How to wean yourself off a tablet. How Khabarovsk residents can save children from gadget addiction

A long time ago, back in the last century, Boris Grebenshchikov prophetically sang: “Our telephones will be our friends.”

But the worst thing is when only the phone is your friend. And addiction can lead to this: when social networks replace personal meetings and communication, SMS - conversations and calls, online viewing - going to the cinema and theater. You need to start fighting gadget addiction from childhood.

Situation No. 1: a teenager spends all his free time with a tablet

“My friends don’t know what to do with the child - he spends all his free time from school on a tablet, on social networks. To all their offers to go somewhere with classmates, friends, even just for a walk, he replies: “I’m not interested.” Taking away the tablet acted as a temporary measure, but in general the situation does not change.” Maria, 32 years old.

There are psychological and physical symptoms of Internet addiction.

Psychological symptoms

• euphoria at the computer;
• increasing the amount of time at the computer;
• neglect of family and friends;
• problems with learning, refusal to do homework;
• severe irritation when asked to turn off the computer, ignoring such a request;
• feeling of emptiness, depression, irritation outside the computer world.

Physical symptoms

• dry eyes;
• headaches and back pain;
• skipping meals, irregular eating;
• neglect of hygiene;
• sleep disorder, change in sleep pattern.

A teenager may begin to suffer from computer addiction if he has no one to discuss his problems with, he has no friends, and his parents do not fully communicate with him (the presence of all family members in the same room does not always mean their communication and involvement with each other).

Unfortunately, parents sometimes realize the problem of their child’s Internet addiction very late, because everything seems to be quite normal: the son or daughter does not roam the streets, sits at home, and the computer is part of modern life. It is convenient for parents: the child does not interfere, they can go about their business. This lifestyle gradually leads the family to move away from each other and the teenager to leave for an alternative reality.

Solution to the problem:

• Invite your child to play the “day of silence” game - turn off all cell phones on Saturday or Sunday and devote this time to communicating with each other. Try to make the day interesting for the child and make him want to have a “day of silence” next weekend.
• Create a family tradition, such as “evening tea.” Let this be a special time where you can talk heart to heart with each other.
• Try to be for your son or daughter not only a caring and strict parent, but also a kind friend.
• Enroll your child in a sports section or club.

What not to do:

Do not prohibit your child from approaching the computer under threat of punishment. Such measures usually have the opposite effect. You don’t want him to disappear somewhere in search of the coveted Internet connection.

If a teenager spends most of the day at the computer, has abandoned his studies, has become aggressive and irritable, does not respond to comments and does not make contact with you, seek help from a psychologist.

Situation No. 2: a student does not do his homework

“The 8-year-old son of my friends once said after school: “I have only one real friend and five fake ones. Today I deliberately didn’t take my phone with me, so the fake ones didn’t even talk to me.” But at the same time, the child admitted that he was very uncomfortable without a phone, he was nervous. And at home he constantly plays or watches something on his smartphone, to the detriment of his lessons. The only thing that helps is to take it away, but in this case the boy becomes nervous and is offended that his rights are being infringed upon.” Anna, 36 years old.

The causes of telephone addiction (nomophobia) are similar to computer addiction, since a modern telephone is the same as a computer.

Signs of nomophobia

Experts believe that we can talk about a painful addiction to a cell phone if:

• the child cannot turn it off even for a short time or part with it even for a minute;
• shows constant concern that the battery may run out;
• constantly checks SMS messages and email;
• often asks to top up his mobile phone account.

A mobile phone is a kind of diagnostic criterion for the effectiveness of all parental efforts. If a child communicates enough with his parents, and they always willingly and attentively listen to him and support him, he will not need to use the phone to combat loneliness. Well, if he is lonely, a telephone with Internet communication is always ready to help.

Psychology experts consider addiction to electronic devices to be hormonal.

Gary Small Neuropsychologist

Dopamine, the pleasure hormone, is released as soon as a person receives another piece of new information. We constantly scan the space in search of something to distract ourselves with: an SMS, a message on a social network, a phone call. Dopamine receptors are excited - we are in a state of permanent anticipation of something new and, as it seems to us, more interesting than what we should be doing now. 5 parental mistakes that prevent children from becoming adults

So my meetings with my grandson on Skype are over. This was when I was very far away, and I had to sit with him - either I got sick, or my daughter urgently needed to go somewhere. Yes, and I sat with him. The grandmother in the window is like herself. But now I'm here! And all three of my children happily jumped on such great opportunities. And I don’t mind helping them - each in their own way.

