In the subway, in cafes, even on the playground, children are glued to their screens everywhere.
Parents are in a panic: gadgets are replacing friends, studying, the real world. But prohibitions and shouting only make the problem worse.
What if, instead of a war over the phone, we tried a "silent annexation" strategy?
First, ask yourself: why does your child run away online? Often, it’s not a whim, but a way to cope with stress, loneliness, or boredom.
Teenagers, for example, look to social media for the acceptance they don’t get in life.
Younger children copy the behavior of adults - if you yourself do not let go of the phone, it is useless to demand otherwise from them.
Try to become a part of your child's digital world. Ask what he plays, ask him to teach you the rules.
You might be surprised, but many games develop logic, creativity, and even empathy.
For example, in Minecraft, children build entire worlds and learn to work in a team. Your task is not to criticize, but to understand what interests him.
The next step is to create “offline beacons.” These are rituals that make it worth putting your phone down. Shared breakfasts without gadgets, walks in the park with a search for “treasures” (unusually shaped leaves, birds’ nests), home quests with prizes.
The main thing is not to make it mandatory. Let the child come up with ideas.
It's important to set boundaries without ultimatums. Instead of "you'll only be on your phone for an hour," say, "Let's agree on a convenient time for you to take a break." If he chooses himself, the likelihood of conflict decreases.
And don’t forget to set a personal example: set aside time when the whole family can take a break from technology.
But what if the addiction is already strong? Don't panic. Start small: 10 minutes a day playing together, then gradually increase the "live" time.
Remember: the virtual world is not the enemy. It is part of modern life, and the task of parents is to help the child find balance, not to take away his “digital blanket”.
Author: Igor Zur