Psychologists warn of the dangers of using too much cell phone in childhood

It’s almost inevitable: most parents of young children at some point give their children their cell phones as a way to distract them when they’re angry or eating, for example. In the case of older children and teenagers, who are less subject to parental control, there is an even greater tendency to want to be on their cell phone for most of the day.

A report by the British research body Childwise shows that UK children spend around 6:50 a day in front of cellphone screens. A third of respondents said they couldn’t live without their devices. And scientists warn about the consequences of indiscriminate use of mobile devices.

In this post, the awesome.club highlights nine problems that children can experience because of the excessive use of cell phones and tablets. Important: You may want to throw away your child’s phone immediately after reading this text, but it’s much simpler to talk and establish some ground rules.

It is no secret that the bond between parents and children is very important. But psychologists now say that smartphones can get in the way of that relationship. For example, Jean Twenge, a writer and researcher at the University of San Diego (USA) points out that while children spend much more time under the same roof as their parents, they are no longer attached to them as their predecessors were. They don’t talk to the family and don’t pay attention to any facts, only answering “I like” to some comments.

Smartphones open the door to the world. There are many useful tools and tips on the web that we can use in our daily lives, at work or in relationships. But there is also a dark side to this feature, which is full of violence, cyberbullying and other nasty things. And, as this research suggests, exposure to these situations desensitizes children and encourages them to accept this type of behavior as a normal way to solve problems.

Who, as a child, didn’t want to become an adult as quickly as possible? Are you going to say that you didn’t imagine that adult life was full of pleasures, that you could do whatever you wanted with whoever you wanted, buy all the sweets in the world, wear high heels or drive your own car whenever you felt like it?

It seems that younger generation kids aren’t interested in being adults. According to different articles and surveys, teenagers today prefer a slower life strategy: they are not involved in adult activities, such as going out to work to earn a salary or living alone without the help of parents, for example.

Today’s teenagers are less likely to leave their homes and seek out any social connections. They don’t need it, all their friends are just a click away. Smartphones have made it so much easier to make friends. This is why they can experience a lot of social difficulties when they are in the real world.

The British Psychological Society states that anxiety, depression and other mental health issues can be caused by smartphone use. And there are several reasons for this. Children are under constant pressure to be available and responsive at any time, and they can be very emotionally involved in the online “space” of their lives. In addition, they are not always able to understand the boundaries between real environments and “social networks”.

One study concluded that there is a strong link between increased screen time and children not getting enough sleep. Shorter rest time is believed to be the cause of different serious health and behavior problems. For example: poor school performance, dangerous behaviors, and decreased cognitive functioning. Remember that your child needs adequate rest to be prepared for the next day’s activities.

Smartphone use can lead to obesity, research suggests. And that’s not surprising. If a child spends a lot of hours with a smartphone, he doesn’t have time for physical activities or, at least, going out with friends. In addition, the increase in cell phone use is significantly related to the consumption of at least one sugary drink per day.

Some studies suggest that spending too much time in front of a cell phone screen can cause symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This problem can lead to a lack of emotional and social connection with parents, friends, and others. In addition, a study conducted by National Birth Cohort from Denmark reports a link between children’s behavioral problems and prenatal exposure to cell phones.

According to the survey results Monitoring the Future, teens who reported spending more time than average on their cell phones were more likely to be unhappy. In the survey, adolescents were asked to answer whether they were happy and to what extent this happiness was associated with their usual leisure time.

The results indicate that, as many people suspect, online connection cannot replace real interaction with family and friends, especially for young people and children. But they don’t always understand this.

Have you noticed any of the aforementioned problems in your family? Have you ever managed to impose a rule that helped overcome them? Share your ideas and concerns below.