The World is getting Smaller! Everything is at a click of a button. Who thought the pandemic would make learning and schooling digitally too? However, this has imposed a series of challenges to deal with. One of it being smartphone addiction amongst the children.
Addiction statistics say that a typical cell phone user touches his or her phone 2,617 times every day. 2,617 times! Wow! Isn’t that intense? Most people, on an average, spend 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phones each day. Half of all phone pickups happen within 3 minutes of a previous one.
The impact of this usage is staggering, reducing the quality of conversations, adversely impacting short-term memory and problem solving skills, negatively affecting sleep patterns, resulting in more negativity, distress, and less emotional recovery in young children. Further to add, there is delay in social development, rise in attention and hearing issues, behavioural concerns, increasing obesity and the positive correlation between smartphone addiction and depression is alarming.
In today’s online era keeping our children away from smartphones is a challenge in itself. Smartphones/tablets are becoming essential tools of learning for children lately. As good and as imperative they are in today’s world, it has full potential to have a negative presence in our life and an unfavourable impact on a child’s development. Since gadgetry will only spread further into our lives gradually, keeping the smartphone addiction unchecked will result in an irritable, lazy and perhaps, depressed child.
International schools in Mumbai aim at bringing in more awareness about smartphone addictions and looking at bringing in interventions.
Here are a few ways to reduce smartphone addiction in our children –
• Break Time:
Children have lots of energy and it should be invested effectively. Ensure that they do something active frequently, like going for a stroll, breaking out into a dance together, stretching for a few minutes in between tasks. Screen time breaks are essential and including physical activities, makes it more fun and engaging
• Use a 30 day Reset Your Usage Experiment:
Children tend to use their phones more and more when not limited intentionally. It usually happens unintentionally and quietly. In this identified 30-day period should be decided mutually with your child on using the smartphone for any 2 functions (e.g. - calling and SMS – texting) and restricting the usage to only those two functions. It will happen gradually but helps them align their usage with other pursuits of life.
• Create a Media Plan:
Creating a family media plan supports curbing the unrestricted consumption of media and brings in a systematic approach to help your child use media responsibly.
• Maintain a Strict Smartphone Schedule:
Setting adequate time allows parents to keep track and restrict the amount of time spent on gadgets and avoid unnecessary usage of the smartphone. Introducing a schedule also supports the habit of routine which prevents the child from spending more time on screen. Smartphones have now become an inseparable part of our lives and it is difficult to keep a track or keep them away from children.
Other points to keep in mind:
1. Limited usage of the phone when your child is around
2. No Phones during mealtime
3. No TV or phone before sleep
4. Don’t give in to the unreasonable demand of your child
• Refrain from using Smartphones as rewards or Distractions:
Smartphone has a huge potential to be of great educational value to children. Total abstinence from it isn’t advisable. Moderation is the key here. Refrain from using smartphones as an emotional pacifier. Many parents leverage screen time to encourage children to study or do homework but this could lead to more harm than good.
• Change the phone settings:
Following are the commonly suggested ideas to reduce smartphone addiction –
- Turn off notifications
- Set screen to black-and-white
- Remove distraction-based apps from your home screen
- Set a longer passcode
- Use airplane mode whenever necessary
- Turn on do not disturb
- Keep the phone in a different room for charging
• Communicate with your child:
Having two-way communication leads to better emotional and social development in children. Keeping an open channel for discussion and creating a safe space for them to confide, will allow children to express themselves freely. Educating them about the pros and cons of phone usage and the harmful effects of addiction is as important too.
What is ABWA’s Emotional Intelligence Program? How the international schools in Mumbai are adopting this program?
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/what-is-abwas-emotional-intelligence-program-how-the-international-schools-in-mumbai-are-adopting-this-program
• You are a role model for them:
Children learn through actions as much as from words. They observe and mimic the habits of their parents. Restricting your usage of smartphones allows you to give more quality time to your children. These interactions are crucial as they help in building a strong parent-child relationship and bond.
Like most device, smartphones have pros and cons too. They can be educational as well as detrimental. Research has shown that face-to-face time with family, children, and friends has a significant impact on a child’s healthy development. Do not let your child get lost in a stream of media and technology.
Also read-
How to make online learning more interactive and interesting?
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/how-to-make-online-learning-more-interactive-and-interesting
Digital Learning: 7 Ways to keep oneself Productive and Focused.
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/digital-learning-7-ways-to-keep-oneself-productive-and-focused
What Is Social and Emotional Learning and why is it important?
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/what-is-social-and-emotional-learning-and-why-is-it-important
