Many of us parents tell our kids to finish all school work so they can then watch videos online or the TV. But have we ever considered that after a hard day at work, the screen is the last thing that helps you relax?
According to science, screens emit a blue light that excite the brain and keeps kids from relaxing and falling asleep. Further, screentime actually eats into the unstructured playtime of kids. When children play either indoors or outdoors, their brains are relaxed and let free. This helps the brain to develop and build itself for interesting imaginary things.
Screens tire kids. Have you ever spoken to your child after he was playing on the screen fortwo hours non-stop? Either they are irritated or too zoned out to think or answer clearly. Ideally, it’s best to let your child relax a bit after screentime. So, screen time is not relaxation.
When kids play outside, their brains are reset and they are then able to take in more matter. In contrast, screentime actually doesn’t let the brain rest and tires them out.
Screens are not mealtime companions. Many parents offer the screen to kids at restaurants, home or in cafes to keep them from acting up or from disrupting the peace. But this actually prevents the kid from learning how to behave at a public place. Eating with a screen diverts the kids’ attention from the food to the screen. While eating we should be fully aware of how much we are eating, what we like and at what point we should stop eating. Watching the screen creates no limits to the eating, and children don’t pay attention to their hunger and instead keep eating as long as they watch. The brain does not process the quantity of food digested and keeps wanting more. This is not good for the body and growth of the child.
Screens prevent emotional development in children. The early days of a person’s life and childhood when they start assimilating society needs and try to learn social and emotional skills. When children spend a lot of time on the screen, they are not learning these skills. As they grow older children don’t know how to communicate and speak or listen with focus.
Screens disrupt concentration in kids. Watching the screen and playing video games make kids jittery and lose concentration. All the excitement and activity in the video games prevent kids from paying attention for long periods of time. Constant notifications, alerts and pings distract kids. And when they have to read a book for an hour, they cannot, as they lack concentration.