Modern technologies and smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. With children having access to mobile devices, a new problem has arisen: addiction. This is a situation where a child can't control screen time and gets attached to a gadget. Phone addiction can have a negative impact on health, education, and social skills.
What are the dangers of digital addiction?
First of all, it is physical health. Constantly sitting in front of a screen can lead to vision problems, poor posture, and obesity due to lack of physical activity.
Second, phone addiction can have a negative impact on a child's mental well-being. He may experience anxiety, depression, and social isolation as he spends all his time in the virtual world instead of actually interacting with family and friends.
Third, phone addiction can affect a child's education. Constant distraction from school and lack of concentration lead to lower academic performance and problems at school.
How do you recognize it?
It is not always easy to understand that a child has an addiction — many of us spend a lot of time on the phone ourselves. The following signs indicate the problem:
- The child spends most of his time “sticking” to the phone: playing, chatting on social networks or viewing content on the Internet.
- The child shows a lack of interest in other activities he used to enjoy (sports, reading or hobbies).
- Lack of control over the time spent with the gadget. The child may ignore warnings and requests from adults to stop or remove the device.
- Deterioration of relationships with family and friends due to excessive use of the gadget.
What should I do?
If a child is found to be addicted to a phone or other gadget, these steps should be taken:
- Set rules
Create specific and understandable rules for using the gadget and set time limits. For example, set specific hours when the phone is not available, or choose a limit on how much time a child can spend in front of a screen.
- Encourage alternative activities
Offer your child alternative activities that will be interesting and take up their time. This may include sports activities, hobbies, reading books, or participating in clubs and organizations.
- Be an example
Limit your own time using your phone in front of your child. If you work at a computer at home, explain to your child that you are not playing but are doing important things. However, don't pick up your phone when you have free time. Better show your child that in addition to the screen, there are other important and interesting things that interest you.
- Engage your child in family activities
Organize joint activities and spend time with your child without phones. This will help strengthen relationships and distract the child from addiction. For example, start learning programming together or learning how to work with artificial intelligence, and create a website together.
Seeking support: If your child's phone addiction turns out to be too severe, don't hesitate to seek help from professionals such as a psychologist or educator. They will be able to offer additional strategies and recommendations.
As a conclusion
A child's phone addiction is a serious problem that can have a negative impact on a child's life. It is important to understand the dangers associated with excessive attachment to a gadget, as well as to be aware of the signs and learn ways to combat it. Appropriate and understandable rules, the active participation of parents and the search for healthy alternatives will help the child get rid of addiction.
If you want your child to spend quality time on the computer, sign up for a free trial programming lesson at Progkids School. Here he will learn how to write code for such popular games as Roblox and Minecraft, implement creative ideas, implement small and large projects, and gain basic skills in a popular profession.
Konstantin Karen, Progkids teacher
