GUNTUR: While the Covid-19 pandemic pushed people to focus on health and fitness, it was during the same time that technology, particularly smartphones and laptops, became an integral part in the daily lives of adults and children alike. As classrooms and playgrounds turned digital, a drastic rise in children’s screen time was noted. This in turn began affecting their physical and mental health.
Even as medical professionals have been suggesting urgent intervention in the matter by way of encouraging kids to take up outdoor activities, children, meanwhile, seem to be glued to their phones.
Expressing concern, a teacher at a private school, Ramani observed, “In the past, children used to eagerly wait for sports period, but now they do not want to go out and play anymore.”
She explained that children give excuses like ill health in order to avoid outdoor activity.Ramani further pointed out that kids are even reluctant to indulge in indoor games likes chess, crossword, jigsaw and sudoku, which can help sharpen their mind. Sharing her concern, Dr Uma Jyothi, head of psychology department at Guntur Government General Hospital, said living in a virtual world could interfere with the moral and social interaction of the children.
“As they are losing connection with their surroundings, in some cases even losing emotional dependability on their parents and friends, children are becoming insensitive towards others and even cruel, which is not at all healthy for them or for the society in the long run,” she explained.
Emphasising on the role of parents, she said they should give more time to their children.The psychologist advised parents to think of innovative and fun activities for kids and encourage them to participate in them to bring down screen time.On the other hand, school managements should also inculcate art-integrated learning and introduce other innovative methods in the curriculum to make children more creative.