HASTI PUBLIC SCHOOL & JR. COLLEGE, DONDAICHA
BLOG NO.181
the eratic behaviiour of children at home or at public place like Mall , Garden etc. is of common observancei. for instance a child of almost 2 years, screaming and howling so loudly that from a distance people turn their heads and see what was happening & When the parents realize it is disturbing others, they try to console him but in vain. The father then immediately hands his smartphone to this smart kid and instantly child jumpes from his mother’s lap and starts smiling and running around fiddling with the gadget. “Was this the right way to pacify a child?” The parents found an instant relief but, what kind of behavior were they feeding? A behavior of immediate gratification by throwing tantrums. I do know that in public, parents get embarrassed by this kind of behavior and to quiet the child, they engage in wrong parenting. Where in, when the child grows up he learns to get each and every demand fulfilled by this learned conditioning.
Journal of behavioural addictions states that excessive online gaming may lead to symptoms commonly experienced by substance addicts.Digital addiction affects ones attention span,creativity and limits social interaction. It slows down the neural growth and development of children .Dr. Manoj kumar Sharma of NIMHANS states that 73% adolescents who use digital tech devices report dysfunction in one or more daily life activities. *
Its observed that kids are really smart in this smartphone age, for that we need smart parents to handle smart kids. * *Most parents complain about their kids who are addicted to TV, gaming, mobile phones etc. A 2-year-old can operate a smartphone like any adult, they can open apps, select videos and play songs. This picture seems very cute and appreciable but the question is, are we supposed to hand these gadgets over at such a young age? How much ever we are proud of their brilliance, the first mistake we are making is applauding their wrong behavior which seems astonishing.
So how can parents be smart? There are certain rules to follow.
Parents should follow strict norms:
* When kids are around we should see to it that we should not engage in phones or any gadgets rather than paying attention to them. Children are quick to imitate one’s nature. Parents here should have a ‘self-check’. If you have a habit of engaging yourself in phones or working on your PCs, have a separate time to do so.
* When kids are a little grown up, they can be explained that though there are many attractive apps, their priorities are different. Phones can be given on a condition. If other duties (like homework, outdoor activities, house chores etc.) are fulfilled and verified by an adult, the gadget can be given for a specific time period. Parents should strictly follow this time period. A child usually makes excuses to work on a mobile or a laptop to collect information for his project. In such cases, parent supervision is recommended.
* Nowadays our phones and TVs have child-lock options, make use of it so that the child never uses those electronics in your absence.
* Both the parents should strictly follow the same rules, otherwise, the child learns to convince the weaker parent and break the rules.
* We should explain to the children that as there are traffic rules like, when one drives a car, he has to follow the signal, a particular age is required to get a driver’s license, in the same way we at home should follow certain rules to inculcate good habits and further encourage good behavior.
* If the rules are broken, we are fined or punished. In the same way, one can have conditions. If a child completes his homework with a strict check or other activities then and then only, they can access the gadget for about 30 mins. Here again, the time schedule should be strictly followed. If they fail to do so, the gadget should be locked and kept away.
* Parents should have a habit of playing with the kids, reading along with them, exploring new games (indoor and outdoor) and follow certain rules together, which is very important. This helps the child be obedient and do accordingly. Parents are role models to their kids, so the children aren’t to be blamed. Observe yourselves and correct mistakes before it is too late.
* For children who throw tantrums or cry loudly, ‘time-out’ method can be used. Here the child is made to sit by himself and attention is averted for a particular time limit. Slowly, the child learns that crying doesn’t help anymore. This technique helps to reduce misbehavior.
Parenting is not always setting rules, it is mostly comprised of grooming their child’s personality by having effective communication.
If one notices 3 or more signs given below kindly visit an expert immediately.
* Your child is preoccupied with gadgets.
*Promises to use gadget for 1/2 hr but unable to leave the screen for hours.
*Losing interest in academic achievement.
*Displays anger and irritation when a device is taken away.
*Reduces outdoor activities.
*Accuses parents of mental and physical violence.
* Skips household chores.
*Indulges in binge watching of TV /videos.
In some cases, if it is too late to control their child’s behavior, they should seek professional help where guidance and therapies are given.
academic world .wordpress.com 