Do you have a young teenage son or daughter who is constantly hooked to their Smartphone ? As a parent, we can understand that it is an apparent cause of worry for you. Yet this is a common problem which many parents have to deal with nowadays. What is worse is that due to the pandemic due to online schooling and learning, the smartphone is one device they can not do without. Yet, it is the same very device that can cause much harm to young children if not dealt with at the right time. Being the leading providers of the Best Psychiatrist treatment in Kolkata, we have identified this growing problem at Moner Alo. We are constantly working with our clients to deal with and treat the problem.
What Research Studies Reveal Regarding Smartphone Addiction?
Teens are online all day, every single minute of the day. According to a recent Pew Research Report, 45% said they use the Internet almost constantly, and 44%. This means that 50 percent out of 100 teenage girls use it frequently while only 39 percent do so for their male counterparts which is interesting! 95% of teens have access these days, with smartphones being an essential aspect of our lives nowadays.
Pandemic has only made it worse.
Owing to the outbreak of the COVID19 Corona Virus Pandemic, which has resulted in lockdowns and online schooling has only meant that the reliance on mobile devices has grown many times more. So, if your son or daughter is addicted to it, it is time that you did something about it before it gets out of hand.
Identifying the symptoms of smartphone addiction
Before we can deal with the problem, we must be able to identify it at the outset. The following are some common symptoms of this addiction:
The most common signs of a smartphone addict are excessive use is prohibited contexts or potentially dangerous situations (e.g., texting while driving), withdrawal from family, and shared events in favor of too much time on their phone. The adverse effects include school problems or difficulties at home with loved ones; It could ultimately lead to increased depression which causes more desire than usual cravings. The result is that it leads many people into an endless cycle where they feel like it’s just not enough no matter how hard you try unless there is some validation coming through – whether it’s checking social media pages constantly because someone dissed you online instead of talking things out in person.
If you find that your children are falling prey to the problems mentioned above, you must not avoid dealing with the situation as a parent. Instead, you need to act to have the issue resolved.
How to have the problem resolved?
Teens are constantly connected, but many make healthy use of their smartphones. Techie parents can help empower teens to take control and create boundaries by teaching them how the device works with these tips:
-Set time limits for when you want it on your child’s person or in a specific location (e.g., during dinner). This will give them an incentive not to overuse tech after hours without sacrificing valuable face-to-face family interaction; some may even find this kind of restriction liberating!
Other steps include the following:
Educate them about the ill-effects of excessive screen time
When it comes to screen time, teens need guidance from their parents. Educating them about the benefits and potential pitfalls can lead to open conversations where they can discuss what is best for themselves—especially if you ask encouragingly!
Set up a Plan
Sticking to healthy limits and boundaries is essential for everyone, but it can be incredibly challenging when you’re raising teens. Include an explanation of how setting the family screen time limit will help avoid overuse or even misuse in your household by people other than yourself! It would help if you made sure there are checks on our users so that we don’t cross into unhealthy territory without knowing about them.
Monitor Use as a Family
Our teens are always on their phones! It’s a good thing that there are apps these days to help monitor how and when they use it, but some parents may be wondering what those little blue icons mean. Teens will find workarounds when they feel like someone is watching them- make sure monitoring is a family goal. Hence, everyone owns up about online usage behavior soon after installing an app into one’s phone.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that yes, the problem of Smartphone addiction amongst young teens is a primary concern for all. However, by following some of the tips, we hope would provide you with an effective solution. So, try and implement the same without any further delay.