Nurturing Children: The Dangers and Solution of Gadget Addiction

By: Cristina Cabaysa on January 21, 2022

Image source: https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/adhd-or-immaturity

It is now clear. Our childhood experiences dictate the person who we will be. The scars on our knees reminded us of how we fear losing a game more than being scolded at home. It gives us courage and forges strong bonds of friendship. Remembering these times of life made us realize what children today might have been missing out. But who’s to blame? Gadgets are really addicting. They don’t just make our life easier but more connected to the world outside thoughts. It’s too convenient that we could just give our phone to a crying three-year-old and let him watch any flashy cartoons. Instead of buying the ‘’abakada’’ book, we could just search for a YouTube video to teach them how to read.

This method saves us time and energy. It’s no wonder why these kids are more tech-savvy than us. They grew up with these gadgets. Unfortunately, it is as if it becomes part of their body.

A necessity like an air to breathe in. Time has changed. As parents or guardians, it is really impossible for our children to avoid the use of gadgets. Let’s admit that we also want them to explore the world we are seeing and let them jump into modernity at a younger age to develop skills. Our old childhood methods might not be applicable to these kids but are we sure that this modern way of growth is what they really need? When children become exposed to these screens at an early age, they become used to it and form dependency on their gadgets. Virtual space became their only world to flourish. Despite the skills they could learn, it is crucial to note that these are just children, living creatures that need a social and physical world to live in.

Now that an environment full of screens surrounds them, we must be aware of what these childhood experiences might bring in the coming years of their lives.

Listed below are the dangers of gadget addiction:

Attention problems

The first eight years of a child is crucial for the brain to build a foundation for future learning, health, and life success. It has been shown that too much screen exposure from gadgets may delay the growth of neurons causing attention deficiency, impaired learning, increased impulsivity, and lack of self-regulation.

Additionally, a study conducted in 10 toddlers revealed that gadgets significantly affect their speech development which leads to inability to talk suitably based on their age. If not early detected, this may lead to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Anxiety

Although anxiety depends on motivation to go online, the news and openly accessible information might trigger it. An article published at Cogent Psychology shows that a user’s anxiety can be traced to the fear of missing out.

They described FOMO as a state of mind in which users get anxious from uncertainty. As a response, smartphone users constantly check their phones to stay updated. Gadgets have terribly become the way of life and the very basis of daily decision.

Depression

When children become used to the instant reactions or messages they received online, a long pace of silence and unavailability from their circle may trigger the feeling of isolation and anxiety.

Loneliness might be due to lack of social interaction but an article suggested it might also be the emotional dependence gadget overuse have incurred on them. When children become too dependent, they tend to lose interest in things around them easily and are less appreciative of smaller things.

Obesity

Gadget addiction is also a forerunner of sedentary lifestyle leading to obesity and are prone to diseases. Instead of playing where muscles can burn calories, kids just sit in front of their screen while eating snacks. Not only this leads to poor posture but addiction to gadgets makes a person stay in one place for a long time and forget eating or drinking water.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 issued guidelines that children under five must spend at least 180 minutes of physical activity and not more than one hour of screen time throughout the day.

These recommendations as they added will greatly contribute to children’s motor and cognitive development and lifelong health. Establishing a healthy lifestyle early in life shapes habits though childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.

Despite these guidelines, screen time of pre-school children continues to rise as lessons are being distributed through virtual classes. In a study of association between family dynamics and the length of screen time of preschool children in Quezon City, it was found that children spend an average screen time of five hours a day. Children from dysfunctional families were 1.23 times more likely to have an excessive amount of screen time than those with highly functional families.

As parents and caregivers, it is our responsibility to guide our children and nurture them in the best way possible. We must understand that their brain is still developing and lacks maturity to set limitations to separate themselves with their gadgets.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO AVOID GADGET ADDICTION 1. Diminish Screen Time Steadily

Break down the four hour screen time into eight- 30 minutes at different times of the day. In this way, they would not feel they were being restricted while gradually diminishing screen time.

2. Track down Their Leisure Activity

Make sure they don’t sit in front of their gadgets too long by offering them alternative activities to do. For instance, ask them to join you preparing meals or organize clothes.

3. Get Outside and Exercise

This may not be applicable at this time of pandemic but allow them to appreciate the environment and to gain interests in a lot of things around them.

4. Play Non-PC Games

Even at home, you can teach your child some board games or craft your own game. Playing doesn’t necessarily mean going outside. We just need to be creative to let them experience the childhood we want them to have.

5. Watch Screen Propensities

Recognizing the irresistible inclination to screens helps find alternatives to how we can reduce the use of gadgets. For instance, lending our phones to a child with tantrums though more convenient might not be a great idea as it just distracts them instead of overcoming the emotion. Keep in mind that these gadgets won't replace the support and attention we can give.

6. Store Gadgets Out of Sight

Temptations to use gadgets grow when our child always sees that it is readily accessible. To start, confiscate gadgets during dinner and sleeping time. This simple practice will help them focus on the given tasks and develop cognitive skills without screens. 7. Be Consistent

We can all have the advancements in the world but building a habit requires time and patience. It is not an overnight trend we can feed our child with. At their age, now is the best time to start teaching them how to control the use of gadgets and not the other way.

8. Be Committed to the Family

Spending time with them allows us to create a healthy relationship with our children. While they are young, it is important to be a good role model and pack them with the lessons they can use later in life. Parenting styles may be different and not be as perfect as we hope it to be but we must realize they are not getting any younger. Our patience and commitment will play a vital role to nurture them into the best individuals they can be.

There’s no denying how gadgets made our life better. Perhaps the fun of our childhood can now be acquired through online games or YouTube videos but it is still important to keep things in balance. Too much or too little isn’t healthy.

The screen time exposure and loss of social interaction, when kids are exposed to too much usage of gadgets, will bring them the feeling of isolation and dependency on their devices.

The scars on the knees can still be treated but a scar on the mind stays for a lifetime. To us, their caregivers who understand what gadget addiction is, now is the time to help them develop a healthy boundary toward devices. Let us show our love to them by giving the childhood we wished to have.