What should I do if my child is addicted to playing games on their phone

Children addicted to playing games on their mobile phones can be intervened through setting usage time, shifting focus of interests, establishing family rules, increasing parent-child interaction, seeking professional help, and other methods. Overuse of electronic devices may affect visual development, sleep quality, social skills, and learning focus.

1. Set usage time

Clearly define the time period and duration of daily use of electronic devices, and it is recommended to use timer tools to assist in execution. Preschool children should not use it for more than 15 minutes at a time, and school-age children can extend it to 30 minutes appropriately. Avoid touching devices during meals, 1 hour before bedtime, and study periods. Parents should lead by example and reduce their screen usage time.

2. Shift focus of interest

provides alternative activities such as building blocks, outdoor activities, picture book reading, and other games that require hands-on and brainpower. On weekends, offline experiences such as museum visits and nature exploration can be arranged to stimulate curiosity through new things. Pay attention to selecting activities that are suitable for the child's age characteristics, and provide positive feedback to strengthen interest during the process.

3. Establish family rules

Develop electronic device usage guidelines for the entire family, such as not using mobile phones in public areas and using them after completing homework. Adopting a points based management system, completing learning tasks or household chores can redeem an appropriate amount of gaming time. Consistency should be maintained in the execution of rules to avoid compromise due to children crying.

4. Increase parent-child interaction

Schedule daily fixed parent-child time for face-to-face interactions such as board games and handicrafts to reduce children's chances of being alone and exposed to electronic devices. Recreating game scenes through role-playing and guiding children to understand the difference between virtual and real. Parents should actively listen to their children sharing game content to avoid strong prohibitions that may trigger rebellion.

5. Seek professional help

If accompanied by serious situations such as emotional outbursts and refusal to socialize, consult a child psychologist to assess whether there is an addictive tendency. Some children with ADHD may seek stimulation through games and require professional evaluation to develop behavior correction plans. School psychologists can also provide support such as social skills training.

In daily life, physical toys such as tangram puzzles and scientific experiment boxes can be prepared to replace electronic entertainment. After meals, organize family walks or household chores to reduce static time. Pay attention to observing children's emotional changes and avoid using electronic devices as soothing tools. Regularly hold family meetings to discuss user experience and gradually cultivate self-management skills. School aged children can jointly develop a weekly schedule to visualize their study, exercise, and entertainment time.