Is your child spending too much time on mobile phone? Here’s what to do

In today's world, even toddlers are given mobile phones as toys, which can impact their emotional and intellectual development. Often, children's lives become centred around these devices, influencing their thoughts and behaviours. While parents might use phones to entertain their children or avoid tantrums, this habit can lead to addiction and negatively affect their behaviour. Ultimately, parents are responsible for managing these changes.

Negative Effects of Mobile Phone Use in Children:

1. Impairs learning abilities
2. Can harm brain function
3. May lead to dishonesty
4. Affects mental health, causing depression and anxiety
5. Causes sleeplessness
6. Reduces interest in social interactions
7. Can increase hyperactivity
8. Replaces physical toys
9. Leads to reduced attention and interest in other activities

How to Manage Mobile Phone Use:

1. Avoid giving phones to children merely to keep them occupied or quiet.
2. Foster a healthy relationship by spending quality time with your child and engaging in activities together.
3. Set an example by limiting your own phone use in front of your children.
4. Promote alternative recreational activities that stimulate brain development, such as puzzles or Sudoku, rather than mobile games.
5. Establish a routine that includes limited phone use and restricts phone access during meals and bedtime.
6. Supervise phone use to ensure it is appropriate and beneficial.
7. Offer alternatives to keep children entertained during travel or downtime to reduce reliance on mobile phones.
8. Remember, your actions as a parent significantly impact your child's habits and development.

The author is a child development therapist at SUT Hospital, Pattom.