How Screen Time Is Ruining Your Child’s Attention Span- Learn To Handle The Situation Before It Gets Worse!
According to ‘What’s the Big Data’, the average screen time of a school student is 6 hours and 58 minutes per day (globally). That’s more than one-fourth of the 24 hours of the day; or around 44% of an average person’s waking hours. Not more than half of your screen time, or your children’s screen time can be considered productive, and that’s the harsh truth. 21% of adults even find themselves guilty regarding how much time their children spend on screen.
This issue exists in every household today irrespective of country or community. We tend to ignore the fact that excessive screen time is harmful for us and our families. That's natural, as we are living in the era of tech. Each day brings forward a new technological possibility and we are evolving and transforming as each second passes by. However, it is essential for us, as parents, educators and as a society, to make sure that this technological boost does not hamper our children’s future.
And there is only one way out- Screen Time Management. Let’s dive in to know more about this breakthrough.
As parents, we must be able to mould our younger ones’ minds in order to prevent them from Doom Scrolling and the impact of uncurbed use of social media. But first, we need to be aware of how social media impacts children and how we must tackle them.
DOOM SCROLLING AND ITS IMPACT
Doom scrolling is a term coined for the uncontrolled action of scrolling through reels and posts on social media, without a track of time or a purpose. It has a powerful impact on a child’s well being:
Shortens Attention Span: By scrolling through Reels or TikTok continuously, one develops a habit of consuming short-form content. In other words, a child may want all the information to be given to him/her in a few seconds, and would find it hard to concentrate for longer periods of time.
Controls Mood Swings: The kind of content consumed by a child may easily influence his/her behavioural patterns. Children tend to be hyperactive and thus, can be easily influenced through what they see or hear around them.
Brainwashing: There are all sorts of reels and posts out there on the web, good or bad. There are so many societal issues that are discussed online (in a bad way). People promote bullying, discrimination and all sorts of hate through social media. These may deeply impact our children’s take on the world and may disrupt their foundational understanding of civic sense.
Affects Health: Sitting glued to a tablet or a mobile phone can cause damage to a child’s physical as well as mental health. Addictive scrolling may cause eye strains, headaches, sleep disturbance and much more; ultimately leading to deteriorating the performance level of a child.
THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH- SCREEN TIME MANAGEMENT:
A realistic take on this issue would be trying to manage children’s screen time well, using a good psychological strategy to minimise the use of devices, instead of trying to erase technology from our children’s lives. Here are some steps that all parents must integrate into their daily lives:
Engage Your Children In Fun Activities And Outdoor Games:
Develop a routine for your young ones that allows them at least 30 minutes of fun activities and exercise daily, in order to keep them physically active and give their curious minds some time to rest!
Convert Scrolling Into Learning:
Encouraging children to read e-books and to play mind games like jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles, chess, and cards will convert the hours of Doom Scrolling into hours of learning and putting their brains to work.
Create No-Phone Zones:
Fostering a healthy environment at home is essential, but there need to be certain rules to develop a sense of discipline among children. ‘No-Phone Zones’ is one such restriction. Parents must not encourage children to be on screen when in the restroom, eating or studying. Phones should be avoided during bed time as well. Our daily activities are separate from our mobile activity, and we must teach our children to value time.
Occupy Children With Conversations:
Engage with your young ones in small talk- ask them how their day went, what they learnt at school, how did they do their homework, what games did they play and so on. In this way, the children’s interest in talking about their day and how they feel will gradually increase, pulling them away from the emotional impact of social media.
Rewards Help Build Good Habits:
Rewarding children is a powerful tool in encouraging positive habits. Treat your children when they complete their homework and studies on time, with their favourite pastimes. Influence them to study first, play later and scroll at the last! Foster a healthy and friendly environment when it comes to using the phone and having fun. Explore your children’s talents and interests and focus on those areas, use technology for the same, and don’t forget to treat your tinies at the end of the day!
Children can be very intelligent, sharp, talented and disciplined if we mould them the right way. But, they are just humans and on top of that, little ones! Learn to be tolerant when it comes to your child’s likes and dislikes, be gentle and educate them about the good and bad first. We at The Centennial School believe that children shouldn’t be expected to do everything right in the first try. The seeds we plant in childhood bloom in the behavior they show.
Vedika Kaushal at Shri Ram Centennial Education Foundation
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