Helping our kids to reduce their screen-time
| Date :21-Jun-2020 |
By Vijay Phanshikar :
IF the coronavirus lock-down has brought many good things to our homes, some undesirable things, too, have crept through our doors. Or, in other words, thanks to our getting pegged down to confines of our four walls, some undesirable aspects of our familial conduct have cropped up -- like increased screen-time (with our mobile phones, our computers, and most undesirably our television sets). A general observation is that the overall exposure of the families to television has increased considerably. It has caused serious concern not just about the undesirable contents being dished out but also about health, especially of youngsters. A noted ophthalmic surgeon lamented, “We are allowing our youngsters’ eyes to go bad as their television screen-time has increased worryingly during the lock-down period -- say from approximately one hour a day to possibly three hours.
If this does not disturb us, then what should?” A celebrated social-thinker and story-teller added to the concern. He said, in effect, that besides the ill-effect on their eyes, the youngsters may get addicted to television and that would be dangerous from all angles. This concern cannot be brushed aside easily. At this precise juncture, nobody can predict how long will the lock-down stretch. It may be quite a long time, and our screen-time may continue to remain extended. I have expressed my concern about television addiction on countless occasions in ‘Loud Thinking’ as well as in addresses to children, parents and teachers. I have often worried about the dangers and risks involved in spending long stretches of time in front of the television screens. Countless families have altered their habits after knowing the dangers and risks. But many more have just refused to see sense.
They often ask a question: “If we keep the kids away from TV, then what will we offer them as an interesting pastime, especially when they have nothing else to do?” To this question, there can be multiple answers. One, the kids should be introduced to books. Two, they can be kept engaged in regular story-telling sessions during afternoons after lunch and evenings after dinner. Three, they can be introduced to action-oriented hobbies such as paper craft, drawing and painting. ...! This is no attempt to say that television has to be banished totally.
This is only an attempt to suggest that we have to ensure that children’s screen-time be kept to the minimum -- through television, computers and mobile phones. That will help us to keep their eyes in good shape, and their habits under control. The first and the foremost duty of all of us is to ensure that our youngsters do not become victims of addiction to gadgets. As a sensible person, I can only appeal to the people’s good sense. And within that limitation, I would remain.