Parents' Dilemma in Regulating Children's Cell Phone Use

Children's use of gadgets increases the risk of mental disorders. Parents have a dilemma in managing it because gadgets are also useful.

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

Gadgets have become a medium for young people to socialize.

The link between cell phone use in children and an increase in various mental disorders is real. However, this issue is still far from being imagined by many parents and society. If not managed immediately, this problem could become a time bomb that not only threatens the welfare of the family, but also the nation.

Alleged depression in A (13), a resident of Cirebon City, West Java, due to his parents selling his cell phone for daily food needs which surfaced in mid-May 2024, is just one of many mental disorders caused by the use of gadgets in society. It is feared that millions of other Indonesian children will face the same problem.

This concern is quite reasonable considering that the State of Mobile 2024 data published by data.ai in January 2024 shows that Indonesia is ranked first and the defending champion for 2020-2023 in the category of longest time spent using a device per day. Since 2022, Indonesia will be the only country whose residents spend more than 6 hours per day in front of their devices.

Also read: Sold his cellphone for family food, child in Cirebon is suspected of being depressed

The time Indonesian people spend in front of devices in 2020 is still 5.63 hours per day. However, in 2023 it will be 6.05 hours per day. Most of the time in front of the device is used to access social media, such as Youtube, Tiktok, Whatsapp and Instagram. The Chrome browser is also in the top five applications that are widely accessed by the public.

The data on gadget use is indeed general and not focused on children. However, because most gadget users are children and young people, the behavior of society in using gadgets can somewhat describe how Indonesian children behave in using gadgets.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

A total of 2929 students, military personnel, and the general public participated in the launch of Malang City's digital library, as well as breaking the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) record for most people reading using gadgets, on Thursday (12/12/2019), in front of the Malang City Hall, East Java.

This condition is in line with an internet user survey published by the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII) in February 2024. Out of the 78.19 percent of the population who were internet users in 2023, 34.40 percent were from Generation Z, born between 1997-2012 or aged 11 to 26 years old. Compared to other generations, Generation Z has the largest percentage of internet users in Indonesia.

Apart from statistics, we can easily observe how our children interact with gadgets. In daily life, how many hours do our children spend holding phones? During family gatherings, get-togethers with friends or cousins, how much time do they spend staring at gadget screens compared to talking to each other?

Also read: Children Fight Against Gadget Addiction

For parents, how many of them choose to give their toddler a phone so that they don't cry rather than engaging them in various physical activities? How many parents have equipped their children in elementary school with expensive and smart phones? How many parents can control what their children watch on their phones?

So far, we are still focused on the issue of equal access and fast internet for the nation. However, it seems that we pay very little attention to managing cell phone use so that it is productive and does not trap children in various mental health problems in the future.

Pluses and minuses

The use of gadgets among teenage children has long posed a dilemma for parents. On the one hand, gadgets provide benefits for teenagers. These benefits are in line with a Pew Research Center survey published in March 2024, which showed that 70% of teenagers aged 13-17 in the US consider the use of cell phones to have more positive benefits than negative effects.

In addition, 69 percent of teenagers admit that they find it easier to pursue their hobbies or interests with the help of gadgets. Smartphones also make them more creative (65 percent), improve academic performance in school (45 percent), and make it easier to find new friends (37 percent). Even 30 percent of teenagers consider phones to be a useful tool for sharpening their social skills.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Children play with gadgets in Napu Hamlet, Cantung Kiri Hulu Village, Hampang sub-district, Kotabaru regency, South Kalimantan, on Sunday (13/6/2021). Despite living in the rural area of Mount Meratus with no signal coverage, the children there are still familiar with gadgets.

Meanwhile, other studies indicate the strong correlation between gadget use and the increasing mental health issues among teenagers worldwide. The Risk Behavior Surveillance of Adolescents 2011-2021 data released by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 42 percent of high school students in the US felt sad and hopeless in the past two weeks, to the point where they could not carry out daily activities. Even worse, 30 percent of female students were reported to have serious intentions of committing suicide.

Also read: Addiction to Devices Disrupts Children's Emotions and Mentality

As written by professor of psychology at Bellarmine University, Louisville, US, Hank Rothgerber in Psychology Today, June 22 2023, the source of various mental problems among teenagers is gadgets. Teenagers' mental health has indeed declined progressively since 2010-2014 or when smartphones appeared. A Sapiens Lab study in a number of countries published in May 2023 found that the risk of girls' mental health fell from 74 percent to 46 percent when the age limit for being given devices increased from 6 years to 18 years.