Your best friend is your tablet?

The grandson with whom I was on Skype lives closest to everyone. That’s why sometimes I pick you up from school. You have to sit with him for a long time - hours until ten in the evening. Well, I tried to prepare a whole program for him the first time. She jumped in front of him as best she could. But then I realized that my grandson was hopelessly uninteresting. For the sake of decency, he made eyes at me for about five minutes and turned right. To your tablet.

The next day I tried to interest him in something boyish. We watched a film about the Great Patriotic War. She told about the feat of Alexander Matrosov. Impressed. But not for long. Then again I only saw the back of my grandson or occasionally exclamations of discontent - which means I lost.

One day his gadget was dead, and we put it on charge (on the floor). And what? My boy fell to his knees, arched his back like a cat, and continued his studies. No eating, no walking, no socializing! I looked in to see what he was doing there. These are approximately the names of the games as in the photo...

A lot of them! The topics are different. The photos were so amazing that I looked at them several times and couldn’t get enough of them. Did your grandson like this living, real, so close and so distant world at the same time? Not that word! After all, I didn’t just show him all this beauty captured by the most talented photographer, but also told him what was there and who it was. Next time I'll take him to the same gallery. I'll show you how interesting photo collages can be.

Real world

I am sure that such a pastime is much more useful for a child. He gets to know the world and communicates with us adults, and fusses less with the computer. The main thing is that he lives in a real and not an imagined (which he already dreams about) life. There is another aspect - what if the little boy, looking at this, decides to become a photographer or biologist?

I wrote in the title that I kept my grandson away from the computer. No, not at all. At home he is still fighting. And when he comes to me, we watch something together. Now he is on vacation, and we often go to different playgrounds. Here he finds new friends, jumps, and develops. He played with one toy for small children (a spinning top) with such pleasure that I thought - yes, we need to offer him such things too.

By the way, once we were on the set for 3 hours, and he never once remembered his murderer friend. Yes, that’s what I call any gadget... If you leave a child alone with it at least once, and don’t pay attention to the baby for a long time, he will be captivated. For the attention of those who make good money from this...

How do you keep your children and grandchildren away from the ever-present gadget invaders?

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All parents try to give their child the best: toys, clothes, equipment. It often happens that the best efforts of parents turn against themselves and their children. How much time do children spend holding a tablet or phone in their hands and playing games? In most cases quite a lot. How to wean your child off tablets and smartphones or limit the time they use them?

In fact, not every parent is worried about their child sitting for hours playing with a tablet. Well, what's so scary here? The child is busy, not capricious, and the parent can safely go about his business at this time. It would seem that the benefits are obvious. Only a few years will pass and such parents will throw up their hands in bewilderment: why does our son or daughter spend all his time on a computer or tablet, and not communicate with family and peers?

The harmful effects of the tablet

Decreased vision

When a child stares at small objects on a tablet screen for hours, myopia develops (especially in those who bring the screen close to their eyes). Sometimes children even forget to blink, and dry eyes lead to inflammation and infection.

Sleep patterns are disrupted

The “white light” that illuminates tablet screens prevents the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Melatonin is produced in the body gradually as darkness falls. But the body of a child looking at the white backlight of the screen is deceived into thinking that it is still day. As a result, a child playing on a tablet in the evening falls asleep later, sleeps worse and does not get enough sleep. TV has a similar negative effect, but electric light does not have a similar effect.

Spinal curvature develops

As a result of tilting the head down, the cervical spine is deformed, which in children under adolescence is not yet formed. In addition, posture disappears and stoop appears due to a certain body position while playing on the tablet.

Coordination of movements is impaired

Children who sit for hours at a tablet have problems coordinating actions between brain commands and hand movements. Such children cannot even throw a ball in a straight line because their hands do not respond adequately to brain signals.

Stagnant processes develop

Children should move a lot; these are the features of age that help the muscles and the body as a whole develop. Stagnant processes occur in the body due to the lack of the required number of movements. The muscles that are responsible for the functionality of the hands and fingers are not formed correctly. This subsequently affects writing abilities.

