Multitasking is what we all do. It is considered one of the easiest ways to handle everything.
In today’s world, everyone wants their kids to be smart & advanced learners and expects them to multitask like we do every day. With the ever-growing technology, multitasking has become easy and common among kids. But are you aware that many studies have proven that multitasking is bad for kids’ development?
We have made multitasking a necessity not only in our lives but in our kids’ life too. But unfortunately what we forget is that everything that has pros has cons too. We forget to look at the problematic side of multitasking and fail to understand the adverse effects of multitasking in our daily life.
The famous Bosco Tijan (Chinese-American psychologist and neuroscientist) has rightly said- “Most of the time multitasking is an illusion. You think you are multitasking, but in reality, you’re actually wasting time switching from one task to another.”
How Multitasking has become a problem for the kids
Multitasking not only hampers a kid’s productivity but also affects their brain too. Children when they juggle multiple tasks, tend to divide their attention and are not able to focus on one particular activity. It causes lots of distractions and results on reducing in productivity.
Such distractions impact the ability of the kid’s brain to absorb & retain information.
Another drawback of multitasking is that it negatively affects family relationships. Mostly parents and kids who are constantly media multitasking somewhere tend to neglect the importance of family interactions or communications. They interact less and kids are not able to learn the importance & value of family. Family interactions are very vital as it allows members to share their concerns, needs, etc, and strengthen the bond. Family interactions contribute to kids’ development and their future.
Remember Kids learn from their parents and copy what they do. So, if you spend hours watching TV or using phones or laptops, you are teaching your kid to do the same.
Plus Social multitasking & Media multitasking causes generational boundaries due to which parents and the kids don’t feel a sense of togetherness & happiness as a family.
A study from the McCombs School of Business (The University of Texas at Austin) has shown that smartphones lessen the cognitive capacity of kids. Cognitive development is very important in kids as it helps them to observe, think, and evaluate things around them. But a simple presence of a smartphone even when it is off can significantly reduce a kid’s cognitive capacity.
Easy ways to avoid the effects of multitasking
Take a break from Technology: It’s important to often unplug from technology and avoid too much use of phones or TV, etc. Parents must encourage family time. They should on an everyday basis spend special time with their kids and indulge in fun activities like painting or playing outdoor games or weekly outings etc that help them & the kids to relax and build relationships.
Watch TV with your kids: Kids watching TV is okay but a lot of it is not. You must watch TV with your kids to check on what they are watching and for how long. Make sure your kid watches some educational content and does not spend too much of their daily time watching TV or using phones or laptops, etc. Also, discuss the programs that you watch with your kids and educate them.
Set the screen time Guidelines: Too much screen time is harmful to the kids. You must limit and manage your kid’s screen time. Determine their daily screen time like one or two hours per day etc. Also, try to make your kid understand the screen limit and make sure they follow the set screen limit.
Make the Bedrooms Tech or screen-Free: See that your kids are using computers in their room only when they are doing their homework. Once their work is done, don’t allow the kids to use technology in their bedroom. Also, make sure they do not watch a screen before bedtime and also when they are eating.
Multitasking is something that none of us can avoid. But one thing we should be aware of is –How much is too much? We should know how much you or your kid is multitasking and how harmful it can be.
You must learn to multitask successfully so that you can have a happy balanced life. Importantly parents must try to understand their children’s needs and encourage & support them to avoid multitasking.
Learn more about Multitasking and its negative effects on kids. Talk to one of the best pediatric psychologists in India, Dr Neelam Joshi.
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