If your child is awake, he /she is probably online! This is a famous saying you might have heard time and again. However, it is sad how kids these days even sleep and wake up with technology.
Gone are the days when children enjoyed playing outdoors. Today, most kids are glued to gadgets, be it in the name of education or entertainment.
These days, children are ‘plugged in’ to digital devices at a very early age and switching them off or playing outside is often met with reluctance or a techno-tantrum. But does that mean they are addicted? Well, while there is no hard and fast method to estimate this, there are a few red flags you can keep an eye out for, to prevent your child from falling prey to technology.
Here are seven signs -
1.Spending too much time with technology
If your child is hesitant in doing anything other than looking into his favourite gadget, it’s time you buck up! Children need a good balance in the way they spend their leisure time. All work and no play will definitely make a child dull. However, the leisure time should not be dominated digitally. Engaging the child in outdoor activities will be a big boon to save him/her from technology addiction.
2.Preoccupied by technology
Children are bound to be curious, so it’s perfectly fine if they fiddle with your iPad or iPhone at times. However, if there are times when the child cannot sit and be idle without using any gadget, it is definitely an indication of techno addiction.
3.Withdrawal from social situations
Children who fall for technology hesitate to speak up in social gatherings and often come across as introverts. In fact, if you notice, the playing activities of these kids will also involve gadgets or screens as opposed to toys or peers.
4.Irritable behaviour
‘Let me finish this last level....please!’ This is a very common statement made by kids, especially the ones who stay up late to finish that one last level in a particular game. These kids portray irritable behaviour and get stressed out due to lack of sleep. Again, the root cause being technology!
5.Poor performance in school
Needless to say, children who are addicted to technology spend very less quality time on studies. Apart from lack of concentration, lack of sleep and dedication are also known to be major factors which occur as a result of techno addiction.
6.Demotivation
A child who is addicted to technology often comes across as demotivated. Kids who take to technology for anything and everything have very less interest in anything else, as a result of which they get into a shell. Participating in group activities or interacting with others becomes more of an obligation for such children.
7.Complaining of boredom
It is healthy for children to get bored. However, the boredom cannot occur as a result of snatching a phone or a laptop. While it is important to keep the child engaged in healthy activities, it is also important to teach to keep themselves engaged, without the presence of electronic devices.