(Article contributed by Tracey Clayton.)

With such a rapid development of technology, new millennials are growing up surrounded with these electronic devices that seem to absorb all of their attention. Regardless of the enormous positive influence of technology, being too depended of it can result in negative consequences. If you have noticed that your child is spending too much time on the phone, it just might be the time to take some appropriate measures to prevent this kind of addiction. Here you can read about all the negative aspects of a Smartphone addiction, how it manifests and most importantly – how to help your child overcome it:

Negative Effects of Smartphone’s

One thing is certain – the negative effects of too much Smartphone usage are immense. Recent studies claim that this kind of dependence of technology can be classified as an addiction. Children are spending too much time using their phones, not only at home, but at school, outdoors, on events, even when crossing the street, which also carries a lot of risk. Not only can this over-usage damage the overall health, eyesight and similar, it can also have some severe emotional and mental consequences as well. Children are becoming antisocial, communication is slowly dying out, and it stands in the way of studying and developing in a healthy manner. The question is whether this kind of addiction can be surpassed in a world so involved in technology?

Psychology behind Selfies

But first let me take a...deep psychological insecurity and rely on the acceptance of others to overcome it. This seemingly banal trend that has taken over the world quite rapidly has turned out to be more severe than we thought. The psychology behind selfies is actually quite simple – it is about defining ones self-image. Of course, teenagers are most dependent of this trend as this is the quickest way for them to get a quick response and a sense of worthy. Puberty is the time when people develop, change in different ways and it is also a time of huge insecurities and self-doubts. This is why most teenagers resort to selfies, as a key tool of building up their confidence levels and feeling more appreciated and accepted with every like they gain.

How to Help?

Of course, no problem is insurmountable and with enough patience you too can help your child overcome this addiction. So what can you do exactly? The best solution is to take it gradually and approach this problem carefully. First, start with setting a good example. Children look up to you, if they see that their parents are spending their free time absorbed in the virtual world, most likely that they will follow your steps. Also, offer them different entertaining content like sports activities, artistic classes and hobbies that would draw their attention away from technology. When it comes to using electronic devices, make sure to set some house rules to avoid spending the whole day in front of their phones.

Communication Is the Key

Another crucial aspect of overcoming this issue is dealing with the problem from an early start. Prevention is the best medicine; it is much easier to prevent the problem from arising than it is to overcome it in later years. The key here lies in the communication. If you are not quite sure how to approach your child, perhaps it is a good idea to rely on qualified professionals in child care centres whose job is to educate children and help them develop in a healthy manner. These centres are aimed to help children improve their social and communication skills, encourage their confidence and the ability to communicate and interact with their fellow peers.

It is safe to say that we live in a world dependent of technology and we cannot blame children for becoming too involved in their technological devices. What we can do is influence our children to nurture other positive virtues, talk with them and help them foster true values. This way, children will grow up thinking for themselves and will not rely on technology or others to feel worthy.

Originally Published 3/11/2016