Tag Archives: mobile phone addiction fro children

Is PHONE ADDICTION Ruining Your Family Bonding?

Is PHONE ADDICTION Ruining Your Family Bonding?

Phone addition is real.

You may not believe you are affected but ask yourself this question. Would you rather play with you children or play on your phone. If you answer phone you may have phone addiction and your children may be being neglected.

Phone addiction is real. Child neglect is real.

Spending time on your phone sends the message you value time with your phone more than with your children, to your children.

Ask yourself again.

Phone addiction play with your phone or your children? Your answer maybe you want to play with your children but phone addiction means you choose your phone.

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Your not alone phone addiction affects more than half the adult population. Statshttps://explodingtopics.com/blog/smartphone-addiction-stats

Technology is great in so many ways but when it rules you then it’s not so great. Think of technology like alcohol or another addictive substance.  People use it in moderation believing they can control it and for some people this is true but not for everyone.  Some people cannot control its use and other believe they can but aren’t, they just don’t realise they’re hurtling towards addiction.

So what to do?

Firstly understand the signs. Where you are. Has phone use become the norm?

Understanding and calling yourself a phone addict is a huge step.

You’re not alone. Look around and you’ll see parents across the world engaging with technology and not their children. We all do it, you’re not alone but let’s make a conscious effort to break the cycle.

Take time out off technology.

Allocate time to your children. Time where you put the phones down and play.  Lock phones away. They can wait.

Re-connect with your children. Make them feel valued.

Playing together, enjoying time together. Having fun.

This may not be easy but it is rewarding to you and your family.

Doing what your children want to do, to engage in their world.

Traditional games are great ways of engaging and having fun.

Don’t be afraid to play their games, even on technology.

So your coming off your phone but going onto an electronic games console?

The point here is to value time with your children more than time with your phone. Its not that all technology is bad.

Re- engaging with your children is key.  When we realised we were spending more time on our phones than with our children we changed our habits and spent more time doing what they wanted to do.

Done: Watched endless, pointless videos of children opening presents, watching children, watching videos of opening present (what the attraction here??).

Done: Played a game I don’t understand, could not operate properly and achieved a (children laughing loudly) embarrassing status.

Done: Felt completely out of my depth.

Done: Felt I would rather be (insert anything) than doing this.

But, afterwards it felt like we had connected and engaged. I’d done (terribly) something they like. I’d made them laugh and smile. It felt good. I’m never going to be a gamer but that is not the point.

Phone addiction is real.

Recognising your addiction is the first step.

Phone addiction is real in children.

Its quite probable that your children are also suffering phone addiction to some degree.

You could reverse the question and ask them. Phone addiction spend time with parents or on phone.

This may be the shock you need to take action.

There is always hope and a solution.

Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous

Phone Addiction: Tips To Break Up With Your Phone | Glamour UK

I’ve been waging war on my phone addiction | Mobile phones | The Guardian

Phone addiction is real but so are the solutions

If you feel the need to talk about this or other parenting issues, please feel free to contact me on CosyChats.

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👨‍👩🏾‍👧🏽‍👦😊 CosyChats is a personalised parent support Service that can provide support to parents across a wide range of parenting issues including how to connect with your children and spend quality time together. How to leave your parenting guilt at the door and build a solid and happy relationship with your children.

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Top 10 Benefits of the CosyChats service.

👍🏼Access to a wealth of Parenting Experience and Knowledge.


👍🏼Your own personalised 1-2-1 service.

👍🏼A safe space free from judgement and shame.

👍🏼You are in control and choose the CosyChats parent and service that’s right for you.

👍🏼Years of lessons learnt and experience gained that can all be shared.

👍🏼Being understood and your needs heard.

👍🏼No question is too small, no problem too big.

👍🏼Compassion and support from people who understand how difficult being a parent can be.

👍🏼Its affordable and is far greater value than professional providers.

👍🏼Meetings are on online so you can join from where you feel most comfortable.

CosyChats is a personalised parent support Service that can provide support to parents across a wide range of parenting issues including how to connect with your children and spend quality time together.

a child playing with a mobile phone

When Should Your Child Get Their FIRST Mobile Phone?

Thinking of giving your child a mobile phone? You need to read this first.

When Should Kids Get Their FIRST Mobile Phone? Mobile phones are the must have accessory for children. Please can I have a mobile phone. I must have a mobile phone. All my friends have got mobile phones. Are phrases your going to hear a lot but giving a mobile phone is a big step.

Quick Guide – Yes to All to Proceed

Is your child 13

Have you taught them what to do if they see porn

Have you explained (and they understand) online predators / cyber bullying

Explained never to share private photos, information, secrets

Taught phone/online etiquette

Explained how they will lose the privilege

Ready to supervise and check their phone regularly

Watch for changes in behaviour

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Firstly lets talk about the impact of mobile phones on our children.


