If you suddenly take away your child's mobile phone, it's certain that they will be stressed. In such a situation, give them something else to play with instead of their phone to help them maintain their mental balance.

How to keep children away from smartphones?

February begins on Sunday. This month and the beginning of March are exam season for all children. Whether it's the Matriculation Board exam, Intermediate exams, or exams for younger children, all government and private schools conduct exams during this time. Consequently, children's mental pressure is high during this month. It's often seen that children are extremely stressed during exams. Meanwhile, the mobile phone habit has become ingrained in children, and keeping them away from them can also disrupt their mental balance. So, how can children be happy, stress-free, and focused on their studies while keeping them away from mobile phones? In an exclusive interview with ABP News, Isha Singh, a faculty lecturer and clinical psychologist at Patna University, shared ways to deal with these challenges. 

Parents should pay attention to these things

According to Isha Singh, preparing for board exams can't be done in a month. Children know they have to take the board exam. Therefore, they prepare in advance. Putting pressure on things they don't have the ability to focus on won't help. Parents also need to pay attention to this. They should monitor their child's progress and focus on that. Avoiding pressure on children for marks will certainly maintain their mental balance.

How to take care of small children?

As for exams for younger children, science suggests that a child begins to understand academics after the age of 7. Therefore, parents should refrain from pressuring children in first, second, or third grades. Pay attention to their studies, but don't torture them. Play games with them, but not on your mobile phone. Sharing experiences of victory and defeat will help them understand their future. Take them on trips to introduce them to history.

How to keep children away from mobile phones?

Regarding keeping children away from mobile phones, Isha Singh explained that when we do something repeatedly and it is suddenly taken away, it definitely affects the brain. She advised that nowadays, parents give mobile phones to their children to appease them. They should have kept them away earlier, but suddenly removing them during exams can cause problems. Even science is now saying that the effect of mobile phones after Covid is that children are not developing mentally the way they should. Brain damage, behavioral problems, and speech problems are all being seen. Therefore, children should be kept away from them from the very beginning.

What will happen if your mobile is suddenly snatched?

Isha explained that if you suddenly take away the phone, it's certain that the child will be stressed. In such a situation, give them something else to play with instead of the phone to maintain their mental balance. You may notice that if a child is kept away from the mobile phone, they may become stressed. There's no need to worry too much, as this doesn't last long. If you consistently keep the child away from the mobile phone, they will recover within three to four days. After this, they will forget the phone in front of whatever you give them and will begin to study properly. If you think the child is upset and keep giving them the mobile phone again and again, this could be fatal in the long run.

What to do in the era of social media?

According to Isha Singh, social media is a reality these days; we can't remove it from our lives. Even during exam time, we can't avoid it for long. If you're a parent, you can limit it. Your child exchanges messages on Facebook and Instagram. Mobile learning is also becoming a priority, so you need to monitor how much time your child spends studying and how much time they spend on other things. If your child is spending all night watching other things on their mobile phone, you need to control it.