Today, we live in an era dominated by digital technology, where students are perpetually engaged with their screens and phones. This excessive screen exposure has a profoundly detrimental effect on children’s mental and emotional well-being. The key question that arises is: How can we effectively regulate screen time while preserving mental health and overall balance? Establishing a harmonious relationship with technology is essential to harness its benefits without compromising psychological and physical wellness. Therefore, fostering mindful and balanced screen usage among students is crucial to safeguarding their long-term well-being. It’s time to build healthy screen habits for students

Let us discuss the impact of screen time on students. 

Increase in Screen Time:  How Screen Time Affects Students

An increase in screen time among children has a very negative impact on their overall well-being. Let us discuss this below: 

Physical Health

• Spending too much time on the screen discourages physical activity, contributing to obesity and poor muscle tone.
• Eye strain: Staring at screens for extended periods can also lead to eye fatigue, dryness and headaches
• Also, one should remember that for children slouching while using devices can lead to poor posture.

Mental Health

• For children, too much usage of screens close to bedtime can interfere with their sleep patterns.
• Also, excessive social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy, and a child starts comparing himself to others – impacting his mental health
• As parents, we should realise that too much screen time for children means that they reduce interaction with peers, reducing physical activities which ultimately impacts their social skills.

Cognitive Development

• When children spend too much time on screens, they get distracted by notifications, which can ultimately impair concentration and focus.
• Also, too much screen time, especially during study sessions, can hinder the students’ learning abilities.

Discussed the impact of screen time on students. 

How To Balance Screen Time For Children: Healthy screen habits for students

Be accountable

You should set expectations with your child and create goals to reduce screen time intentionally. Many devices have features that can set time limits for use.

Be Realistic

If you’re a parent of a child who spends leisure time on screens, including watching TV, start by setting more attainable goals. One should start by cutting their child’s screen time in half.

Be Engaged with your child

After the child comes back from school or work, spend each day talking face-to-face with the kids and giving them your full attention.

Make sure to put hand-held devices away.

During screen-free hours, put the phones away or even at a charging station in a common area so that they do not attract your kid’s attention.

Engage in creating phone-free zones in the home

Parents should make family meal areas a phone-free zone. This is an easy way to start cutting screen time for your child.

Take Time and Go Outside

Make sure your child goes outside for a walk or playing outdoors as this increases their endorphins and also provides a feeling of happiness in the brain, which improves physical health.

Top Signs of Having Too Much Screen Time

Yes, your child is using the screens a lot; what are the signs that show that your child is using too much digital technology? Some signs you can look out for are:

• Has your child stopped doing things they used to enjoy?
• Is your child saying no to a fun activity and saying yes to screen time all the time?
• If it’s difficult to get their attention when they’re on the screen and ignore you.
• Do they get angry and throw tantrums if you take their screen away?

If your child is acting like the above, then it’s a sign to reduce the balance of screen time and engage your child more in outdoor activities! Yes, there are many ways in which screen time affects students.

Reduce Screen Time For Your Child Now!

We have discussed how screen time affects students. As parents, there are many ways that you can balance screen time for your child.

If you want your child to develop good social and communication skills, then you can enroll them at The Presidency International School, Dehradun. Here, the child will receive more than just academic instruction. They will develop confidence, nurture a spirit of exploration, cultivate leadership skills, and much more! In this school, the young minds are prepared to excel in every field.