approx. 4 min read
What impact do smartphones & co. have on children, and what effects can mobile phone addiction have?
Children today have easier and easier access to smartphones & co. But how is children's mobile phone usage behavior influenced, and how does mobile phone addiction affect children's lives? A distinction is made between health-related and more general effects. But you will find out more about that below. At the very bottom, you will also find 3 tips on how you can minimize mobile phone usage 😉
Influence on children's mobile phone usage
Children learn by observing. Whether simple everyday tasks or behavior in unfamiliar and new situations. They are constantly taking in information and processing it into knowledge. So it should come as no surprise that they also closely observe their parents' mobile phone usage behavior. They see that their parents may spend a lot of time on their phones due to work or personal reasons, and thus they are shown smartphone consumption from an early age. So it would be a good solution to spend as little time as possible on the smartphone while spending time with the children. Of course, in our modern times, smartphone usage cannot be completely prevented, but it would be a good start to reduce screen time to a certain period or to put the phone down when interacting with your children and focus your full attention on the child.
Furthermore, so-called "peer pressure", which often occurs at school and in groups of friends, also contributes to mobile phone usage and especially to mobile phone ownership. Children often look to their peers to measure their desires and possessions. So the frequently heard: "Mom, I want a phone too, because Max already has one!" is no longer so surprising. In this case, a children's smartwatch would be a good alternative for all those who are not very keen on smartphones at a young age or want to postpone it as long as possible. This way, you can still call & chat with the child, but without all the bells and whistles like games and especially without a camera.
But who hasn't experienced it when the children simply need some entertainment and the smartphone somehow ends up being the best solution? There are many alternatives in toys, etc., to keep children entertained, so that they are not accustomed to the smartphone too early.
Consequences of mobile phone addiction
It can become really dangerous when smartphone usage gets out of control and turns into mobile phone addiction. This can go so far with children that they neglect social relationships and no longer nurture their friendships.
Mobile phone usage also brings up issues like bullying, which can have a major impact on children's development. Parents often suffer from powerlessness, loss of control, and being overwhelmed. There are also often family arguments about the extent of the children's mobile phone consumption. Whether it is once a day or once a week that is ideal to give the child "phone time" is, of course, left to each family. Nevertheless, prolonged mobile phone usage can in some cases lead to depressive moods, concentration difficulties, anxiety symptoms, and also sleep disorders.
Effects on health
Anyone who spends a lot of time on their smartphone has already had to deal with tired eyes or neck pain. But these are only the immediate effects. We have listed numerous other effects of mobile phone addiction here for you, and they affect not only children but also adults.
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Alcohol use disorders
- Difficulties with cognitive emotion regulation (=difficulty dealing with feelings)
- Impulsivity
- Impaired cognitive functions
- Low self-esteem
- Sleep disorders
- Reduced physical fitness
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Pain
- Migraine
3 tips to minimize mobile phone usage
As simple as the following tips may sound, even small changes in how you handle your phone can have a major impact in the long run.
- Deactivate push notifications
- Deactivate sound notifications for social media
- Turn off the phone overnight
