How Limiting Screen Time Improves a Child’s Behavior & Focus

In the rapidly growing environment of the 21st century, humans must develop by enhancing their potential and not by reducing it. However, this practice is not prevalent when it comes to children. It has become normal in every home that there is a kid whose life revolves around screens. According to the reputed co-ed residential school in India, this is concerning because of the bad effects that it has on children’s mental, physical health, which ultimately affects their academic performance. 

Consequently, this blog discusses why limiting screen time is essential for kids, how it affects their behavior and focus, and what parents can do to manage this new-age problem. 

Why Limiting Screen Time is Necessary for Children

Limiting the screen time of kids is necessary due to several factors. Out of which five are as follows: 

1. Hinders Cognitive Development

Cognitive development of a child refers to his/her ability to perceive, think, and learn about the outside world. It generally includes base-level work such as thinking, problem-solving, and understanding. 

But if the child is constantly engaging with screens, they will not be able to develop these skills. As screens cut them off from the outer world, they do not let them think by hampering language acquisition by limiting verbal communication and interaction. This leads to impaired memory, poor communication skills, and trouble comprehending conceptual knowledge in academics.

2. Weak Physical Health

As the children are constantly watching useless stuff on their mobile phones, they avoid physical movement because their brain wants to stay in a comfortable zone. This leads to a lack of interest in physical activities and sports, leaving children physically inactive as they gain fat and other health-related problems. 

3. Mental Health Problems

Good mental health means a good social circle and a healthy relationship with oneself. Mobile phones remove every scope of socialization, whether it is with siblings, parents, or even parents. It leads to anxiety, depression, emotional instability, and behavior issues. This happens due to the overwhelming roller coaster of content consumption, ultimately confusing the brain. 

4. Poor Social Skills

One of the passive sources of learning for children is by interacting socially with other kids, siblings, friends, and parents. This helps them understand the social dynamics and enables them to share their feelings. But screens do not let them socialize with others, removing the scope of communication and learning. Hence, poor social skills, social anxiety, and whatnot. 

5. Bad Sleeping Habits

Due to consistent engagement with screens, kids are greatly affected by delaying their sleep schedule. The combination of stimulating content and blue light, which suppresses the secretion of melatonin (a hormone responsible for sleep), does not let the kids sleep and makes them tired in the morning. 

How Does Limiting Screen Time Improve Children’s Behaviour and Focus

Limiting screen time significantly helps children by improving many aspects of their lives.

Here’s how: 

1. Enhances Emotional Stability

Reduction in screen time stops the overload of information and content that was tiring them, and basically gives them a turmoil of mixed emotions. It reduces their stress and anxiety about the things that do not even matter in real life. This provides them a peace of mind while making them emotionally tuned and stable. 

2. Boosts Social Skills

When children do not engage with the screens, they automatically turn to social interactions. If parents go through any residential schools in Dehradun, they will find that kids there are socially proactive because they are not exposed to screens. Thus, to encourage them to engage in social conversations, it is necessary to reduce the screen time in the first place. 

3. Fosters Creativity and Problem-Solving

The reduction of screen time enables children to engage in real-life activities that require thinking, imagination, and a problem-solving mindset. It lets them think freely without any distractions and reduces the scope of random and varied emotional hits. 

4. Promotes Better Sleep

When kids do not engage in any digital content consumption, it minimizes the blue light that hinders the hormonal process of the brain. Removing phones before bed helps lower mental stimulation and allows the body to follow its natural sleeping cycle. 

5. Increases Attention Span

Reducing screen time helps kids to avoid overstimulation of the brain by engaging them in real-life tasks requiring time that reduces the craving for instant gratification. Overall, it gives space for activities like exercise and studying that demand consistent focus. 

Practical Tips for Parents 

Here are some practical tips that any parent can apply in real life: 

1. Become the Role Model

The parents need to become role models for their kids because kids learn by imitating habits and patterns. This process helps them perceive, understand, and respond to the things they will have to face. So, parents must make sure that they are also reducing their screen time and engaging with them in games and conversations. 

2. Encourage Physical Activity

Encourage kids in physical activities, such as encouraging them to play with siblings and friends outdoors. This will help kids engage in fun games like cricket, football, and badminton, enhancing their physical health and social skills. 

3. Promote Mind Games

The parents can experiment with what kind of mind games the kids take an interest in. It can be chess, puzzles, finding the thief, and other games that any co-ed residential school in India provides for kids.

4. Set Clear Rules

Setting timings of usage of screens is essential, so the children can stay active in their real lives while reducing the influence of screens. Parents can apply certain rules, like no phone while eating, studying (except for online classes), or before bed. By setting these boundaries, they can help them reduce screen time effectively. Likewise, the boys residential school in India can adopt strategic methods that can effectively help in reducing screen time. 

Conclusion

Reducing screen time is essential for kids, as they are sensitive and unaware of its long-term effects on their lives. Whether it is their social skills or personal life, it influences and even alters how they interact with people in the real world. Hence, it is necessary to guide them and put efforts into reducing their screen time. Through this guide, the parents can understand the importance and benefits of reducing screen time while implementing practical tips. 

The Asian School is a renowned boarding institution in Dehradun. As a reputed co-ed residential schools in India, they have integrated practical applications for reducing screen time among their students. As a boarding school, with their comprehensive guidance program, they help children reduce screen time by teaching them effective strategies and also advise parents on how they can support their children. Therefore, the parents can trust the school and choose to ensure the excellence of their child.