Is It Reasonable To Allow Your Child To Have A Gadget While Feeding?
"It is dinner time! Please put down the phone," said every parent in the 21st century. Unfortunately, those words resonate with so many of us who are just trying to get our children to put down their phones or tablets and at least pick up a fork. The million-dollar question is, "How bad can it be to allow your child to have a gadget while feeding?"
Ignoring Hunger Cues Due To The Distraction
We are talking about the kind of distraction where a child is so entranced by their device, that they do not seem to notice that the plate is in front of them. Luis Dubois, a renowned Biocultural expert, shares his findings from their research on the matter: "the time spent watching television, particularly during meal times, may change children's dietary intake and eating patterns." - Luis Dubois.
What does that mean? The distraction caused by these gadgets will make the children ignore their food and pay less attention to their body's hunger cues, hence leading to bad habits of overeating or not eating enough. This will translate to physical and mental health issues in the long run.
Discouraging Conversation And Social Interaction
Eating is a social activity and children need to learn how to interact with others during meal times. The age-old proverb goes, 'A family that eats together remains together.' It is not just a piece of old-fashioned advice but has much scientific backing. For example, J Fulkerson, a renowned professor & director of the Center for Child Health Promotion Research, states in their research that "Family meals may be a useful mechanism for enhancing family togetherness."
Table Manners
Children learn table manners by observing and participating in family meals. Allowing a child to use gadgets during meals can discourage good table manners and etiquette. It is basic etiquette that should be taught and learned at a very early age; otherwise, it can be hard to break the bad habits later on. Furthermore, it could lead to your children picking up some strange inappropriate table habits! For example, some food may fall on the device, or they might even spill their drinks on it. So, it is best to set some boundaries regarding gadget usage during meals.
Technology Addiction
"Can't put it down? Sounds like you've got a case of gadget-itis". Okay, jokes aside, there is nothing like gadget-itis (at least not according to the medical dictionary), but there is such a thing as technology addiction. And it is something that can be developed pretty quickly, especially if your child is already given too much access to gadgets. H.Sert, a renowned tech expert, again states in their findings that "academic success was negatively affected in students categorised as internet addicted and fatigue increased alongside technology addiction." So if you are worried about your child’s grades, it is high time to reconsider the amount of device usage in their lives.
To sum it all up, letting your children use gadgets sometimes is okay, but allowing them to have devices while eating may be harmful. It is essential to foster a positive family environment, teach them table manners and ensure that they pay attention to their hunger cues. Too much device usage can lead to technology addiction and poor academic performance, so it is best to set some boundaries regarding gadget use during meals.
References:
- Fulkerson, J.A., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Story, M.T. (2006). Adolescent and parent views of family meals. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106 4, 526-32.
- Veall, G.R. (1995). Prolonged starvation in pediatric surgery. Anaesthesia, 50.
- Sert, H.T., Taskin Yilmaz, F., Karakoc Kumsar, A., & Aygin, D. (2019). Effect of technology addiction on academic success and fatigue among Turkish university students. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior, 7, 41 - 51.
