Addiction in children

[auh]

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I came across this article which is about the effects of a growing concern - the usage of electronic gadgets by children.

Toddlers becoming so addicted to iPads they require therapy - Telegraph

It just doesn't stop with a few gadgets, rather as they grow up it fuels up some kind of feverish longing for all things new and flashy - a new cycle, the latest PSB or Xbox etc. The children are often arrogant and boorish. Of course they might be scoring well in their subjects but otherwise, this obsession with gadgets, brands and e-culture creates zombies out of humans.

It is really a hard task for parents to handle the situation - any thoughts?

 

[vgane]

Children like to play with toys...Now the new toys are the electronic gadgets which are being splurged by the parents..Recently I was in Ganapathy Agraharam in Tanjore district..The children of the Ganapadigal who were very obedient and religious were playing with video games for a short while only..There is nothing wrong in it so long as it is not an addiction..

Do not worry..When you buy a gadget for your child, make your kid agree that he will spend just 1 hour daily..Many children agree to such conditions..Make it a win-win for both of you

Children are exposed to gadgets not only through friernds but also through advertisements in TV and newspapers/journals

 

[auh]

Children like to play with toys...Now the new toys are the electronic gadgets which are being splurged by the parents..Recently I was in Ganapathy Agraharam in Tanjore district..The children of the Ganapadigal who were very obedient and religious were playing with video games for a short while only..There is nothing wrong in it so long as it is not an addiction..

Do not worry..When you buy a gadget for your child, make your kid agree that he will spend just 1 hour daily..Many children agree to such conditions..Make it a win-win for both of you

Children are exposed to gadgets not only through friernds but also through advertisements in TV and newspapers/journals

An example comes to mind - a colleague's boy gets a new PSB whenever a new version is released, and without it all hell breaks loose. These games stimulate the mind so much that without it they feel empty, and therein lies the danger. The boy cannot sit idly even for a few minutes, and any activities that do not match the feverish pace of his favourite game is a dull thing.

Another instance (though not directly related to the topic) - My friend's sister's son is in class X, and he has apparently started a new demand for branded items - clothes, shoes, watches...

 

[tks]

These gaming systems are well researched to make an addict out of even children who may have attention disorder. A generation of zombies are being raised by a good part of somewhat affluent and middle class families world wide.

It is hard to stop a kid from wanting to play. An approach to solution is to fill the time of children with many activities - music lessons, playing team sports, participating in research competitions , Vedic Heritage classes etc

 

[Raji Ram]

This was the special topic of discussion in a T V channel last evening. Kids were shown with cell phones, ipads and video games!

It is true that the new-gen-moms opt to toss an ipad to the child for hours together so that they will not be bother them. That is

how the children get addicted. They need the ipad while eating too! The food goes in without even getting noticed by the child.

This seems to be really a bad situation. A psychologist said that the 'hit; kill; destroy; beat; shoot at sight' kind of games make the

child an arrogant human being later on. Too much pampering and saying 'Yes' to everything also spoils the child and as an adult,

he /she can not face any failure and take extreme steps! Too much of 'Hitler' attitude towards a child is also equally bad!


BTW, while travelling in a day train, I found a mom playing video game, leaving the six month old daughter and three year old son in

the custody of her husband! She did not remove her eye off the screen, even while the infant was screaming with hunger! The father

had a tough time managing the children. I was sitting :tape: because no one wants advice now a days!! :nono:

 

[renuka]

I hope my neighbour buys video games for his children soon!

They scream and yell and make so much noise and no one checks the children at all or tell them to shut up!LOL

The other neighbours kids are so quiet cos they are busy playing video games at home.

 

[mkrishna100]

Childern are addicted to Video Games /IPAD/IPhone etc
Many ladies have addiction to watching TV serials throughout the day .
Many Retired Men have addiction to watching TV News channels through out the day ( one of my uncles who is 75+ has a dedicated TV for him and he is always glued to it and he moves out of the TV only when he has to use Toilet , Bathroom , for food ( most of times he eats food watching TV ) and when he sleeps at night ( again he sleeps watching the TV on sofa ) .
Many people(middle aged, retired , young etc ) have FaceBook /Internet addiction and they always keep updating their FB every hour or if it is a forum , they keep on replying to most of the posts in a thread .

