10 screen time addiction warning signs that you need to look out for

We’ve talked a lot about how to talk to your kids about tech addiction and what to do about it. But what are the ACTUAL warning signs that should set off alarm bells in your head? And what can you do about them IMMEDIATELY?

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Aggressive behaviour

The most common sign experts will tell you to look out for is signs of aggression, particularly when it comes to teenage boys and violent video games. However, levels of aggression may also come from girls. Aggression may also build over time rather than present itself suddenly, depending on the child.

If you have noticed a change in aggression, find the trigger and immediately remove it from your child’s routine. We’re not joking, cold turkey is best here!

Developing a “mean girl” mentality

Similar to the aggressive behaviour trigger, a “mean girl” mentality is adopted by girls who have an addiction to social media. From obsessing over the perfect selfie pout to genuinely crying because they haven’t received enough likes. These are signs that a social media detox is more important than a screen detox.

Compulsively checking their phone

We’re all guilty of this! But if your child throws a tantrum at the thought of even being without their phone for a minute, it is definitely time for a detox. Once they have taken a break from their device, make sure your child has screen time limits so they learn how to curb their screen time appetites.

The inability to retain information

This one might be a hard warning sign to spot as most teenagers struggle retaining information at the best of times! However, if they genuinely can’t un-engage from their screens without being physically interrupted then it’s time to cut back on the screen time.

Change in the language they use

Sometimes the warning signs are subtle. Has your kid started swearing all the time or started using acronyms you don’t understand while they give you attitude? This can be a sign of online peer pressure.

If it’s bleeding into their “real life”, it’s time to have a talk with them about acceptable behaviour online and offline, and the consequences of their actions. The sooner they realise they’ll be held accountable for their behaviour both online and offline, the sooner it will improve.

Sleep deprivation

Again, this is another common warning sign. Big bags under the eyes, falling asleep in class… If this sounds like your child and they have a TV in their room or laptop/tablet/smartphone, set up an overnight charging station. This way, screens won’t stop them from getting enough sleep.

Lack of interest in their hobbies

This is another one of those warning signs that can creep up on parents. It will happen gradually over time. To make sure this doesn’t happen, ensure hobbies are all completed BEFORE you let your kids have any screen time if you want them to maintain an interest in more than just their device.

They speak only in gaming terms

If screen and gaming addiction gets particularly bad, some kids have even been known to still feel like they are in the gaming world long after the game has stopped. This is an extreme reaction, but has happened to more parents than you would imagine!

If this happens to your child, we recommend seeing a professional that can help you create a detox plan that works for your child.

Change in their appearance

This is a subtle one, and may not always relate to screen time addiction. But it’s important to acknowledge that smartphones have made it easy for the cyberbully to constantly hound your child.

Depending on the situation, your child might start wearing looser clothes or hiding their face — as if they are trying to hide from the bully themselves. Rather than removing screens entirely, we recommend having a chat with your child first to see if you can overcome the problem together.

Spending hours alone in their room

Coupled with the above warning sign and this should be a big cause for concern. If you are worried your child is being cyberbullied, don’t feel afraid to go through their devices and social media accounts to get to the bottom of it!

As a warning sign alone, spending hours alone in their room isn’t healthy for any child anyway! As Dr. Kardaras explains in his book, Glow Kids, tech addiction comes from disconnection, stress, and purposelessness as well as the escapism that screens offer our kids. If kids are spending hours alone, it’s natural they will turn to screens.

So, as a countermeasure, it’s important that you balance your kid’s screen time with plenty of other activities. Physical exercise, creative hobbies, socialising activities. The more you fill your kids lives with these activities, the less they’ll rely on screens.

The less they rely on screens, the less likely it is that you will see any of these 10 warning signs!

Can you think of any signs of addiction we haven’t included in this list? Tell us!