It’s almost impossible to avoid screens in today’s world. As technology continues to emerge, screens have slowly taken over lives. Kids, even very little ones, are keeping their noses buried in their electronics and they’re missing out on seeing the world. Worse yet, in many homes, family time involves everyone sitting around staring at their smartphones.

If your family has developed some unhealthy habits, a digital detox could help. That’s not to say you need to go cold turkey. Unplugging from technology on a short-term basis could be just the break you need to develop some healthier habits. Why not use this Easter break as the perfect opportunity to break that habit!

Researchers continue to study how screen time influences child development and behavior. As new technology unfolds, it changes the way children relate to screens. Many parents report anecdotal evidence that technology leads to increased behavior problems in their offspring. Many studies have found links between screen time and a variety of behavior problems in children. Some studies have linked excessive screen time to:

Sleep problems – Sleep deprivation can lead to impulsive behavior and reduced emotional regulation.
Social problems – Difficulty recognizing other people’s emotions and trouble communicating face-to-face can lead to increased conflict.
Increased aggression – Some studies have linked aggressive media to aggressive behavior in children.
Unhealthy eating habits - Children who eat with an ipad in front of their faces lose valuable bonding time with their family and lose any benefit of interacting with others. They also more likely to develop unhealthy eating habits as they are not aware of what they are eating or whether they are full or not.

But that’s not all! Parents’ excessive use of mobile phones has been linked to increasing children’s behaviour problems in the world’s first study of its kind. UK & US health chiefs say children's speech and language development is under threat from parents spending too long on their mobile phones or being distracted by listening to digital devices on their headphones. The research involving almost 200 families found that children whose parents were addicted to their phones were significantly more likely to have behaviour and communication problems. Some 40 per cent of the mothers and 32 per cent of the fathers admitted some form of phone addiction such as being unable to resist checking messages, always thinking about incoming calls or texts or simply feeling they used it too much.

Our advice for this Easter is to put that phone away and focus on creating rituals with your children that will encourage parent-child bonding, as well as develop communication and life skills. Start by putting the phone away at certain times, by making bathtimes, mealtimes and bedtimes sacred. Then build up to regular detox days and weeks - go for more walks in nature or play outdoors in a park and really connect with your child. If you’re looking for great outdoor activities, read our article on *5 fun outdoor activities in Hong Kong* for more ideas. Create memories that will last! Let your children recall the Easter when everything changed for them.

If you’re interested in more exciting sensory activities to do with your child at home, subscribe to Hong Kong Kindergarten: Mighty Oaks idea of the month Youtube channel.

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