In today’s digital era, the laughter of children and the beauty of parks are gradually limited to 6-inch mobile screens. Whereas a few decades ago, children were seen running in the streets and playgrounds as soon as the evening fell, now they are locked in their rooms and spend hours playing reels, shorts and online games on smartphones. Recent reports by the World Health Organization (WHO) and pediatricians have termed it the biggest silent crisis for child development. Complete cessation of physical activity is directly ruining the mental health of children. Problems like anxiety, depression, mood swings and social isolation are rapidly spreading in children at an early age.
Continuous exposure to fast-paced videos, animations and gaming on mobile screens leads to excessive release of a neurotransmitter called ‘Dopamine’ in the brain. This dopamine makes the brain habituate to instant gratification. When the phone is taken away from the child, the level of dopamine in the brain suddenly drops, leading to intense irritability, aggression, stubbornness and anger within the child. By sitting at one place for hours, the body’s energy does not get drained naturally, which later takes the form of mental stress and depression.
When a child runs, jumps or plays sports, happy hormones like ‘endorphin’ and ‘serotonin’ are released in his body, which keep the mind calm and balanced. Due to distance from the field, children are facing these serious problems:
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Decreased concentration and thinking ability: Due to excessive screen time, children’s attention span has reduced to a few seconds. He does not feel like studying and in the classroom.
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Insomnia and worsening of sleep cycle: Blue light emitted from screens late at night prevents the production of the sleep-inducing hormone ‘melatonin’. Incomplete sleep makes children irritable and moody.
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Lack of social skills: Children are becoming socially uncomfortable and shy by spending time alone with screens instead of face-to-face communication and socializing with peers.
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Childhood obesity and poor eyesight: Due to lack of physical activity, children are suffering from physical diseases like obesity, fatty liver, spinal pain and increase in the number of eyes at an early age.
If these changes have started appearing in the children of your house, then understand that the situation is not normal:
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Screaming, crying or throwing things when the mobile is not found.
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Showing no interest at all in interacting with family or going out.
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Getting irritable on every issue and getting frustrated very quickly.
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Spending time only in the online world instead of real friends.
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Sudden change in appetite or complaining of sleeplessness.
Scolding children or snatching the phone suddenly can make them rebellious. Instead, they can be taken away from the screen by adopting psychological methods:
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1. Lead by Example: Children learn more from what they see their parents do than from what they hear. If you yourself are busy on the phone all the time at home, then you cannot expect to stay away from the child.
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2. Make outdoor games mandatory: Be sure to send children out to the park, swimming, football, badminton or cycling for at least 1 to 2 hours in the evening. If the body gets tired then you will sleep better and stress will automatically go away.
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3. Set a ‘No Screen Zone’ and a Fixed Time: Completely ban mobile phones from the dining table and bedroom. Set strict limits on screen time (less than 1 hour).
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4. Connect with creative activities: Encourage children to pursue hobbies like painting, music, gardening, board games or reading books.
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5. Quality Family Time: Every night, listen to children’s conversations about their day, school stories and their thoughts without any judgment so that they do not have to resort to a screen to express their feelings.
Smartphones may be a necessity of the modern age, but it can never be a substitute for children playing, falling and growing up in the sun and sand. To create a mentally strong and emotionally healthy generation, it is necessary that the dependence on gadgets decreases and the dust of the playgrounds once again becomes the adornment of the children’s feet.