Many parents would give their children gadgets because it could make these children stay in one place. Kids' eyes are automatically glued to the screens. However, parents should be careful not to let their children overuse these gadgets because it could lead to screen addiction.
According to a study published in January 2020, young children who spend three or more hours a day playing with their gadgets could make them less healthy. They found that these children had a more sedentary lifestyle compared to those that use only an hour or less of screen time.
Research done in 2014 at the University of Michigan proved that children below two years old spend an average of 3.05 hours every day on their screens, which is more than twice the amount that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending.
What are the signs that you need to look out for to know that your child is developing screen addiction?
Uninterested in Other Activities
If your child would rather watch YouTube than play with their favorite toy or board games, then it is a sign that he could be going into addiction.
Sneaks Out to Use Gadgets
Attachment to screens in a way that is affecting children's normal lives is a sign of addiction. Have you ever caught your children using their phones when it is time to sleep at night? How about if they forget to do their responsibilities because they keep using their phones? Then this could be a sign that you have to look out for in your kids.
Uses screens as Their Mood-Booster
One sign you have to look out for is when your child uses the screens to make them happy or when they are bored. It happens when they need to get ahold of their gadgets before you could please them.
Screens are Affecting Their Relationship
Too much screen-time could affect relationships not only for children but the same goes for adults. You know that they are addicted when they want to spend the evening using their gadgets instead of playing or interacting with family or friends.
People Notices Their Screen Dependency
Families and friends would notice if your child is always on his gadget and would notify you. If this happens, it is a visible sign because other people are seeing it already.
Removal of Screens Causes Withdrawal
Withdrawal happens when you remove something from a person who already has a physiologic attachment. In this case, when you have a hard time stopping your child from using the gadget, it could mean that he is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Parents should take note that even though screens could cause addiction, they should also consider that an acceptable amount of screentime could become useful as a learning tool, whether during class or at home. It does not mean that parents should remove the gadgets from the children's use.
What is essential is that parents should make sure to limit the amount of screen time that their children use. Balance is the key to helping your kids grow up into an adult who knows how to make good use of the technology beneficial to them.