A persistent psychological dependence on the tablet develops

Children increasingly want to play and spend more and more time on the tablet. And parents’ threat to ban the tablet is perceived as the worst punishment. Thanks to parents, a communication style is developed according to the principle “you do something, and I’ll let you play on the tablet.”

Decreased concentration

In everyday life and in class, the child becomes more distracted and restless. Most often, it is “gadget addicts” who are diagnosed with “hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.” The range of interests of such children is meager, their thinking and imagination do not develop in the right direction.

Communication skills are lost

The child becomes phlegmatic and communication skills are lost. Communication with peers becomes a difficult task, which such children try to avoid.

Increased aggression and irritability

The child becomes impulsive, hysterics and quarrels with parents often occur.

At what age can a tablet be allowed?

It’s hard to imagine the modern world without a tablet or smartphone. But nevertheless, there are certain age restrictions on getting to know them.

In Western America

The American Academy of Pediatricians and the Canadian Society of Pediatricians say that children under 2 years of age should not be exposed to modern technology. At 3-5 years old there should be a limit of up to 1 hour per day, and at 6-18 years old - no more than 2 hours per day.

In Russia

What should you do if your baby is already holding a tablet or smartphone in his hands almost from the cradle, constantly sitting in front of the TV, but absolutely does not want to communicate with peers, draw or sculpt? Is a tablet harmful to a child?

How to wean a child off a tablet?

It will not be possible to completely eliminate gadgets from a child’s life, but limiting their use as much as possible is quite possible.

First of all, you need to remember a simple rule: you cannot simply ban gadgets. The child will cry and whine so that his favorite “toy” will be returned to him. As a rule, many parents cannot stand it for long and make concessions to their child. When prohibiting a child from using a tablet, you need to find some alternative. You need to make sure that your child doesn’t get bored, and the recommendations below will help with this.

When prohibiting the use of a tablet, you need to offer your child a replacement.

Find an alternative

You need to try to keep the child occupied as much as possible so that he does not have free time. Of course, this does not mean that the child should constantly run or read a book. Rest is also needed, but within reasonable limits.

Weaning a child off a tablet at 3-4 years old

At 3-4 years old, children will be interested in light educational games. You can look for a hidden toy and match the colors. Games that develop speech are also suitable. Each child begins to speak at different times, but in order to gradually increase vocabulary and develop correct pronunciation, you need to constantly practice with it.

How to wean a child from a tablet at 4-5 years old?

At 4-5 years old, favorite characters from cartoons or games, funny children's musical compositions will help distract the child from cartoons on the tablet. In the paper version or in the form of soft toys, characters from games and cartoons come to life. You can put on a real puppet show with your child.

Drawing or modeling would also be an excellent alternative to a tablet, just don’t leave the child alone, but do these exciting activities together. If parents do not have a special talent in drawing or modeling, there are now many different creativity kits on sale, which include everything you need to create some interesting crafts.

Children really like coloring books. You can search the Internet for coloring pages with your child’s favorite characters, print them out and color them together.

Simple tasks will help develop your child's creative skills. Very little time will pass, and the baby will come up with new games and entertainment on his own.

Weaning preschoolers off tablets

Creativity will help wean a child off a tablet at 6-7 years old. At this age, children already know how to assemble construction sets, make crafts from blanks, burn, weave from beads, and much more.

Preschoolers are very inquisitive and are interested in everything new. A set of “mini-laboratories” will interest any child. This could be an electron telescope or digital microscope, chemical experiments, crystal growing or soap making.

How to wean a schoolchild and teenager from a tablet?

It is necessary to identify and translate into reality all the interests of the child. This could be dancing, music, singing, interest groups, for example, robotics or beadwork.

From the age of 6, a child can be sent to sports sections. These are health benefits, communication with peers, and emotional release.

There are also many options for conducting scientific experiments for schoolchildren. They will interest the child in studying chemistry and physics.

You can give your child an inexpensive digital camera. Taking photographs develops creative skills and imagination.

Anna, mother of 8-year-old Alena: “Six months ago, my daughter couldn’t live without a tablet. She came home from school, hurriedly did her homework - and played! I bought the book “Dunno on the Moon” and when we went on vacation and didn’t take the tablet, I started reading the book out loud to her. At first she did not listen carefully and suffered from the tablet. But then I became interested and finished reading the book myself, already at home!”

