Worried about Your Child’s Excessive Gadget use? Watch Out for These 10 Signs


  1. Reduced outdoor playing/activities

The ubiquitous use of gadgets has increased the amount of time kids are spending indoors, attached to their devices, video games, etc. The lack of physical activity is also compelling several schools to push for a focus on “Sports” in several schools across the country.

  1. Incapable of having face-to-face interactions

How do kids learn to be social and express their emotions? By interacting with others. They pick up a lot of life skills when they start to socialize with these groups. As parents get absorbed in using electronic devices, this is reflecting directly on kids imitating this behaviour. We need to realize that devices cannot replace human interaction.

  1. Parent-children relationship is affected

The use of gadgets by almost all family members is causing less interpersonal communication within the family, directly affecting the parent-child relationship. While it is necessary to draw boundaries for gadget use inside the house, parents too should be watchful of their own behaviour towards the child.

  1. Lack of creativity

“Don’t know about something? Just Google it.” The advent of the Internet and electronic devices is causing information overload. While it is a basic need in this day and age, there is also a need to kindle a child’s creative side instead of asking him or her to just look it up online and get the job done.

  1. Children do not understand empathy

Sharing, caring, being patient and controlling your emotions is something an electronic device cannot teach. It comes with socialising and good communication with people. The use of gadgets is putting kids in a risky place emotionally, where they’re unable to deal with their emotions and rely on gadgets for distraction from facing harsh realities.

  1. Reading ability gets affected

The instant availability of information in the form of a snippet on the Internet has affected children’s ability to read. The efforts to read a book or anything in the long form is looked down upon and is considered “boring.”

  1. Lack of awareness on human values

Their lack of communication with parents and other family members robs them of learning about the values of tolerance, honesty, kindness, diligence and respect.

  1. Reduced sleep time

Sleep is one of the most crucial factors that defines our childhood. The use of gadgets among kids has brought down their sleep time as browsing consumes time, unknowingly.

  1. Lack of awareness about board games

Board games are a great way for kids to bond with parents, increase concentration, learn Math, Science or Vocabulary and gain self-confidence.

  1. Decreased attention span

For teachers and parents, it has become a difficult task to get children to focus on anything for a long time.


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