Eman Sakina
Mobile phones were first used to replace pigeons that carried messages from one person to another. Today this gadget includes cameras, calculators, alarms, notebooks, email synchronization, internet access, entertainment platforms, games, and a variety of apps that fulfill almost every requirement we have – from ordering food, medicines, and groceries to shopping for clothes and other necessities.
After the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, almost every task required the use of smartphones and the internet. Even education went from offline to online mode. Be it regular classes, tuitions, submission of fees, taking of admissions, filling the forms, or conducting exams, everything went online. The online mode was also followed by the maximum number of job sectors. The official work also started being conducted online from home which made humans more prone to radiation emitted by technological items like laptops, PC, smartphones, etc.
Friday Musings
Technology surely has advantages but excessive use of everything is harmful. Mobile phones also have their negatives, such as addiction, overuse, FOMO (fear of missing out), a sedentary lifestyle, and so on. This also brings up the negative impact of cell phones on children. One of the most pressing worries in today's world is children being addicted to cell phones. This doesn't just apply to adults; it also applies to children of all ages. Children in the past grew up with actual toys and enjoyed playing with them. But nowadays children only find smartphones as their mode of entertainment and play.
Children all across the world have begun to use smartphones for a variety of purposes. Whether it's for video conversations with friends and family, games, social networking, or even online schooling, they use technology. The younger siblings also imitate them and develop the same habit.
We have more reason for concern over the excessive use of technology among the youngest of the young, as little kids’ smartphone usage has risen dramatically, according to many studies.
Though most parents would have tried to limit their children’s screen time before the pandemic, we all saw those time limits explode once the lockdown began.
The kids of this generation are continuously hooked on to smartphones for such a long duration of time from a very young age. Some parents feel proud of how their young children can navigate through the apps and smartphones with great ease, while some parents allow their children to use smartphones all day to watch YouTube videos to play games and use social media without understanding the negative impact on their child’s development.
We believe that if parents properly guide and manage their child’s usage of smartphones, it can be greatly beneficial for them, but without proper guidance, the drawbacks of smartphones and their negative impact on children’s development, health, and studies is a matter of concern. Therefore, we will look into the negative effects of smartphones on the development of children. These include medical issues, sleep disruption, mental health, academic malpractice, low academic concentration, affects brain activity, tumours, anxiety, and irritation.
Some small steps may yield greater results::
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As a general practice, avoid giving cell phones to children under the age of 16. You may stay in touch with the teachers and school staff to ensure your child’s safety and health if needed
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If you are worried about the radiation, you may make your child wear a wired headset or limit his talk time when he talks on the phone, instead of holding it to the ear.
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Avoid constantly giving your child your mobile phone when he is in the middle of an activity as it will only distract him or lead to falls and injuries.
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As an adult, parents and other people in the house need to restrict their use of phones when they are around children. This is not only to avoid radiation but to create a behavior pattern as well.
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Keep your mobile phones safely with you and out of sight of your kids at night. Children may quietly try to get a hold of it, without you finding out.
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Distract the attention of the child by showing him colorful books or crayons or toys and playing with them.
Also Read: Struggle of Hamida Salim, the first woman economist from AMU
As with every technology or tool out there, a mobile phone is a double-edged sword. The technological prowess of the smartphone is tremendous, and it is quite a learning tool for children as well. However, keeping things in moderation and restricting usage hours go a long way in ensuring children’s well-being and inculcating good behavioral habits in them.
.webp "Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the President of Ramakrishna Mission Swami Gautamananda Maharaj")