Be an example for a child

If parents are constantly sitting at a laptop and do not part with a smartphone and tablet, the child will definitely try in every possible way to inherit them, and over time will become the same fan of modern gadgets.

Irina, mother of 5-year-old Ilya and one-year-old Sasha: “I’m on maternity leave and often work at home on the computer, and so that Ilya doesn’t get distracted, I give him a tablet with some kind of game or cartoon on. Ilya now spends all his free time whining about his tablet and the youngest is constantly reaching for my phone.”

Therefore, you need to try to ensure that the child sees his parents with a tablet or at the computer as little as possible, devoting time to this activity when the child is already asleep.

Set aside one day a week to spend with the whole family together without electronic devices. On this day, no one will be allowed to play on tablets or smartphones, use the Internet, or even watch TV.

And in order to accomplish this, it is better not to sit at home, but to go out with the whole family for a walk in the park or nature. Such days will help the family get closer, take a break from the everyday routine, and time will fly by in the fresh air.

You can’t scold the tablet and games

If a child spent a lot of time with a tablet, of course he got very used to it. And then suddenly his favorite toy is taken away from him.

In this case, the child may begin to see in his parents people who are encroaching on his most intimate possessions.

Why do parents consider a tablet or laptop to be some kind of evil if other children play and no one forbids them to do so? With older children, you should definitely discuss the issue of the safety of “walking” on the Internet. It is recommended to install a special program on the tablet that will limit play time and also block access to “adult” sites.

The child should feel like a winner

While playing computer games, a child goes through levels, winning or losing. Of course, there is no limit to joy if, after passing each stage, he achieved the maximum result and became the winner. In the virtual world, a child feels successful and can do anything. In real life, everything is much more complicated, so the child may have the opinion that he is much more successful in the game than in reality.

To make a child feel successful in real life, board games that the whole family can play are suitable.

And it’s good if everyone gives in a little the first time, letting him win. Well, praise will come in handy here more than ever. The child should feel like the smartest and most successful.

Let's have a full rest

So that the child does not miss the tablet, you need to make sure that it catches his eye as little as possible. Spend more time outside, organize a trip out of town.

The child should have the thought as little as possible: “Give me a tablet!”

If you are planning an event with friends who also have children, you must definitely coordinate with them so that they also do not take tablets on vacation. Believe me, relaxing in the noisy company of other children without this “necessary thing” is much more interesting and fun.

Time limit

You cannot suddenly deprive your child of a tablet. Weaning should be gradual.

Of course, you won’t be able to completely isolate your child from gadgets, because modern life is simply impossible without them, but limiting the time of use is quite possible. To do this, you need to agree with your child that the weekly usage limit will be, for example, 3 times 20 minutes or 2 times 30.

You can also set restrictions on using your tablet while doing other things. For example, he should stay away while eating, communicating with family, when guests come. The child must understand that the reason for the restrictions is really important.

The main thing is not to violate the established restrictions.

The appearance of a pet in the house

If there is no pet in the house yet, it would be nice to get one. Only the child needs to be prepared for the appearance of an animal in the house. The child must understand that an animal, regardless of its type, requires care, and these responsibilities will be assigned to him. Who will appear in the house? This could be a medium breed puppy, then walks in the fresh air will become mandatory several times a day. If the child is still small, then it is better to give preference to a kitten. You can also get a hamster, guinea pig or decorative rats. The main thing is that the child is interested in playing with the animal.

Oksana, mother of 4-year-old Vitya: “Vitya loves the iPad very much, he simply cannot live without it. We tried many weaning methods and finally settled on pets. We gave preference to decorative rats, because... They require minimal care, have no odor at all and are trainable. The last fact became the most important. We trained the two rats we bought together with Vitya. They now know how to walk on their hind legs, pull a cap on a string, climb up clothes onto their shoulders at the command “come to me,” and jump on chairs. Of course, my son plays with his tablet. But now, choosing between him and the rats, Vitya runs to the rats!”

Funny company

A child who spends a lot of time in the virtual world is deprived of communication with peers. He simply doesn't need it.

Children's games with peers are much more useful in reality. A cheerful children's company is a great alternative to a tablet.

