Children addicted to electronic devices in the summer - Responsibility of adults

Excessive exposure to electronic device screens can cause vision problems in children.

Many families today are facing the situation of children depending on electronic devices as a “close friend”. In many families with school-age children, it is not uncommon for children to use their phones from morning to night, eating, watching YouTube, TikTok, and even secretly playing video games at night.

Prolonged use of electronic devices is clearly affecting children's physical and mental health: impaired vision, disturbed sleep, poor communication skills and, most importantly, passivity in thinking and behavior.

Ms. Huynh Thi Ngoan (living in Ben Luc commune, Tay Ninh province), who has a 15-year-old daughter, shared: "I work all day, and there is no one to look after my child, so I have to leave her at home with the iPad. At first, I just let her watch cartoons and listen to music, but gradually she became addicted to short videos with content such as dancing, teasing,... to the point of not eating, losing sleep, and getting angry if the device is taken back."

Cases like Ms. Ngoan’s are not uncommon. Many parents, despite their worries, are still confused about how to effectively “untangle” their children from electronic devices, especially when the parents themselves are caught up in the technology cycle.

The reasons for this situation come from many sides. First of all, it is the lack of direction from adults. Modern life forces parents to spend most of their time at work, so giving children devices as a "temporary babysitter" has become a popular solution.

In addition, children's living environment in the summer is also lacking in diversity. Community playgrounds are limited, and extracurricular classes are sometimes not suitable for the economic conditions of some families. In addition, content on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and online games is increasingly attractive, constantly updated and accessible, making it even more difficult for children to resist the attraction of the screen.

However, what is more worrying is that many parents still think that it is normal for their children to watch their phones and play games during the summer, as long as they do not cause trouble. This thinking not only underestimates the negative impact of technology but also misses the opportunity to shape children's reasonable time-use habits.

That said, this doesn’t happen to all parents. On the contrary, some parents proactively create a positive living environment, thereby helping their children gradually move away from dependence on digital devices.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong (living in My Thanh commune) has a 12-year-old son, said: "From the beginning of summer, my husband and I planned our son's activities. In the morning, he exercises, in the afternoon he helps his parents cook or does chores that are within his capacity such as sweeping the yard, watering the plants, and cleaning his own bedroom. We do not completely ban phones, but we clearly limit the time. The important thing is to create many other activities for our son so that he can see that life outside the screen is equally interesting."

The solution to preventing children from becoming addicted to electronic devices does not lie in absolute prohibition but in the way of reorganizing time and living space appropriately. Parents need to play the role of guiding, accompanying and most importantly setting an example in the use of technology.

Schools and organizations should also organize more diverse and creative summer activities so that children have the opportunity to explore themselves in a healthy environment with lots of real-life interactions.

There is no denying the role of technology in today’s life, but for children, at an age when their personalities and skills are forming, controlling and guiding the use of electronic devices is something that cannot be taken lightly. Summer should not be a season of eyes glued to electronic screens but a season of laughter, movement and experience. That responsibility, first and foremost, belongs to adults./.

My Thi

Source: https://baolongan.vn/tre-nghien-thiet-bi-dien-tu-trong-mua-he-trach-nhiem-cua-nguoi-lon-a200299.html