 

[Raji Ram]

I think our forum addiction ranks only second, the F B addiction being the first! :first:

P.S: Any ranking for 'sudoku' addiction??

 

[renuka]

I think our forum addiction ranks only second, the F B addiction being the first! :first:

P.S: Any ranking for 'sudoku' addiction??

Dear RR ji,

I used to be on FB then I deleted my account cos I found it too irritating.. some idiots used to leave all sorts of comments on my wall etc and since M'sia is a very small country I did not want my local friends spying on my activities and invite me to their homes or expect me to invite them to my home etc.

Overseas friends are OK cos I wont have to meet them ever!LOL

Forum is addictive cos we have nice garam masala fights at times.

 

[Raji Ram]

.......... Forum is addictive cos we have nice garam masala fights at times.

Dear Renu,

Very true! And then there are absolutely no offensive smileys here!!

 

[Raji Ram]

There is a saying in Tamil - 'muLaiyilE kiLLi eRi'! That means to eradicate when it sprouts.

The time to use ipad should be restricted in the beginning before it becomes an addiction.

Cell phone should never be given to toddlers and children till they are in high school.

Fighting video games should not be bought for the children to play at home.

They should have better hobbies like drawing, painting, music and real games.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Yet another Propaganda/marketing stunt for IPad. Makes no sense in India. I do not know how many Indians are going to give their toddlers a 40000 Rs. toy.

I remember decades back when out parents were worried about children being addicted to Radio. My father had a lot of objection when my uncle brought us a pocket transistor radio. Then we had thousands of articles about children being addicted to TV.

Did we not hear about this addiction when Sony Walkman was the rage?

Addiction to Soap serials by adults resulted in the total stoppage of the age old practice of visits. We used tp visit neighbours and relatives during the evening. Once the TV addiction set in even if you visted the neeighbours/relatives, you found them engrossed in a TV soap. You joined them in watching TV and left after some time. No time for conversation.

The entire practice social interaction died out because of our addiction to TV.

Have we done anything about that?

If the parents do not want the children to be addicted they should set a good example. I know parents who had stopped watching TV in the years when their children were in the final years of school/college.

 

[Raji Ram]

...... If the parents do not want the children to be addicted they should set a good example. .....

Very well said, Sir!

I was surprised to see a lady, during my train journey, with her eyes glued on to the laptop screen, playing a game!

Poor husband was managing their two tiny tots! How true is this: 'manaivi amaivadhellAm iRaivan koduththa varam'!

In his case it might be 'keduththa varam!' :sad:

 

[sarang]

Recently, in a one and a half hour flight from chennai, a boy under ten in the front seat, played for some time with a gaming device (several games), then played chess and one or two games in an ipad (when the father separated himself from it), and then settled for a comics (printed book). I am not sure whether such a short attention span is good or not!

Children like to play with toys...Now the new toys are the electronic gadgets which are being splurged by the parents..Recently I was in Ganapathy Agraharam in Tanjore district..The children of the Ganapadigal who were very obedient and religious were playing with video games for a short while only..There is nothing wrong in it so long as it is not an addiction..

Do not worry..When you buy a gadget for your child, make your kid agree that he will spend just 1 hour daily..Many children agree to such conditions..Make it a win-win for both of you

Children are exposed to gadgets not only through friernds but also through advertisements in TV and newspapers/journals

 

[sarang]

Sometimes some try to bring in non veg; otherwise veg garam masala is OK!

Dear RR ji,
Forum is addictive cos we have nice garam masala fights at times.

 

[kanchankapoor]

Do this:
1) Make them earn game time: Make him read for however long he wants and tell him that he can only play twice as long as he reads. For example, if he reads 1 hour then he can play for 2 hours.
2) Keep putting codes, but make it something completely random so he won't guess it very quickly.
3) Take the screens out of your child’s bedroom.
4) Block out Xbox live on your wireless router.
5) "Accidentally" break his game or make it "mysteriously" break.
6) Try to help foster your child’s social life outside of the game.
7) Don’t let the game become their primary reward system.
8) Specify what types of applications or books your child may use.

 

[weblogic]

Yet another Propaganda/marketing stunt for IPad. Makes no sense in India. I do not know how many Indians are going to give their toddlers a 40000 Rs. toy.