You can safely go to the playground, where the child, due to his sociability, will quickly make new friends. Surely, many of the parents’ friends also already have children, so various children’s holidays, parties, just trips to a cafe or to nature will help distract the child from playing on the tablet.

A ban should not be a punishment

The child did something wrong, misbehaved, or simply does not want to carry out simple instructions from his parents. The first measure: “That’s it, you don’t use your phone, tablet, or computer for such and such a time!” This is fundamentally wrong. A child, having received a ban, will even more want to spend as much time as possible playing computer games.

There should be no electronics in the nursery

To be able to control the time you use the tablet, you need to remove all equipment from the nursery. Move the computer to another room, determine a place for other electronics. You need to develop a habit in your child that before going to bed, the tablet should go to its place, then you can safely go to bed.

It all depends on the parents themselves, and weaning a child off a tablet is not that difficult. The main thing is to find an alternative to it, to interest the child, to give him as much attention as possible. With a little patience, your child will find many other activities that are much more interesting than spending time in the virtual world.

Video on the topic

Ekaterina Morozova

Reading time: 9 minutes

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The problem of computer addiction among our children today is breaking all records. Whether teenagers or toddlers, children are instantly immersed in virtual reality, displacing ordinary life. Considering the harm that “virtual” causes to the health and, especially, the psyche of a child, the time of using a PC should be strictly limited by parents. The information that the child receives from the monitor screen is also subject to control. How to deal with such addiction in children?

How to distract a preschooler from the computer - 5 parenting tricks.

For a preschooler, the time allowed to play on the computer is limited 15 minutes (nonstop). “Monitor time” (like TV) – only o in strictly dosed “portions”. With the replacement of the real world by a virtual one, a replacement of values ​​also occurs: the need for live communication, for enjoying life in a natural way, dies away. Lost ability ruminate, health deteriorates, character deteriorates.
What to do and how to distract your preschooler from the monitor?

• Remove computer and take it out only at a time strictly determined by mom. Place restrictions on access to “adult” sites, and monitor games for their benefits for the child.
• Communicate with your child. No computer can replace communication with mom and dad. Despite work, busyness, problems and undercooked borscht - be there for your child. Of course, it’s great when you can relax and take care of yourself by handing your child a laptop - “here, just don’t disturb”, but over time the child will simply no longer need his parents, because the virtual world will draw him in with all its depth and “brightness” of impressions.
• Play together with your child. Of course, at a strictly allotted time, but together. Find a game in advance that will be useful for your child’s development, and spend your time usefully.
• Hide your computer for a couple of days and spend this time with picnics in nature, searching for pre-hidden “treasure”, interesting entertainment in the city and evenings at home with Lego, watching good films, making paper kites, etc. Show your child that the world without a computer is much more interesting.
• Take your child to a circle. Choose a circle that your child will run to every day, forgetting not only about the PC, but also about you. Daily communication with peers and teachers, new knowledge and positive emotions will gradually displace the computer from the child’s life.

Do not speak to the kid - “this game is bad, close the laptop!” Speak - “bunny, let me show you a more interesting game.” Or “baby, shouldn’t we make a hare for daddy’s arrival?” Be more cunning. A ban will always cause protest. There is no need to drag your child away from the computer by the ears - just replace the computer with yourself.

How to get a primary school child away from the computer - we show miracles of ingenuity and initiative

For “treating” the addiction of a younger student, the advice will remain the same. However, given older age , you can supplement them a little with a few recommendations:

