Aren’t we the ones responsible for that trap?

The criticism surrounding children’s mobile phone use is as old as mobile phones themselves. Ever since smartphones became common, there have been concerns about the physical and emotional effects excessive screen use could have on children, along with fears about the larger social impact it may create. Every day, shocking incidents continue to show that many of these fears are becoming a reality. What is especially striking is that, until now, mobile phones and children addicted to them were often portrayed as the "villains." But the disturbing truth is that parents and guardians themselves are often the real reason behind children's screen addiction.

Many parents hand over mobile phones to young children to keep them quiet, make them eat food, or stop them from being naughty. Later, when the same parents suddenly take the phones away or impose restrictions, it is not surprising that children react emotionally or aggressively. Recently, reports emerged from Ahmedabad about a family hiring four bouncers with a monthly salary of Rs 65,000 to monitor a 16-year-old girl who became violent after being denied mobile phone use! In another shocking case from Surat, a family sought the help of bouncers to protect their pets from a boy addicted to mobile games who had started attacking the animals. After our report on these strange and dangerous situations was published on the front page yesterday, many parents called to share similar experiences from their own homes!

The stories shared by parents also made it clear that Kerala is no different when it comes to the dangers of children’s mobile addiction. According to a survey by the CBSE, 75 percent of children below the age of 12 spend at least four hours a day looking at mobile screens. Among teenagers between 14 and 16 years old, the number rises to more than 82 percent. Until now, most concerns have been about the physical effects of mobile phone use, such as damage to eyesight, hearing, intelligence, and thinking ability. But parents are now increasingly worried about more complex issues like mental health, personality development, emotional control, aggression, social withdrawal, and learning difficulties caused by screen addiction.

After studying problems such as rising anger, introverted behaviour, learning disorders, and social isolation among children, the Child Rights Commission recently recommended introducing a special law to regulate screen use among children. At the time, many people reacted with surprise, asking whether a law was really needed to control mobile phone use. But the incidents now coming to light clearly show the urgent need for such regulations and strict enforcement. Parents who blame or punish children for mobile addiction must first realise one important truth: the mistake often began with the parents themselves. Unless adults understand that they must correct their own behaviour first, the consequences could become even more serious in the future.