Why Your Child Can’t Put the Phone Down: The Science of Screen Addiction and How to Break the Cycle
Follow these five simple steps to gain some more quality time with your kid.
It’s hard to imagine our life without phones and other types of devices we use for almost everything, though the impact of this digital trend has gone way further for some who didn’t see its disadvantages right away.
In this case, it might be the parents of the kids addicted to their phones who are suffering, with many eventually turning to child psychologists to seek help. However, experts suggest you can improve the situation without actually paying for a visit to a therapist.
How to Make Your Child Forget About Their Phone?
The first thing you need to realize in this case is that it’s most likely the parents that let it go way too far, meaning you should start by analyzing your relationship with your child and see how much time you get to spend together. Helping them with their homework doesn’t really count since psychologists often talk about common trips or shared activities that don’t include the phone use.
Next, check whether there’s something that can possibly interest your kid more than their phone; it can be a new hobby or just something they’ve wanted to try for a long time. According to experts, some children can still use their phone, but mostly for looking up something really useful and educational.
Another possible solution is to set a rule that prohibits using phones during the family time (at the dinner table, for example); just reassure your kid that it’s not going to last forever and they will still be able to use their phone later, without missing much at all.
Also, consider reassessing your own relationships with your phone: do you really spend less time with it than your child? Psychologists suggest you set an example as someone who doesn’t need devices to live life to the fullest; it might be that your kid will look up to you.
Lastly, make sure there’s a certain amount of time that your kid spends with their phone, depending on the child’s age (it’s recommended that kids under five years old watch cartoons for up to 15 minutes per day, while for older age it can be expanded to thirty minutes or an hour). Tell your child it should be them who will track the amount of time for digital stuff; this will help them learn to be responsible for their daily routine.
