Recently, anxious parents frequently come to see me. My child suffers from “Internet addiction”. They stare at the Internet all day and begin to secretly recharge their phones with money they have earned from playing online games.
We live in an age where the Internet is gradually becoming part of our lives. The phenomenon known as youth “Internet addiction” haunts us. Studies have shown that “Internet addiction” is more common among younger children. Research shows that internet addiction teenageds account for 14.1% of urban adolescent Internet users, equivalent to 24,000,000. Nearly half the internet addicted teens use “playing online games” to surf the Internet. The longest-lasting time spent on the internet is 13.2%, which is equivalent to 24 million.
Similar results were found in a study of 1,178 American children and teens aged 8-18. They spend 44.5 hours each week looking at screens and 23% believe that they are addicted. The screen is limiting the children’s ability to enjoy other aspects of their lives, which parents fear.
Dr. Douglas Gentile is the director of Iowa State University’s Media Research Laboratory. He said that nearly one in ten online gamers has a symptom which hinders their academic, familial, or mental health. This is worth attention.
Recognize the signs that you may be falling prey to internet addiction
Children fill their free hours with online games and other Internet activities, such as social networking, instant messaging, and so on. Dr. Kimberly Young of the Internet Addiction Recovery Center pointed out that these are possible signs that children may have an addiction to the Internet.
Changes to the daily rhythm of life
When you log in online, all your time is lost, including time to eat, sleep and do homework.
Willing to give up sleep in order to surf the Internet
Multiple times per day, check email and online messages
Spend your time online rather than doing homework or other chores
Violation of the Internet usage settings or time restrictions that you have placed on him
Speak lies about your online time or use a VPN to go online in secret, when everyone is not paying attention.
Changes in interpersonal relations:
You prefer to spend your time online over with family or friends
Make new friends with netizens whom you don’t know.
Modifications in mood and interests:
You can get irritable and angry online.
If you don’t have access to the Internet, you might become annoyed
Even though I have left the internet, I am still hooked to it.
If you are not online, you can become irritable and moody.
Loss of interest in activities offline that were once interesting
These little changes in behavior are called “warnings”. Parents need to be aware of them and take action. Of course, there will be other appearances.
Internet addiction among adolescents and children-the psychological cost
While parents may think that children surfing the Internet and playing online is a problem, when they discover that their children are having problems with academics, they begin to take notice. However, internet addiction in young people can also cause “emotional” and worrying changes. If you don’t correct your internet addiction quickly, young people may close the communication channel with each other. But they will still be willing to change.
Online games and online communication allow them to escape from the sadness of life. In the challenging and exciting game they can get into a world where their problems are gone and they have all the opportunities they want. They can chat and play with anyone they wish in the chat room. Other players can also join them. Chatting with parents becomes unnecessary or even a burden.
As with alcohol and drugs, the internet offers children and teens a way of getting rid of distressing situations and painful feelings. They will give up sleep in order to make it online.
Children who lack positive parenting relationships and rewards are more likely than others to adopt inappropriate or exaggerated online behaviors. Because they are often lonely and alienated in real life, and have difficulty making friends. In order to find the companionship and attention they need in real life, they use online chat rooms to meet invisible strangers. Sometimes children with serious family problems or those who have experienced bullying or social difficulties at school or in extracurricular activities will be more open to spending time online to solve problems. In social situations, they are more inclined to send instant messages and not have face-toface conversations.
How to prevent children’s internet addiction
Where do you ask the question?
Your children should be told that if they have been online for more than an hour recently, it is best to stop. Discuss the matter between the parents and the child in a friendly, open-ended way. Sometimes children react emotionally. This is normal. It is important to communicate with your child in a respectful way. Your child needs to be able to understand and confirm his feelings.
Show your concern for others and your love
Let your children know you care about them. This will encourage you to have a productive discussion. Children and teens often see parents’ criticisms of their behavior as accusations or criticisms. When talking to your child, avoid using condemning words such as fatigue and loss of interest in hobbies or social withdrawal. I’d like to see how your online study time and online entertainment is spent. What television network do you watch to help you relax after studying? This will enable you to better understand the content and also help you reflect on your understanding of how they learn. Friendly communication will result from such a conversation.
Get more proficiency in network and computer networking
To better understand the Internet surfing behavior of children, you can learn to examine the history folder, log records online, and install filters. However, you will need some computer and network knowledge. Every parent should be familiar with the terms used in computer and network terms. This will allow them to understand their children’s online activities. Allow yourself to be interested in the Internet, and you will soon understand your child’s online trajectory.
Establish reasonable rules and boundaries
Many parents realize that their children are addicted to the internet and punish them by taking away their phones and computers. Children will get very upset. Fearful parents may stop letting their children use the internet to solve the problem. These two methods can actually cause problems. Because they make children think they are bad children and that you are blocking their desires, they will internalize this and become hostile to you. The withdrawal symptoms are similar to quitting smoking abruptly.
Talk with your child and discuss how much time you spend on the Internet. You should also agree to a limit for usage. This could be as simple as limiting the amount of surfing each night after school, or limiting the use to weekends. You can encourage and reward your children to follow the rules.
The computer should be located in an area that is easily accessible by everyone, such the living room. Make it a rule that Internet activities other than homework cannot be accessed in public areas. This will make your children more comfortable interacting with you and other family members.
