The digitalized world, remote online course systems, new generation learning techniques and social media have reached a point where it is not possible to take children and adolescents away from the screen. At this point, family support is of great importance for the early period, i.e. 0-6 years of screen restriction, close follow-up in the school age period and adolescence, and conscious screen-internet use.
Clinical Psychologist Ayşegül Nezor emphasized that the need of parents to 'distract' children is an important factor in screen use and the pending danger of 'addiction', and underlined that families should first be role models by distancing themselves from the screen, and then they will eliminate the problems that will occur after addiction by opening a social space. Nezor said, “Especially in the last 5 years, children are getting acquainted with technology at a younger age and in parallel with this, they have more access to online platforms. The fact that parents resort to digital devices such as phones and tablets when they feel the need to distract their children is a very important factor in the use of screens at such a young age. In one way, parents are enabling children to get used to the screen, but on the other hand, they are looking for solutions to the problems it causes. At this point, the fact that they are more interested in robots and digital games than traditional toys and that they grow up as a generation that is far away from outdoor games play a big role. It is also possible to say that the new generation, which has screens in many areas of their lives and grows up with technology, is born with a different brain structure than other generations. This has serious effects on both the physical and mental development of children. While children who play with traditional toys such as pots, pans, cars and dolls use their imagination and interact more with the physical world, children who use phones and tablets become passive viewers. Long periods of screen time can also limit children's opportunities to think, problem solve and develop social skills. Although these devices silence children in the short term, studies have shown that in the long term they can lead to addiction, distraction and emotional development problems. Thus, compared to before, families can control children's internet use more difficult and this reveals the need for more awareness about setting limits.”
“The 10-13 age range is more vulnerable to digital addiction”
Nezor said that according to research on digital addiction, 'children between the ages of 10-13 are more vulnerable to digital addiction' and added, “This situation makes it difficult for them to focus at school and negatively affects their learning processes.Reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics also show that screen use for more than two hours a day increases the risk of distraction, sleep disorders and academic failure in children.Various studies conducted in Turkey on children's addiction to social media and gaming have yielded similar results.In addition, prolonged use of digital devices weakens children's self-control skills and may increase their search for instant gratification and lead to dissatisfaction.Therefore, it is of great importance for parents to take this into consideration, monitor and limit their children's screen time and direct them to physical activities and face-to-face social interactions.”
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