Food on plate, phone in hand: Doctors say it’s time for parents to break the habit

Unlike in the past when parents had help from a family member or relative to take care of young children, today's dads and moms are forced to juggle parental responsibilities with career pressures, all by themselves. Gone are the days when they also had time to take kids out to a courtyard, show them the birds and the bees, and feed them three times a day.

Now, many are forced to hand over mobile phones to the kids so that they eat on time and leave for school or sleep. However, while it might look like an easy solution, it has many adverse effects on children, opine doctors. Dr Chikku Mathew, Consultant Psychiatrist, and Dr Sunu John, Senior Consultant Paediatrician, Caritas Hospital, Kottayam, explain how the collision of screens and meal times impacts children.

A connection with food
Dr Sunu says it's important that the children understand what they are having, how and even on what plate. "Children should learn to recognise what is the colour of their plate and spoon, what is the texture of their food, what they are eating and more. If they are glued to a screen, they won't realise what they are eating and moreover, both the parent and child would be mechanical. Feeding time is supposed to be an enjoyable hour, when the process gets importance," she says.

Other issues triggered by screen time with meals
Dr Sunu lists a number of issues brought forth when children are allowed to have food while using phones or watching TV:
a) Obesity
b) Vision issues
c) Lack of brain stimulation
d) IQ deterioration
e) Deterioration of social skills
f) Virtual autism (Autism-like behaviour triggered by excessive early exposure to screens)
g) Reduced sleep
h) Early onset of hypertension, diabetes, joint pain, Vitamin D deficiency

How to ensure digital well-being
According to Dr Chiku, parents should work towards ensuring the family's digital well-being by reducing screen time in daily life. She says, "Parents should make it clear that screens would stay off during family time. They should also play with the children if needed and discuss the child's favourite activity." That said, the doctor says it would be beneficial to occasionally play the kids' favourite digital games with them also. "This will help parents understand the nature of their favourite game and weigh its pros and cons," she says. The doctors also point out how certain families have successfully implemented 'tech-free zones' in their homes and that it is an example worth following to ensure digital hygiene in our lives.