• Start some daily traditions. For example, during meals - no TV or computer phones at the table. Be sure to prepare a family dinner together - with serving, interesting dishes and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Let the child take part in this. It’s enough to captivate him, and then consider that for 2-3 evening hours you have won your child away from the Internet. After dinner - a walk. You can collect leaves for a herbarium, sculpt snowmen, play football, rollerblade, ride bicycles or draw landscapes from life. The main thing is to evoke positive emotions in the child. Positive “adrenaline” is like a drug.
• Show your child “on your fingers” how much time he is wasting. Write it down on paper, draw a diagram - “this is how long you have been sitting at your laptop this year, but you could already learn to play the guitar (become a champion in some sport, grow a garden, etc.). Confirm your readiness to help your child with this through your actions - enroll him in a sports section, buy a guitar, give him a camera and learn the art of photography together, dig up a wood burner on the mezzanine, etc.
• Take your child out of town as often as possible. Look for interesting and safe ways to relax - catamarans, mountain paths, horseback riding, travel, cycling from city to city with overnight stays in tents, etc. Show your child the “offline” reality - exciting, interesting, with a lot of impressions and memories.
• Every child has a dream. “Mom, I want to be an artist!” “Go ahead,” the mother answered and bought markers for her son. But you can give your child a real chance to try his hand at this. Enroll your child in an art school or hire a teacher, invest in paints, brushes and easels, and ensure regular classes. Yes, you will spend a lot of time, but the child will sit over the canvas together with the computer, and there is no need to talk about the benefits of this event. If after a year the child gets tired of these arts, look for a new dream and go back to battle!
• Radical method: turn off the Internet in the house. Keep the modem, but turn it on only when the child is busy with his own business. And the Internet is prohibited. Instead - everything listed above.

And remember that personal example always and in everythingmore effective than educational conversation, screaming and radical methods. No matter how much you would like to “sit on VK”, “like” your girlfriend’s new photos or download a brand new melodrama, leave your computer “sessions” for late in the evening, when the child is already asleep. By example prove that life is beautiful without online.

How to wean a teenager off the computer - important tips for parents to prevent computer addiction in children

The most difficult thing to deal with computer addiction in a teenage child is:

• Firstly, You can’t turn off the Internet and you can’t hide your laptop.
• Secondly, Studying today also involves tasks on a PC. .
• Third, It is impossible to distract a teenage child with construction toys and playing snowballs. What should I do?

• Don't ban the Internet Don’t hide the computer on the closet - let the child be an adult. But control the process. Block all unreliable sites, install filters for viruses and for access to those resources where a teenager has nothing to do due to his still unstable psyche and susceptibility to outside influence. Make sure that the time on the PC is used usefully - learning new programs, mastering Photoshop, drawing, creating music, etc. Send your child to courses so that at home he wants to practice skills, and not spend hours on social networks.
• Sports, sections, etc. The pleasure that a child gets from sports, dancing and other active activities cannot be compared with the joy from another “like” or “game” in a shooting game. Do you like to shoot on the Internet? Take him to the appropriate section - let him shoot at a shooting range or paintball. Wants to go boxing? Give him to boxing. Does your daughter dream of dancing? Buy her a suit and send her wherever she wants. Is your child embarrassed to communicate in real life? In virtual reality, is he a brave superhero? Take him to training, where they will help him develop a confident, strong person.
• Become your child's friend. At this age, an orderly tone and a belt are not helpers. Now the child needs a friend. Listen to your child and participate in his life. Be interested in his desires and problems - it is in them that you will find all the answers to the question “how to distract...”.
• Give your child gym or fitness memberships , concert tickets or trips to youth holiday camps. Constantly look for ways to keep your teenager busy with a real, interesting activity that will be both useful and emotionally fulfilling. Based on what your child lacks, why exactly he runs to the Internet. It's possible that he's just bored. This is the easiest option (it won’t be difficult to find an alternative). It is much more difficult if avoiding boredom in the “virtual” has developed into a serious addiction. Here you will have to work hard, because the moment has already been lost.
• Self-realization. Now is the time to deeply and completely immerse yourself in that area of ​​interest that is probably already stuck in the child’s head. It’s just a little while until adulthood. If a child has already found himself, but does not have the opportunity to develop in the chosen direction, give him this opportunity. Support morally and financially.

How do you deal with computer addiction in a child? Share your experience with us!

TV, tablet, computer, game console, smartphone - these gadgets “took” our children into their digital world. And the parents themselves contribute to this.

Oddly enough, parents most often “addict” their children to gadgets themselves, Khabarovsk psychologists note. The number of calls to specialists regarding children's addiction increases every year.

— Adults don’t always have time to talk to a child, play with him or read. Sometimes there is no desire. It’s easier to give your child a phone - bright moving pictures will keep the baby occupied for a long time. There are situations when a phone or tablet really comes in handy, for example, when you need to wait in line to see a doctor. But uncontrolled games very quickly develop into addiction, says psychologist Daria Pankratova.

Children under three years old have nothing to do on the phone. Photo: Pandaland.kz

At the same time, according to the expert, each age has its own characteristics of communication with digital devices.

