Mobile Addiction: It Hurts Your Child
It’s no secret that adults in society today spend too much time looking at their phones and have some form of mobile addiction. The means of communication seem to have changed and social media and mobile phones are a priority for many. This is quite harmful because many adults become too absent from reality. The worst part is that this mobile addiction can really hurt your kids.
The danger of mobile addiction
You may have noticed at some point that you have looked at your phone and ignored what your child has said when he or she tries to say something to you or share an experience with you. It is a sad reality that many children experience today. And as if that was not bad enough, they learn that this is normal and in the future they will do the same.
Mobile addiction seems to have become normal today, but the intellectual and emotional damage it causes children of dependent parents is too great – especially for young children. Neuroscientific studies have found that the first three years of a child’s life are where they most rapidly develop their language, emotional, social and motor skills.
When parents have a mobile addiction, they miss out on opportunities with their children that they will never be able to repeat. Their children cannot have quality interactions with their parents. This can all create emotional problems and delays in areas of development such as speech or indispensable social skills.
The importance of face-to-face interactions
Parents need to interact with their children face-to-face so that these young children can develop good habits and improve their learning every day. The same goes for their behavior and their emotional development. Children develop through quality interactions with their parents. They learn language, emotional regulation, and they also learn how to enjoy spending time with family.
The problem also lies in the fact that if a mother gives her phone more attention than her child, then the child will try to get her attention. She will find it easier to get angry when her attention is distracted. This can cause her to lose her temper. This can provoke great emotional pain for the children who do not understand what is going on.
Mobile addiction is the same as ignoring your child
It sounds awful, but the truth is, these kids feel ignored by their parents. When they see what’s going on, they tend to behave worse to get their parents’ attention. This will then make both parties even more irritable and a tense mood will become the norm.
When an adult responds to a message, it activates an acute task function in the brain. They can abuse their children if they are disturbed. It is inconceivable that parents give digital activities more attention than their own children, but this is unfortunately the reality. Children feel that they are not as important to their parents. This makes them feel rejected. It also harms the development of their self-esteem.
This needs to change
This lack of interaction with children due to mobile addiction needs to change. Parents need to be aware of the importance of interacting with their children. They need to talk to them and listen to them in a calm way every single day.
You therefore need to take certain precautions to overcome this mobile addiction and thereby improve the quality of family life.
- Make rules and time limits when it comes to using mobile devices at home
- Prioritize interaction with your children and mute your phone when playing with them
- Also, make rules when it comes to how much television your kids are allowed to watch. Everyone in the family needs to limit their screen dependence
- Pay attention to your child’s need for daily stimulation and quality time with the family
- Make a plan for your work. You do not have to answer emails when you are with your children. It can wait
- Do not carry your mobile phone with you when you eat or when you spend time together as a family
