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Technological advancement has brought great comforts in our lives in terms of communication and entertainment. It has provided us with access to every corner of the world with a palm-size device in our hand or a screen placed on the table in front of us. However, along with bringing these opportunities, there is another side of these “screens.” Be it your mobile, laptop, desktop computer or your TV screen they attract users to spend most of their time-bound before the screen.  As children are compelled out of their curiosity to learn new things, they get attracted to this digital world mostly. As the excess of everything is terrible, spending unlimited time in the online world damages the normal life of teenagers and children adversely.

Following are some things that attract teenagers:

• Entertainment
• Gaming
• Chatting and calling
• Learning new things from inaccessible people

Teenagers attracted to the digital world through digital devices because they want a hold on their environment. This sense of controlling and leading might not be possible in the real world but, in their own little virtual world, they are the rulers.

EFFECTS OF SCREENS ADDICTION

The un-explored virtual world that bounds its users for a limitless time leaves some adverse effects on their mental and physical health. Numerous research studies have also proven that internet or gadget obsession disturbs a normal going life of a growing child. On average teenagers spend 9.3 hours of their day on their mobile or any other gadget they have. This time is even more than school time, and it necessarily has more influence on their brains. Here are some hostile impacts of this obsession:

Sleep deprivation:

On an average 87% of the high schoolers do not have enough sleep which is obligatory for their healthy growth. Lack of sleep leads to mood swings and unhappiness also. Have you ever wondered why your child gets annoyed every time you ask him to leave his phone and play some outdoor sports? It is high time you should consider this. This happens because you ask him/her to leave his center of attraction, which is never easy.

Disinterest in studies:

When a girl or boy is busy on his phone most of the time, it becomes tough for them to concentrate on books. As gazing the screen effects their vision and they do not pay attention to printed pages, i.e. books.

Physical health snags:

This eye-catching internet world not only disturbs their mind but also affect their physical wellbeing. Muscle stiffness of thumb, palm, shoulders or fingers become common when someone is always scrolling their mobile screen or is sitting in a bad posture in front of the laptop.

Ailments:

Major ailments that your child may face are vision disturbance, obesity, weak joints and some mental problems like insomnia and depression.

SOLUTIONS

After knowing the problems teens are facing or may face because of their screen addiction, parents’ duty becomes tougher than before. Here are some ways through which you can help your child get out of his technology addiction.

Force critical thinking:

When a young brain sees technology, he gets curious to learn it. Parents must emphasize that they should learn the backstory when they are watching something. For instance, if your child is addicted to a game, ask him questions about how that game has developed? This triggers him to search and learn new fields of technology. Simply forcing him to stop it will never be enough in healthy growth of his brain.

Boost their self-esteem:

Getting depressed by seeing others is a serious problem when we talk about the younger ones. In this scenario, older ones must take a step forward and teach them to have confidence in their belongings. The virtual world of screens can allure them to some impossible things, explain them to be happy in their own shoes!

Get the alternatives:

Forcing a child from not doing his favorite activity affects him, find an exciting alternate and then try to divert their attention towards it. Being parents, you can get them registered at the sports clubs of their choice or buy them their favorite sports kit. This kind of small investments in teenagers brings out the best from them.

It is not easy to restrict new generation from the dreamland of their gadgets, but what they should be taught is how to use it in a fruitful way. When parents take responsibility, half of the problem is already sorted. Growing brains need nothing but mentorship. When parents start giving them what they acquire, the impact of delusional screen world starts dwindling. Even if they do not completely get over their obsession, they start thinking critically which in itself a great solution of any addiction is.

Do not bind your children to certain things, help them in finding their passions. The gaming, advertisement, communication apps, etc. which they see in their devices are great sources of learning and achieving goals if used properly. Teens only acquire freedom of choice, but being parents, it is your choice to scrutinize the choices they made. It is high time that either you divert your child’s attention from the screen or help him in finding a way through it. He might be interested in becoming a programmer, but if you are forcing him to play a sport, he will not do well in either of them. Choose wisely!