If we are talking about children under three years old, then the experts are categorical - do not give the gadget into your hands! A tablet is the worst toy for a three year old. Blocks, cars, dolls and construction sets - no matter how banal it may sound in the modern world, this remains the best and most useful entertainment for such young children.

— There is simply no need for a gadget. Children at this age are interested in the world around them in itself. It is very simple to entice a two or three year old child - touch the grass in the yard, look at what the table you are sitting at is made of. They are interested in everything! Because children are just beginning to gain life experience and understand how the world works, explains the psychologist. — Live communication should never be replaced by a gadget, even with an educational game. I have seen how such kids, even on a walk, do not part with their phone. While his peers are building sand castles on the playground, he is going through the next level of a computer game.

Preschool children There is no way to protect you from phones, tablets, and computers. The child is already familiar with them and sees how parents are enthusiastically immersed in the electronic world. He wants it too. However, it is still too early for children at this age to have their own phone. To keep the situation under control, it is better for parents to let their device play. And to communicate with your son or daughter, it is better to use a smart watch. You can't play them, you can only call them.

— When a child sees that mom and dad have come home from work and are buried in their gadgets, why should the child act differently? - our interlocutor explains. - He needs communication, entertainment. All this is beginning to replace the tablet. And so that the child does not have a need for the electronic world, it is necessary to cultivate family traditions. Spend time together. But what is important here is not the quantity, but the quality of attention you give to children. Even if it is just an hour spent in the evening with the child, it will be filled with closeness and trust, and this is better than being nearby all day, but at the same time everyone is busy with their own affairs.

How to wean your child off a smartphone

Experts are sure: the optimal time for communication between a child and a tablet is one hour a day. And it’s better to break it up into segments of 15-20 minutes. But children at this age cannot yet control their own time. For them, the concept of “just one hour” means nothing. Therefore, it is important to teach on the clock, set a timer, a special program in the phone - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is for the child to understand that the game is not endless.

Schoolchildren are more difficult to control. For them, the phone is not only a source of games, but also a means of communication.

- And it is important to strictly adhere to the allotted time. No amount of persuasion or tears from a child should soften your boundaries. No “okay, last 15 minutes,” advises Daria.

A child may have his own phone or tablet at school age. And so that he does not “hang out” in the electronic world all day long while his parents are at work, the child needs to be loaded with homework - help with the housework, read a book, play with his brother, walk the dog. And only after completing this “list for the day” can you pick up the tablet. The child should have a schedule before his eyes. Make it together the day before. He can mark the completion of the task himself or report directly to you via SMS

When does addiction to gadgets develop?

“Most often, addiction to gadgets develops when parents begin to replace real communication with their child with various devices,” explains the specialist. “Some mothers and fathers, having realized the simple truth that a child can be captivated by a new game, begin to abuse this, letting the child play with the gadget for an hour, two, and then all day. The child is satisfied with everything, and he soon loses interest in communicating with people.

If a ban on computer games causes aggression and tears, it’s time to sound the alarm.

When is it time to sound the alarm?

• When a child becomes anxious if there is no phone nearby
• Tries to look into it every 10-15 minutes
• Feels the need to twirl the phone in your hand
• Becomes nervous and restless if the phone is taken away
• He is not interested in events from outside - walks with friends, family trips.

All these signs indicate that the child has developed an addiction. And it’s not easy to cope without the help of a specialist.

“You can’t just ban a phone or tablet. Firstly, forbidden fruit is always more interesting, and secondly, you will encounter the child’s aggression, says Daria Pankratova. - He will look for an opportunity to play on the side, go to friends for this. But giving the phone for unlimited use, they say, one day it will be played enough and forgotten, is also not an option. He won't play enough. To maintain people's interest in computer games, thousands of programmers work; this is a business that brings good income to its owners.

Have gadget-free days or evenings: give up tablets, phones and spend time together. In the evenings, do crafts together, play board games, take photographs, read aloud, cook delicacies. On weekends, be sure to go somewhere, actively explore the world around you, and invite friends to visit.

Try it and you will understand how difficult it is to do this, especially for the parents themselves. The telephone has long and firmly entered our lives - news, messages, work moments. It's not easy to give up. What do we want from children? Therefore, the whole family usually comes to “treat” themselves for gadget addiction.