Generally they’ve become more insular and inward looking. The phone is the gateway to their world. Friends, conversations entertainment exists online. Our children don’t watch much TV and certainly not with us. The watch lots of videos. When their eating. walking, getting ready, travelling. If allowed they’d watch it all the time.

This creates a dis connect to the real world.

Friends exist on line. Entertainment exists on line. They don’t need or want to go outside and do things. Difficult for parents who haven’t grown up with phones to understand but that it their world. This creates dependency and anxiety. Take their phone away and its a trauma. This is a real problem and wide spread, 50% of Teenagers feel anxious without their phones

We definitely agree with this.

So your giving your child something very powerful and overpowering. Don’t underestimate the power of phones.

Society is catching up but bans are coming into force. More than 90% of schools in England ban mobile phone use, survey shows

Phone use can be addictive and damaging. Not in all cases and many children can use mobile phones responsibly but the risk and threat is real ‘Screens and adolescents: How phones broke children’s brains’

So the question is whether your child is responsible, equipped and able to have manage a mobile phone?

Firstly this is not a negative judgement on your child. Many adults suffer the same way. Many adults are susceptible to the negative impacts of phone usage so your conversation shouldn’t be a negative judgement on your child but you have to consider your child’s ability to manage a phone.

You must decide what age is right we’ll share our experience.

Leave it as long as you can. We can’t set an age but if your unsure leave it.  Be stubborn and don’t give in.

If you have more than one child you need to consider the precedent being set by age.



Consider the Pros, contactable, communicate with friends, not being left out.

Another Blog? Adolescence | Every Parents Nightmare
Consider the negatives.  See above and the first point. Leave it as long as you can.  If there ones thing we wished we’d have done is leave it a bit longer before giving them phones.

In terms of delaying age is just a number its about how your child manages and the impact on them. Don’t get trapped by age meaning they’re ready.

We didn’t research enough the negatives and were a little naive around the isolating impact of a phone.  For us its not a phone its a smartscreen that occasionally is used as a phone.

Things to do before you give your child a mobile phone, our experience.

Research as much as you can.  Understand the risks. Build in safeguards.

Have an agreement on whats acceptable use and what isn’t.  Make the child sign to agree.  Video them so there’s no arguing.  Sounds mad but we wished we’d have done this rather than trying to do it afterwards.

Have a trial period.  this worked well for us.  If there not ready then take the phone back.

Very important.  You set up the phone.  You set the passwords etc.  Part of the agreement is they don’t change passwords etc if they need to you need to be part of that.

Set controls on the phone.  The Best Parental Control Apps to Manage Screen Time (and Keep Your Kid Safer Online)

Set screen time limits

Monitor phone use.  Check their phone.  Its invading their privacy but its understanding what they are looking and and talking to. Imagine that have come across a suicide forum and are exploring it.  You would want to know.  ‘First Ofcom probe launched into suicide site exposed by BBC’

Limit and monitor WhatsApp and other communication tools.  So much potential for bullying and being bullied. Our parent WhatsApp groups are full of updates on arguments and frightening things going round children’s WhatsApp groups.  ‘Nine-year-olds added to malicious WhatsApp groups’

Set wifi controls.  Contact your provider and see what software and controls they offer.

Finally be vigilaint.  There is harm in keeping a watchful eye and monitoring even as they get older.  Its so easy to become complacent.  Bereaved parents whose children took own lives demand more access to content they were exposed to online

 

🚨🧸CosyChats Personalised Parent Support for You, because Family Is Everything.👨‍👩🏾‍👧🏽‍👦😊

CosyChats is a personalised parent support Service that can provide support to parents across a wide range of parenting issues including how to connect with your children and spend quality time together. How to leave your parenting guilt at the door and build a solid and happy relationship with your children.

Parents on Cosychats. 🛟1-2-1 Personalised Parent Support Sessions

🧷 Safe Spaces Free From Judgement and Shame

👍🏼Where No Problem Is Too Big and No Question To Small

👩‍👦Offering Compassion and Understanding

🆘From Real Parents Who Know How Difficult Being a Parent Can Be

🧑‍🤝‍🧑Real Lived Knowledge & Experience

💻Virtual Sessions Where You Are In Control

Top 10 Benefits of the CosyChats service.

👍🏼Access to a wealth of Parenting Experience and Knowledge.

👍🏼Your own personalised 1-2-1 service.

👍🏼A safe space free from judgement and shame.

👍🏼You are in control and choose the CosyChats parent and service that’s right for you.

👍🏼Years of lessons learnt and experience gained that can all be shared.

👍🏼Being understood and your needs heard.

👍🏼No question is too small, no problem too big.

👍🏼Compassion and support from people who understand how difficult being a parent can be.

👍🏼Its affordable and is far greater value than professional providers.

👍🏼Meetings are on online so you can join from where you feel most comfortable.

CosyChats is a personalised parent support Service that can provide support to parents across a wide range of parenting issues including how to connect with your children and spend quality time together.