In today’s fast-moving and globalised world it is almost impossible to imagine our day-to-day life without mobile phones. It is one of the most successful inventions of the 20th century, which has become a convenient means of communication. Modern mobile phones perform many other functions as well; they can substitute for such devices as music players, cameras and organizers. Most of them also provide Internet access and texting. According to the U.N. Telecom agency, there were almost 6 billion cell phone users in the world, with almost 86 gadgets for every 100 people. There is nothing strange in this fact, as modern people need phones in all spheres of their lives – professional and personal. But we do not notice how much we depend on cell phones and what effects their excessive use might bring. Smartphones, no doubt, ruining our lives and our society. Smartphones are seriously messing with our quality of life, even causing addictive and narcissistic behaviour in us. Smartphones caused “communication issues” in our real lives, including less conversation and breakdowns in communication with family and friends. Some headlines imply that smartphones are destroying a generation, while others say there is little to worry about. This debate does not help with the pressing question, What is a parent to do?
Excessive screen time can be a red flag that a teenager is having emotional struggles. Teenagers often go on screens to escape hard feelings. But short amounts of time can pose risks, too. It takes only a minute to experience online cruelty. Still, much of the time that teenagers are on screens, they do not experience negative things.
If we are overly scared, we put teenagers on the defensive, alienating them. If parents take the opposite approach and are hands-off, teenagers are also likely to disengage.
There are a few simple actions all parents can take to help their teenagers. Foster open conversations and stave off defensiveness by first acknowledging the important role that their phones play in their lives and then ask about the hard stuff.
Encourage them to be mindful of how their digital experiences make them feel. Address irrefutable problems like inadequate sleep by requiring phones out of their rooms at bedtime. These simple steps can help parents.
Maryam ul Nisa, Islamabad.