At a family picnic, most children between the age of 8 and 12 kept nagging their parents for phones despite being in the company of friends.
At a birthday party, a Class V boy and a Class I child preferred to play games on the phone rather than with other children
The virtual world has become so attractive with its “moving images” that it has supplanted friends for many children, said psychologists and teachers. Despite being in groups, children get “bored” and sit with their devices.
The virtual world with its music, colour and images is more attractive to children so much so that it has supplanted the role of friends in real life. In school, they would still go out and play or talk with their friends because they do not have access to the device. But outside of school, they choose the unhealthier option, which is the device, over friends,” said psychologist Ruvena Sanyal.
Parents, saddled with their own work and worries, tend to give in to the children’s demands thinking it will keep them engaged.
At the picnic, the children did not want to play badminton or cricket after a while. “Of late, my son tells me that he gets bored with whatever he is doing after a while.
It is only when he is with the phone that he does not complain,” said the mother of a Class IV student.
Three families who went to Kashmir in December together said not even the showcapped mountains could keep their children away from the phone.
“They have never seen such scenery but when we insisted they look at the view, they barely did so for 30 seconds and then were drawn to the phone again,” said a father.
A psychiatrist said the mobile or a screen in any form gives children a high level of stimulation.
“The areas of the brain that deal with gratification get stimulated, something that the company of friends or books cannot match,” said psychiatrist Sanjay Garg. “The screen is dynamic and with more interactiveness and advanced levels in games, children get a sense of achievement.”
Teachers said they had seen the impact of the dependence on the device in school.
“There was a section of students who would want to stay in the classroom even during the break but the number has gone up now,” said Nupur Ghosh, vice principal, Mahadevi Birla World Academy.
“The ability to think, to assimilate and process information has been hit,” she said.
With structured play and play dates becoming the order of the day, the option of spontaneous play has been severely hit, said Sanyal.
“In such situations, parents tell us they are relieved that the child is busy with the device and is at home under supervision. But they do not realise that the virtual world can be even more dangerous and unsafe,” she said.