In addition, access to smart phones, especially social media, can constantly endanger the mental health of teenagers. Social media triggers pressure on body image and generates fears of missing out on information, certain trends, and being socially excluded. The use of mobile phones also disrupts sleep and encourages constant comparison with others, leading to sustained anxiety.

The source of various mental problems among teenagers is gadgets.

Another study conducted by Jong Ho Cha and colleagues in South Korea and published in the journal PLOS One, December 6 2023, found that the number of teenagers in that country who spent more than 4 hours in front of devices increased from 30 percent in 2017 to 55 percent in 2020. This situation increases mental health disorders, abuse of narcotics and other additives, and triggers a spike in obesity cases.

Confusion

According to Rothgerber, the positive and negative impacts of using mobile phones have created a dilemma for some parents. The increasing mental disorders in teenagers caused by gadgets seem to be easily resolved simply by preventing the use of mobile phones or limiting children's access to social media for as long as possible.

In reality, that approach often creates tension in parent-child relationships. With limited access to cell phones and social media, teenagers would lose social interaction and experience isolation because their peers are already using gadgets. This situation can lead to other worries for teenagers.

Each family also has their own particular reasons for equipping or allowing their children to have or access mobile phones at a young age. In fact, some families even gain popularity and economic benefits, as well as become more connected with others, by exposing their children to gadgets and social media from an early age.

Providing access to gadgets at an early age also prevents parents from being bothered and pressured by their children. Some parents even allow their young children to use mobile phones because they feel capable of monitoring their usage and elevating their social status within the family and the community.

Therefore, limiting cell phone usage by giving cell phones to children when they are 18 years old would provide optimal benefits when all parents do it. This condition seems difficult to achieve as many parents have already equipped their elementary school children with smartphones, even exposing them to gadgets and social media since they were babies.

Also read: Internet and device issues among teenagers need to be addressed wisely

This situation has ultimately become a race for parents to expose their children to various big mental health problems in the future. This condition often turns around and causes anxiety and worry for parents who understand the negative impact of cell phones on their children but are unable to prevent the early use of smart phones by their children.

Although not easy, the American Psychological Association (APA) suggests a number of things that parents can do to regulate the use of cell phones and social media for their children on its website on May 9, 2023. These efforts hinge on time restrictions, parental monitoring and supervision, as well as ongoing discussions between parents and children.

The main thing that needs to be realized is that the teenage brain is in a phase of drastic development so it is very susceptible to certain features on social media. In early adolescence, around age 10, the part of the brain associated with the desire for attention from peers becomes very sensitive. However, at this time, the self-control system in the adolescent brain is not yet mature.

Also read: Gadphone Addiction Has Serious Impacts

Therefore, the "like" feature on social media and artificial intelligence that encourage excessive scrolling or scrolling can harm the development of teenagers' brains. For this reason, social media use needs to be limited. One of them is by using the time settings on your cellphone. Also make sure that teenagers get 8 hours of sleep at night so that their brains continue to grow healthily.

As long as children use social media, parental supervision and discussions with parents must continue to take place. Pay close attention to the chat function and posts on social media to limit a child's communication with strangers and exposure to adult and dangerous content. During early adolescence, restricting access to social media only while at home can be considered.

Also read: Social Media Steals Your Happiness

Parents should also be a good example in the use of mobile phones and social media. It is pointless for parents to limit their children if they themselves are too busy with their own activities. Avoid using gadgets at the dining table or during family gatherings. Also ensure that discussions with children reflect the parents' true feelings, communicate honestly, without prejudice or forcing their will.

In addition, parents need to pay attention to the unhealthy use of social media. If the use of phones and social media is already interfering with their daily activities, such as going to school, socializing with friends, getting enough sleep, or pursuing their previous hobbies, parents should be vigilant.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

Smartphone illustration

Likewise, when children start lying to access social media, they have a strong urge to continue using it, until they want to stop using social media, but don't stop. This condition is an early indication that the child is experiencing psychological disorders or difficulties in using social media. Implementing new limits on social media use or consulting with mental health professionals can be done to prevent children from gadget addiction.

Parents should also be able to help their children understand digital literacy. Gadgets and social media can be beneficial for children, including informing them about mental health. Therefore, responsible use of gadgets and social media and understanding their risks need to be continually developed.

However, the presence of information technology cannot be stopped. After all, this technology also brings many benefits. However, efforts to use gadgets and social media in a positive and productive manner need to be continuously encouraged. In the end, the long usage of gadgets can minimize their impact as long as they are used for useful, measurable, and welfare-enhancing purposes for the users.