What should I do if middle school children love playing with their phones

Middle school children's love for playing with mobile phones can be intervened through establishing rules, transferring interests, parent demonstrations, setting reward mechanisms, and seeking professional help. Excessive use of mobile phones may be caused by lack of companionship, academic pressure, social needs, gaming addiction, imitative behavior, and other reasons.

1. Establish rules

Negotiate with children to develop a mobile phone usage schedule, clearly prohibit mobile phones during study periods, and set a time without mobile phones after meals or before bedtime. The rules need to be specific and executable, such as keeping the phone with parents before completing homework, and using it for no more than two hours a day on weekends. Avoid forceful confiscation during execution, adopt a gentle and firm attitude, and gradually cultivate children's self-discipline.

2. Transfer interests

Guide children to participate in sports, handicrafts, or family activities instead of mobile entertainment. Choose suitable activities based on the child's personality, such as basketball, painting, parent-child baking, etc. Parents need to accompany and participate in the initial stage. Regularly organize outdoor activities such as cycling and camping to reduce dependence on mobile phones with fresh experiences.

3. Parent Demonstration

Parents should reduce the frequent use of mobile phones in front of their children and store them together during meals. Set up family reading time or card game time, and convey attention through face-to-face interaction. Parents can publicly record their phone usage time and supervise and improve with their children.

4. Set a reward mechanism

to convert phone usage time into rewards for completing goals, such as redeeming half an hour of game time for completing assignments on time. Adopting a points based management system, accumulated points can be exchanged for physical prizes or opportunities for outdoor activities. Avoid using mobile phones as the sole reward to prevent reinforcing children's desire for mobile phones.

5. Seek professional help

If you experience addictive behaviors such as staying up late playing with your phone, sudden drops in grades, or emotional outbursts, you can contact the school's psychological teacher for evaluation. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help children establish a healthy usage concept, and if necessary, pediatricians will evaluate whether it is accompanied by attention deficit and other issues. The withdrawal training camp provided by professional institutions can improve dependency behavior through group activities. Parents should maintain stable emotions in daily life and avoid intense conflicts caused by phone issues. Regularly hold family meetings to discuss usage experiences and encourage children to independently propose improvement plans. Pay attention to the content used by children and prioritize limiting short videos and violent games. Ensuring sufficient sleep and a balanced diet can help improve self-control, and it is advisable to increase brain boosting foods such as eggs and fish that are rich in lecithin. If a child experiences visual impairment or cervical discomfort, they should seek medical attention promptly and adjust their posture.