Perhaps it's high time I spoke about gaming/internet addiction ๐ฑ!
I've worked with many experts who have weighed in on this thorny Parenting subject. After putting numerous methods to the test, let's talk about what ACTUALLY works!
๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐บ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ
Would you go back to a Doctor ๐ฉโโ๏ธ who has been intentionally feeding you poison โ (so you get reliant on his medicine)?
You see, game / social media companies deliberately design their games to induce anxiety and stress, then REWARD you for coming back to them.
Thus, help our kids understand:
"Yes, you CAN play games. However, there are ALSO healthier ways to relieve your stress, like drinking tea with your friends."
๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ
Studies show that a great way to kick a bad habit (or forget that evil ex-girlfriend ๐) is to allocate specific times to indulge.
For example, if we tell ourselves "I will only think about that witch from 5pm - 6pm".
For the rest of the day, we can tell ourselves "Hey! This is not the correct time to think about her, I can torment myself as much as I want later at 5pm! That witch!"
So, set aside some UNCONDITIONAL playtime every day. THEN, extend their playtime (reward them ๐) if they hit the KPIs (finish chores, homework etc).
๐ช๐ฎ๐น๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฎ๐น๐ธ
No, it's not very convincing when we don't lead by example. When we naturally reach for the phone when we feel jittery or after a tiring day, think of the message we're sending our kids:
"This little device in my hand is my primary form of stress relief. ๐ฉ"
So, if we're serious about helping our kids curb the habit, we have to take a closer look at our own behaviours too!
After all, we are their role modelsโฆ aren't we ๐?
