Influence of Gadgets on Children

In this fast-paced world, we don’t even have a minute to think. You must have been in situations like going on an elevator, waiting for our cab or any waiting scenario. And the first thing we want to do is take out our phone and start checking emails, messages or aimlessly scroll through videos. 

Not to forget the way sometimes people keep checking their phone during a conversation and mercilessly disconnect the “real” person who is eager to speak with them.

Have we ever thought about what we are going to pass on to our next generation? This distracted, impatient and discontented experience?
What do we want them to become? A peaceful, decisive and happy soul or a restless, insensitive personality living in a virtual world with no one to connect to in the real world?

If these questions cause a stir in your mind, I may have some points to ponder over here.

You must have heard this line many times “They see, they do”, but let me bring to you the power this line holds for our children and us. No matter how much you teach your child to do something, they will always try to do what you are doing. If you want your child to do something, all you have to do is start doing it yourself.

When the Television (TV) at home is on all the time, and we are trying to teach our child that too much of watching TV is not good for the eyes, it does not work.

If our home is full of gadgets like Laptops, Mobiles, IPad, Gaming devices, we would neither be able to limit our child’s screen time nor stop them from becoming device addict someday.

If you sit and do stationary jobs throughout the day, your child won’t like to be a physically active person.

 

Children are innocent souls, and they consider their parents to be their idols. So consciously as well as subconsciously, they want to become like us. To make children do what you want them to do is easy but pretty hard as well. Easy because now you have the formula and all you have to do is start doing things yourself but challenging because it is difficult to give up some addictions, temptations and get back to a disciplined approach towards life.

Let’s not get anxious. We need to balance between the extremes like becoming a device addict or going entirely device free.

The initial years of a child are crucial, and the personality gets formed by the time they turn 5 or 6 years old. Once they reach there, it gets difficult to change the structure. You can definitely make them learn and unlearn few things, but changing your child completely will be an uphill task.

Right from the time your child is six months old, you have to be cautious about what you want them to learn and the things you do in front of them.

1) Watching TV when children are around us won’t be a good choice. Try to coincide your break time with their nap/sleep time. If your child is sitting near you, engrossed playing a game, while you are watching your favourite show, you feel your child is not watching you, but he/she is still observing you. 

2) Avoid feeding your child while playing TV/IPad/Mobile in front of them. Indirectly we are teaching them not to be mindful while eating. Instead, replace gadgets with some small books. The books might get dirty with food stains, but your child will get introduced to the beautiful world of books right from a tender age. 

A benefit of this is that that the child will not see books as a burden when introducing our child to books in Pre K (nursery) or Kindergarten (KG). And for older children, make sure they eat with family and not while watching TV. 

Sharing stories about the day at the dining table is more appealing than each individual eating their supper glued to TV/screens. 

3) Avoid leaving your devices on the dining table, sofa, kitchen counter, living room or bedrooms. Children will get the message that having devices around them is normal, and devices play a significant role in our lives. 

Laptops should have a place in a cabinet. When you complete your work, laptops need to be closed and kept in the cabinet. 

You can keep two boxes, one for Mobiles and one for chargers, at the entrance of your home –A solution which I implemented in my home. Once you enter your home, leave the mobile with the ringing mode in the box. By doing so, you are avoiding checking your mobile unnecessarily and not missing your phone calls. 

The necessity to have the box for all chargers is that you won’t leave wires hanging in your living room; this also avoids spreading bad energy in your home. 

3. You should set rules for the house. No devices should be there unattended anywhere in the house. Taking devices into the rooms should not be allowed. Any implementation will need your partner’s cooperation. Rules should be followed by you first, and you will see to that; they will be followed by others as well. 

4. Limit the usage of mobiles in all ways you can. Purchase a dictionary for your child and teach them how to use it rather than taking your phone every time you need help with a new word.

If you are doing online shopping, try to use your laptop. A laptop will limit your focus to work and won’t allow you to get into unwanted browsing.

5. Encourage children to have limited screen time; watching TV once a week is ok instead of every day. To keep them engaged, you can help them with ideas on using their free time constructively.

Young minds are full of innovative thoughts, so teach them to sit and let their mind process the ideas. If they sit in front of the TV, they keep their minds occupied, not giving their mind the time to think of anything else.

“Am bored, I want to watch TV” is all that they will learn. It’s ok if they are bored, but we need to teach them that watching TV is not the only option. We need to hold their hand and show them the path. You can give Challenges like creating a game for themselves, mini-projects like making a toy for a younger sibling, writing a story, creating a sketchbook, etc. Rewarding them will definitely give them the required push to keep continuing this behaviour.

The point here is to show them the things you want them to do. If you want them to get interested in sports, you need to play sports. If you want them to get interested in music, play good music at home. If you want them to read more, keep a good stock of books at home.

Implementing something new often takes time, but the rewards are incredible. Teaching children that devices are just a part of our lives and not crucial for our lives is essential. If we are successful in keeping the roots strong, it will help them ahead, and they will not get drifted away into the virtual world.