addressed the causes, catalysts, and attitudes associated with excessive social media usage. As young people start to link their excessive use of social media to issues like strained relationships, problems in school, family disputes, and a constant sense of being distracted and anxious, it can cause them to develop a dependency on social media, where, if unchecked, they can escape and engage in whatever behavior they want.
- Try Using Audio Over Video Clips
Parents strongly advise playing the rhymes audio to children rather than showing them the rhymes videos. Don’t expose children to video features until they reach a specific age. They may enjoy the rhymes playing in the background without being distracted by the visual elements and vibrant colors in this way. The alternative is for parents to sing children’s rhymes and poetry to them.
- Lock the Device
You can always keep an eye on your toddler with a smartphone as long as you are nearby. The use of technology can help you in this case. Put a password on your phone to prevent it from being used by your child while you are gone.
- Create a Schedule for Them
It sounds useless, don’t you think? But once, give this approach a go. Although it takes a while, the procedure eventually bears fruit. Start cutting back on your weekly phone use by 10 minutes. See the transformation in just 4-5 months. It may be difficult to keep cell phones away from kids since they have become such an integral part of our lives, a tool for digital learning, and a kind of entertainment. Therefore, explain to your youngster that they may only use your smartphone for a short period of time.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, it would be sensible enough to say that you know your child better than any pediatrician or doctor. So, it would be better if you take responsibility for your own child and help him get away from the virtual life that they’ve been living in and bring them into reality which would not just help them have a better quality of life, less stress but also would help them live much longer.