Sir, Ipad like devices (Android version from chinese vendors have flooded the market and starts from Rs 3000) So many parents claim to have bought this devices with wrong notion of their kids studying school and other science related stuff like encyclopedia etc. whereas in reality is this are Dumbo Plain Gaming devices and serves this purpose only in 99% of the cases.
Also as rightly observed by Sarang most of the younger children have now IMO have lost concentration capability and have reduced their comprehension times from 45 mins earlier to 20-25 mins on a single activity.

 

[Raji Ram]

Do this:
1) Make them earn game time: Make him read for however long he wants and tell him that he can only play twice as long as he reads. For example, if he reads 1 hour then he can play for 2 hours.
2) Keep putting codes, but make it something completely random so he won't guess it very quickly.
3) Take the screens out of your child’s bedroom.
4) Block out Xbox live on your wireless router.
5) "Accidentally" break his game or make it "mysteriously" break.
6) Try to help foster your child’s social life outside of the game.
7) Don’t let the game become their primary reward system.
8) Specify what types of applications or books your child may use.

Dear Kanchan,

Don't you think 1) and 7) are contradicting each other?

And is not 1 : 2 time for reading : gaming too much?

 

[vgane]

The best thing is put the child in some extra curricular activities be it chess, tennis, badminton or even painting, music etc

Also make the child play in the ground compulsorily

Make the child learn an additional language

As far as gadgets are concerned you need to have an understanding or agreement with the child...May be if he plays for one hour he has to study for at least 1 hour

 

[Raji Ram]

I find that girl children have more extra curricular activities than boys!

Girls do not get addicted to violent video games like boys.

 

[kanchankapoor]

Hello Raji Ram,

These are simple suggestions from my point of view. Reward system could be different than only giving rewards in terms of Gaming time. Point no. 7 suggesting that. Something more interesting reward which kids would love more than xbox & ipad games.

 

[auh]

The worst thing is that in spite of all our best efforts to prepare them for an home where e-gadgets are bare minimal, the moment they step into their friends circle, the show off starts... a kind of ache begins to develop in children and they become restless until their demands are met.

PC learning begins very early in schools - one side effect is that they learn to play the games on PC or laptop well. Another cause of distraction.

I think it should all begin by the parents being role models... they should not watch too much tv (except perhaps Nat Geo/news etc) and perhaps they should encourage the reading habit in childre. Arts and music perhaps...?

 

[dvrrajakumar]

I have some suggestions for this remedy. This is only for serious people who are really following good culture and not for the wayward people

If - you are just married

1) Have sexual intercourse for procreation at the auspicious time. Ask good astrologers, not the money minded.
2) Eat Satvik Food (Least amount of Masala, Chillies, Non-Veg.) before planning for procreation atleast for 3 months in advance.
3) Hear Upanishads and Puranas not just read them
4) Have sex not like an animal or not when you are very angry


If - you are married and expecting the child
1) Ladies must Eat Satvik Food
2) Hear all Slokhas continuosly

If you are already having a toddler to 5 years child
1) Devote lot of time to show that you really love the child
2) Give less priority for job and more priority for the child
3) Do not bribe the child for your laziness / irresponsibility

If - the Child is 5 years to 12 years
1) Have a heart to heart talk with the child in regard to your exact status
2) Do not Bribe the child for your laziness / irresponsibility
3) Do not pamper him too much by giving him materialistic things saying that I did not get all these when I was a child

If - the Child is 12 years to till marriage
1) Treat him like your friend but be strict in the discipline
2) Never do unrighteous act yourself. Parents by default are role model dream for the child and this should not shatter
3) Show respect to elders

I can write many more, but least said it can be followed. I am stopping here.
Of all the things most important one is that you be highly righteous - do not tell lie, do not do any bad deeds; (this does not mean you should get up early morning 4 o' clock, take bath, touch the feet of husband, go to temple or do puja daily). You first be disciplined in the life in all aspects.

The most important aspect is that when you are born, you have been given the Prarabdha karma deeds of certain percentage into your Aatma with a free will of 50% for your Aagami Karma and for total Sanchita Karma. This you cannot change. Do your duty with love and without any expectation of rewards at any stage. You will get best life, means even if you are poor or stinkingly rich you will lead a most satisfied life.

With aseervadham

Prof.D.V.R.Rajakumar