Teenage cell phone addiction: are you worried about your child?

Today is the world of technology and from a small child to an old person, everybody is getting benefits from it. With just one click one can order whatever he wants and can also learn innovative things. This Technology era has given a huge evolution to cell phones.

Since COVID-19, the dependence on the cell phone has been spontaneously multiplied and not only children but some elders have also become addicted to cell phones. For children, their classroom education is completely affected due to Corona and now they are mostly dependent on cell phones.

Using cell phones have never been an issue but the corona pandemic has made many children addicted to cell phones and now there in and outside life goes on social media or phones. 

They have forgotten to play outdoor games which is making them lethargic and addiction of phone is making them peevish, anxious, stressed, and also harming their eyesight.

Some sign of addictions-

• Showing immediate response towards the text.
• Eagerly waiting for likes, comments, and shares.
• Causing insomnia due to using mobile for late night.
• Feeling anxious and depressed when the mobile is not accessible.
• If the cell phone is affecting the relationship of family members.
• Always worried about battery life.
• Using a cell phone even while watching TV or studying.
• Spending hours on social media platforms, etc are a sign of addiction.

 According to a report of 2016 Common Sense Media, 50 percent of teenagers “feel addicted” to mobile devices. So, as a parent, you can follow these steps to stop their addiction.

1. Try to monitor their cell phone activities - You should know what your child is doing on a cell phone or other gadgets. Is he using it for the right purpose or not? Is he using it for learning or wasting time on social media? This monitoring should be done otherwise this addiction can make a child anxious and sometimes it can make him the victim of cybercrime too.

So, give them a family computer to use it or keep such app in mobile which can restrict all worthless or non-useful website, can also let you know what he is using throughout the day. You can also fix a limit of data use which won't let them access the Internet after the limit. It will help you to not let your child become addicted to cell phones

2. Should be given for stipulated time - Cell phone helps children to complete their school assignments, homework and also teaches in the simplest ways. With this, it also provides games, social media platforms, and many other time-consuming and worthless things.

That's why a fixed particular time should be allotted to a child for using the cell phone to complete his assignment, works, and playing games too. Because complete restriction will make him isolated.

3. Ask them to play outdoor games - Outdoor games are beneficial both physically and mentally too. Because playing outdoor games increase concentration power and also gives proper exercise to the body. Playing outdoor will help them to make new friends and will make them stress and anxiety-free.

As a parent, you can keep your cell phone aside for some hours daily and ask them to use this time for their hobbies. It will keep them entertained and will generate interest in their hobbies.

4. Switch mobile into a learning device- Most children consider cell phones as a source of entertainment and want to spend their maximum time on them. They make new friends via social media, watch short videos, keep texting their friends and even some children use mobile till late at night too.

That's why it must be converted into a learning device that can groom their skills, teach them to innovate things like technology, space, agriculture and you can also put challenges related to their favourite topic in front of them to complete.  

5. Bring changes in their schedules – Make some changes to their schedule that it does not provide much time on screen. Involve them in such innovative works as watering plants, making sketches, etc. So, they don't remember their mobile.

And you can also keep the cell phone at such places where they can't find it or can keep a strong password that they cannot access without your knowledge. And also ask them to always join lunch and dinner with whole family members which will teach them the importance of family.