Dr. Imran Rashid and Soren Kenner are the authors of new book Offline: Free your mind from smartphone and social media stress. We asked them to share their thoughts on the risks of smartphone burnout for children with advice for parents on what to look out for.
The Chief Medical Officer of the UK just released a report on children’s use of smartphones and social media. They recommend that parents make sure their kids don’t spend more than two hours at a time online and learn not to bring their phone to dinner or into the bedroom.
It’s a start, but it may not be enough. Our book OFFLINE is based on an extensive survey of what research tells us about smartphones, social media and stress, sleep disturbances and lack of focus. And truth be told many of these studies paint a grim picture of the (perhaps unintended) side effects of extensive use of smartphones and social media.
Most people don’t realize just how much impact smartphones and social media has had over the past 10 years –– but the fact is that more than half of the world’s population now use social media. The resulting economy from sales of smartphones, tablets and not least the sale of your and your children’s attention to advertisers rivals the economy of mid-sized countries like Sweden or Holland. In essence, it is the largest social experiment ever undertaken and we have no clear idea where it will take us.
What we do know is that extensive use of smartphones and social media causes rewiring of children’s brains (a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity) and that the list of possible side effect includes stress, lowered self-estem, FOMO (fear of missing out), decision fatigue, problems focusing and concentrating, sleep disturbances, cognitive dissonance, digital tribalism, lowered empathy and cyber-bullying.
Signs of Smartphone Burnout
Obviously, not everyone child using a smartphone is going to get hit by every single possible side effect but here are some signs that are worth watching out for:
Mood swings – especially anger and frustration if you try and limit your children’s access to smartphones and social media.
Changes in sleep patterns – having a hard time falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night (to check their phone).
Trouble concentrating – difficulty managing school work on time and having a hard time getting started in on homework (the phone is more fun).
Being secretive – refusing to share information with you on what they do online or who they interact with.
Being more online than offline – the situation where the phone or tablet and social media exerts more pull than friends, sports, family, hobbies etc.
How to Combat Smartphone Burnout
So what can you do if you begin observing some of these symptoms? It’s pretty simple, really (albeit not easy, mind you).
Be present and focused
Spend time with your kids interacting with them and stay focused on them: What they are doing, what they are excited about, what they would like to do. Being there for them with your full attention makes a huge difference.
Be a role model
Remember, kids don’t do what you say, they do what they see you do. So put the phone away when you are with your kids and interact with them instead.
Make their phones less addictive
Get your kids to turn off notifications on their phones and in their social media feeds. This way the pull of the phone or tablets gets less and your children will have an easier time pulling away as needed.
Put screentime on a schedule
Make an online schedule with your kids –– could be after homework is done, or between 5 pm and 7 pm or after dinner or whatever works in your setting. But make sure you stick to what you have agreed.
Introduce alternatives
Try out some of the many good alternatives to being online. Play board games, solve puzzles, read a book, draw, learn to play the piano 😉 The real goal here is doing it together instead of being off on your own.
So in conclusion: Yes, children are at risk but there is plenty you can do about it. It requires being observant and takes discipline on your part as well. But it is all well worth it because what you get in return is not just saving your kids from smartphone burnout but also spending more quality time with them. What’s not to like about that!
Dr. Imran Rashid and Soren Kenner are the authors of new book Offline: Free your mind from smartphone and social media stress. Out now, priced at £12.99