When children use smart phones as recreational activities

KABUL (SW): Nowadays, children are less often seen on the streets for childhood recreational activities. While neither the families have moved nor the streets have changed, however, children are addicted to using smartphones and computer games rather than playing traditional children games such as kite-running, slot games, playing with dolls and other childhood entertainments.

Apparently, in the big cities, these smartphones and computer games have replaced the traditional childhood activities.

 Since the early years, the boys have been interested in competing others through games and activities, though, the girls have a lot of passion for making dolls and spending time with other girls of their age.

The same approach has been included in the smart-phones and iPads in recent years.

Some believe that computer games have a positive effect on the children’s intellectual development, however, there are some people who argue that these games have developed the violence attitude in children; for that reason, the latter have been encouraging the use of traditional games for children.

Although traditional games are physical and have been effectual in growing children’s cognition, affection, and psyche, however, they have been replaced with computer games and smartphone games in recent years.

According to Razia Danish, one of the sociologists, the emergence of complicated hardware devices, enthusiasm for the virtual world, development of Smartphone games and the negligence of families have been the reasons behind children’s passion in the smartphone games.  

Most of the traditional games require movement, however, if the children do not move by just playing the computer games on their smartphones, they will evict their energy through other means such as violence and anger, Razia Danish added.

Razia Danish reasoned that traditional games have been effective in developing emotional and psychological balance in children.

Many believe that only using drugs can be addictive, however, researchers have shown that computer games are addictive as well.

According to researchers, the risk of addiction to teenagers and young people who play computer games is more than the others, and these games create unavoidable addiction in children.

Foruzan is a mother of four, and she told us that she knows very well that over the years, the distance between her and her children have increased, and the difference between her childhood times and her children’s childhood behaviors are apparent. She said that when she was a child, she was playing with dolls together with her childhood friends, however, she said her kids prefer to be alone;”they even do not like to spend time with me and their father”.

Studies have shown that people who are overplaying computer games and are spending more times on their smartphones have been more depressed and isolated than other people. Usually, children are at risk for more socially violent behaviors due to addiction to smartphones and computer games.

Some of the symptoms of the behavioral illness in persons who are playing more with their smartphones and computers are excessive anxiety, excessive anger with no reason, and fears from society.

Children who repeatedly play violent games are more violent and show more offensive behaviors than the other kids.

Parental Control Changes the Equation:

In addition to what has been said, studies have shown that if managed correctly, the use of smartphones and computer games is more effective than traditional games.

According to a research done by Utah University students, playing computer games regularly by children with illness and disorders such as depression increase their endurance and resistance to problems caused by these illnesses.

Scientists believe that such games have a positive effect on certain nervous systems and cause positive emotions. In this way, a child or adolescent suffering from chronic illness can better fight the illness.

Subsequently, scientists at the University of Washington in a recent survey conducted last year said that computer games not only help reduce the negative effects of mental problems but also help reduce physical pain in patients.

Families usually tell their kids that watching TV causes visual impairment; however, scientists at MacMaster University in Canada conducted a research which showed that cataract patients can strengthen their vision by playing games where the user must shoot for a specific target.

Children will need more powerful decision making over time; hence the computer games have a positive effect on their decision making ability as shown in scientific studies.

Neuroscience students at the University of Rochester, New York said that playing computer games could lead to quicker decision making ability in children.  Simulation games in which quick decision making is needed pushes the user to make quick decisions by quickly reviewing the situation and immediately react to the environment inside the game.

Hassan Rezaie, a sociologist and professor at Kabul University said absolute clash with a phenomenon is not right, though the families should manage this phenomenon; he said: “families must create a balance between children’s programs and games so that indirectly enhance their children’s ability through these games”.

ENDS