The Growing Concern of Children's Screen Addiction

Children’s addiction or preference for screens is a growing concern for many parents, yet most haven't spent time considering the reasons behind it. It's crucial for parents to be accountable for their child's screen time, whether on a mobile, tablet, computer, or television. These devices quickly capture a child's attention, and unregulated exposure can lead to addiction, irritability, and behavioural issues.

Parents often use screens as a convenient way to keep their child occupied, giving themselves time for other activities. However, it's important to engage children in activities that foster interest in their surroundings rather than on screens.

For children under two years of age, it's widely recommended to avoid screen exposure to promote better development. Even for children up to five years old, screen time should be limited to less than one hour per day. Parents should co-view the content with their children, interacting with them to break the passive monotony of screen time. Engaging in various activities, playing games, and doing creative things with children helps create a healthy environment for them to interact with.

Excessive and unregulated screen time is akin to providing a child with an unhealthy diet without considering its ingredients. Prolonged consumption of such "diet" can lead to issues like obesity, irritability, attention deficits, and poor learning.

Healthy screen time includes educational or social activities such as schoolwork or interactions with relatives and friends for a purpose. For older children, it may involve creative pursuits like arts, music, or spreading information. Relaxation through limited, predefined periods of screen time is also acceptable.

However, binging on screens without a purpose, such as endlessly scrolling through posts, looking at different profiles, playing unlimited video games, visiting adventure websites, watching age-inappropriate TV shows, or engaging in violent behaviour, indicates unhealthy screen time.

To prevent children from preferring screens over parental interaction, it's important to understand the potential harm screens can cause. TIME is the most important investment parents can make with their children. It's not only a responsibility but a sheer pleasure of parenthood to be a guide to their own children. Healthy viewing means limited viewing, both in content and time.