I can remember when I was a growing up, no personal computers, only one TV in the house, one phone in the neighborhood, dirt roads and a massive load of homework. We spent our days playing with the neighborhood kids while not at home; the remainder would be spent studying and completing homework. Those times were the era of patience and personal connections, where writing letters was exciting, getting a phone call was novel and finishing homework was a true accomplishment.

Today kids have access to technology be it; phone, tablet, computer or many other devices from an early age and will be masters prior to becoming a teenager. This of course, presents the challenge of safety and security for families and youngsters. This vast bank of information that kids have access to cannot be healthy for them in the long run unless it is secured and monitored and guided by parents.

Some parents have set boundaries and might not believe they are permissive or overindulgent with electronics. Some only allow video games on the weekends, and maybe, if the child earned it, an hour a day after school. Some allow the child to take a device to school. On the weekends, after pushback and negotiating, one hour would turn into two hours easily and so forth.

What is happening when kids lose track of time while on electronics, become agitated when interrupted, prefer to spend time using electronics rather than playing, does not follow time limits, loss of interest in other activities, seem restless when not using a device and preoccupied with getting back on, avoid homework and chores because of spending too much time with electronics; sneaks a device when no one is around and lie about it, Are these signs of addiction?

Even with all this information staring parents in the face, they still contemplate allowing kids some gaming time on the weekends because they dread kids’ reaction and do not want to deal with it. This immediate connectivity, satisfaction and mass availability of information can be detrimental to the development of children and more so in kids with ADHD/ADD. Plus, Parents do not know where or how to start a detox plan if needed. But, like with any addiction, you need to seek help from a professional and consult with a cognitive behavior therapist perhaps.

I must admit that I am one of the parents that struggle with managing the screen time for my 10-year-old, was also diagnosed with ADHD in 2017. The struggle resulted in my son having way too much time on the screen, less interactions in the house and signs of aggressive behavior. More and more he will lose track of time easily, become agitated when asked to turn off the devices, argumentative and angry. Therefore, I planned to cut down on his screen time; understanding fully that this is a change of mindset, expectations and behavior.

In order to overcome some of these emotions, one can create a list of interactive activities to do instead of playing video games such as, Slime, puzzles, board games, cards, coloring, mazes, word searches and many more. Involvement must completely be hands-on; when it is time to cook the child cam help peel potatoes and do other safe tasks, when doing laundry, pour the detergent.

We as parents need to commit time to learn and understand the new technologies and events that impact our children. The reality of the matter is that we are in a digital time; electronic devices and games are inseparable from our kids’ lives. Upon acceptance of this fact one can put in place guidance, expectations and proper scheduling that can begin to create a balance that can be proactive as well as productive for both kids and parents.