Nowadays, it has become a trend to give mobile phones to crying children to silence them. Be it a restaurant, train, home, or doctor’s clinic, the same scene is seen everywhere. The child remains silently lost in the screen of the mobile phone or tablet. In this way, parents get relief from their child’s crying and tantrums. After a while, giving children a mobile phone may seem like the easiest way to quiet them down, feed them, or just get some peace.
The child calms down as soon as he sees the screen, and the parents also get relief. But according to doctors and experts, this peace of children is not a comfort for parents, but a warning. They say that giving phones or tablets to children in this way can have long-term effects on their brain, behavior and emotions. So the question is, is showing children a screen to keep them quiet, or “screen braying,” really good for them?
What is the habit of ‘screen braying’?
Nowadays, most parents give mobile phones or tablets to their children while feeding them, putting them to sleep, or while taking them out. By doing this, the child calms down while looking at the screen, and the parents get a few moments of peace. Experts call this habit ‘screen braying’ – using the screen to control or pacify the child. In the beginning it seems like an easy solution, but gradually this habit starts affecting the health and development of the child.
What changes are doctors seeing in children?
According to children’s doctors, if a child watches too much mobile phone or tablet, he may face many problems. Many children do not sleep well, they learn to speak late, and they also have short attention spans. These problems have been seen in many children. Not only this, some children become irritable, they prefer to play alone rather than playing with others, and they do not like to talk to people. These problems develop gradually, so parents often do not realize the danger in time.
Screens affect children’s brain
A child’s brain develops very rapidly during childhood. At this age, children need conversation, play, questions and answers and emotional connection the most. When a child is lost in a screen, he becomes cut off from the world around him. He speaks less, listens less, and lags behind in understanding people’s feelings. Screens keep them busy, but it also takes them away from learning opportunities.
Why are parents becoming so dependent on screens?
Most parents know that excessive use of mobile phones is not good, no matter what the reason, yet they give mobile phones to their children to keep them quiet or to save their time. Reasons for this behavior of parents include fatigue, work pressure and lack of time. In fact, in most households these days, both parents work. They often do not get support, and mobile phones become the easiest solution for them. Gradually, this solution becomes a habit, and the child does not want to live without the screen.
This habit becomes dangerous
If your child starts asking for a mobile phone every time he has a problem, and you immediately give it to him, he will not be able to learn to deal with his emotions. He will not be able to learn patience or self-control. According to doctors, such children may later face problems like not being interested in studies, getting angry easily and getting bored easily. In other words, a screen that provides relief today may become a problem tomorrow.
Instead of using screens to calm children, parents should do the following:
What children need most is time and attention, not screens. Instead of giving them a phone or tablet, talk to them, tell them stories, and play with them. These small things strengthen both their mind and heart. If your child is getting bored, you can involve him in small household chores. This way, instead of eliminating screen time completely, you can reduce it gradually.
