Being a parent can be tough if you find your child struggling in academics. Things may worsen if your child seems lazy and socially inactive. The root of your child’s problem can be an overuse of Smartphone as 50% of children in India today are digitally addicted. According to a report, Mobile phone addiction’s harmful effects go beyond that, it can disturb your child’s sleep pattern, can cause obesity and your child’s nervous system may also have to bear the brunt of it.
Though ways to help your child in getting rid of smartphone addiction are much easier. Read on to learn the same.
Keep the child engaged
Shrinking houses in urban areas are not allowing children to have fun playing their favorite outdoor games or doing other physical activities. As a result, most of the children stay glued to their phones. To help your child in leaving a sedentary lifestyle behind, you can take your child to the nearest park to let him/her play or exercise. You can also enroll the child in a sports club to help him/her spend more time away from the phone.
Bond with the child
Your hectic schedule means you spend less time with your child, so being hooked to a mobile phone may seem an easy way for your child to escape loneliness. Hence, you must take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy your child’s favorite activities with him/her. Along with playing board games, you can engage your child in activities such as cooking, gardening or art & craft to help him/her in spending less time using a smartphone.
Restrict the usage
As a parent, you have the authority to dictate the dos and don’ts of your child. So, discourage your child from using a smartphone during mealtime, study hours, bedtime and at the time of physical activity. You should provide a limited amount of daily internet data or set a maximum duration of mobile phone use for your child, this way he/she will not be able to use the phone in an undesired way.
Be a good example
Children’s philosophy is simple; they copy what they see. If your child is addicted to screens, it is possible that you also stay hooked to your phone most of the time. As a parent, you are the first role model of your child, to minimize the usage of a mobile phone in front of the child. If you have to use a smartphone a lot due to professional commitments, then do it away from your child.
Set password
It is evident that you cannot be with your child round the clock to restrict his/her phone usage. Setting a strong password can save you in such a situation. Furthermore, you should also teach your child about the negative effects of using a mobile phone in an age-appropriate way.
You must keep the smartphone away from your child while traveling as a device keeps scanning for signals in the moving vehicle and emits more radiation. Also, don’t let the child talk on the mobile phone as studies have shown that children who use mobile phone face the possibility of developing a non-malignant tumor in the ear and brain. Letting the child talk through landline is a safer option.
So, follow these simple ways to safeguard your child against the health hazards of using a smartphone.