Being knowledgeable doesn’t mean being wise at the same time. For example, older people are more experienced, while parents and children can mostly be proud of their academic skills.
It is a privilege to have grandpa and grandma, talk with them, and hear about their past when smartphones didn’t exist. Even now, most older people use a flip phone.
Smartphones and Tablets as Fashionable Gadgets
In the beginning, only wealthy individuals could buy expensive tech devices. As time passed, we started using them as fashionable gadgets for conversation, messages, etc.
And as the economy grows, technology usage increases in all industries and becomes an integral part of our lives.
Justifying Buying Tech Devices for our Kids
Even if we parents use technology for almost everything, why do we buy our three-year-old kids a tablet?
We seldom realize the consequences of our decisions. And when we do, it’s too late. Instead of educational toys, cubes, puzzles, and interactive books, we buy our children tech devices.
Children’s Tech Usage- The Beginning of the Story
Once the screen is on, there are no limits when it comes to using it (although there are rules that should be respected).
Proud of our kid’s actions and how they develop with digital platforms and apps, parents didn’t predict the danger that was coming to us like a tornado.
It is hard to explain how all our dreams as parents fall like a house of cards. While we’re working, our kids use tech devices and often overuse them, which may cause addiction.
Studies say that one in every two teenagers feels addicted to technology. And according to UNICEF, there are 1.3 billion adolescents in the world!
Unpleasant Situations
Every one of us as parents has been in a situation where we politely ask our kid to shut down the tablet and sleep. As an answer, we get anxious and frustrated little kids, screaming and crying.
We don’t even get the chance to take the tablet because our kids crashed it into millions of unmendable pieces. And how do we calm them down? Of course, we get them a new tablet!
How can we Discover our Kids’ Tech Addiction?
We’ve been throwing the word “addiction” around a lot, but we never mentioned how to detect it. Children can develop several symptoms of tech addiction including:
- Keeping their devices constantly in their hands (even when they bathe or sleep).
- When we take their tech device, they are upset, anxious, loud, throwing things, and running around hysterically.
- Children are distracted and not capable of communicating without a device.
- Isolated, unsocial, introverted, and not showing interest in something else than tech.
- Occupied only with tech-related topics and activities.
- Negative grade changes.
- Forgetting school tasks and house chores.
- Behavioral changes at home or school,
It is crucial to mention that children of all ages can get addicted to digital devices.
How to Address Tech-Addiction?
We should act friendly, politely, like best friends, and according to our kid’s wishes. It is not an easy task, but we can manage it.
So let’s see what we must focus on when addressing technology addiction in our often (always) sensitive children.
Realizing That Tech-Addiction is a Problem
Once we, parents, understand that we have a real problem we have to deal with, we are one step ahead in solving it.
Ignoring the existing problem won’t improve our relationship with our kids. Instead, it will hinder every opportunity to communicate healthily with your children.
Sit Down, Focus, and Think
Imagine you have a problem at work, and you must deal with your boss. How do you act? Nervous or calm? Aggressive and offensive attitude, or polite and reasonable?
Try having the same thought process when approaching your kids, especially about tech addiction.
The point is that we as parents have to deal with this problem with a strategy, not emotionally. Observe your kid’s reactions when we take the tech devices from their hands.
In the beginning, they will throw a tantrum, but if we have good manners and do not just take away the device aggressively, we might have some success.
Starters on Overcoming Tech Addiction
So, now you know how to approach your children. But you still need to find methods to overcome the addiction.
Here are some starting methods that you can use to begin the process of stopping your children’s tech addiction.
Sleeping Without a Tech Device
Studies say that using digital devices before sleeping is a major health risk. So, it is crucial to carefully set up a “no tech before bed” rule.
Our working hours are long, and even though we hardly wait to go to our room and sleep, dealing with this problem demands spending more time with our kids in their room, talking, reading books, or even playing some games.
Family Bonding
Playing games, reading stories, telling jokes, and gathering the family together is a great way to start overcoming tech addiction.
Also, you can try planning family weekends together. For example, you can divide the planning into small pieces and let every member research each piece.
Let’s say you pick where you go, your son picks where you stay, your daughter picks what you’ll do, etc.
Including our Kids in Daily Activities
Shopping together, visiting the market for fresh vegetables and fruits, and making lunch and dinner (of course, by using grandma’s recipes).
Point out the beauty of being out and doing something useful, so children can develop helping manners and responsibility.
· Be Direct
Introduce your children to their problem with tech addiction and the health risks, especially when they’re younger.
Let their conscious work a little on your side, and help you battle tech addiction.
Conclusion
Tech addiction is present and serious. Our children are the most affected ones.
So it’s our goal as parents to provide them with safety and be on the frontline in the war against tech addiction.
Our goal should be to convert our kid’s tech use habits into no-tech use habits. Talk, debate, be there for our kids, plan, organize, and make bonds that last forever. Enjoy nature, have a weekend trip, and introduce your children to the beauties outside the digital world.
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