I’ve been a movie freak since I was little. Watching those late night 80’s TV Shows such as Charlie’s Angels, the A-Team, Kojak, Hawaii Five-O and many others became highlights of the week. Night after night, I would try and sneak a peek from the banister while sitting on the staircase of my childhood home. My father had established a 9 pm curfew for me and my sister as our school started at 7:30 am every morning and we always had trouble waking up in the morning.
Fast forward 20+ years later and I suddenly found myself drowning in work and busy taking care of the kids, resulting in having very little time to indulge myself in a little ‘me time’ watching movies or TV shows that used to give so much excitement and pleasure. I used to tell my three daughters how lucky they are to have lived in this technologically advanced era where researching materials for their homework is just one google-click away and watching their favorite TV Shows is just one netflix-click away. However, as time went by, the use of digital devices in our homes, workplace and classrooms have slowly revealed a dark side that many have not realized yet.
Gadget-centric Parenting Style of Modern Parents
Technology has gone a long way since owning a Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) TV was a luxury not every household could afford. Nowadays, smart TVs and smartphones have become regular household items that all millennials and generation Z children have fully embraced and in many cases are addicted to.
The Dopamine conundrum
Many parents often prefer the use of digital media in parenting their children. They would buy their children various electronic gadgets to provide them effective and easy method of calming their children. I have seen my friends’ children get exposed to the internet and digital media as early as their toddler age. Moreover, parents tend to think that their child will be more knowledgeable with digital media compared to themselves. This assumption further boosted their willingness to give children access to electronic gadgets.
This early uncontrolled use of gadgets among children can eventually cause them to become addicted and hamper their communication abilities and create potential problems with their eyesight as a result of prolonged exposure to LCD screens.
The Dopamine Conundrum
These addictions happening in the digital world are mainly caused by the release of a neurotransmitter hormone called “Dopamine.” Dopamine is a neurotransmitter hormone produced in our brains that plays a crucial role in motivating behavior.
Gadgets have addictive side effects
Brad Huddleston (an internationally respected speaker, consultant, teacher and author) equates the destructive force of excessive use of digital gadgets to consumption of cocaine. In his book “Digital Cocaine – A Journey Toward iBalance” he explains in vivid details how texting with our cellphones, playing video games, communicating through online social medias would expose us to the risk of chemical addition to dopamine.
When we do things that we love such as exercising, eating delicious food, scrolling our facebook pages and have stimulating and satisfying social interactions, a certain dose of dopamine is released. Every time we text or play games using our digital gadgets, dopamine is released in small quantities until it amounts to a significant level and results in addiction.
What to do ?
Striking the right balance
We obviously can not entirely prohibit the use of gadgets and view digital media is a negative manner. Truth be told, digital gadgets such as smartphones, personal computers have also assisted immensely in increased productivity and efficiency at workplace and our daily lives in general. We all have felt the benefits from being able to order our food online, purchase what we need online etc. So the bigger question is: how can we capitalize on the benefits of today’s technology but at the same time minimizing the potential risks arising from its usage.
Tips on minimizing the risk of addiction
Some of the things we can do to alleviate and minimize the risk of addiction to digital medias are:
- Allow no digital devices when having a family time. This will allow a face to face communication between family members that are sorely missing from today’s reality of a hectic and fast paced society.
- Some strong parenting or tough love might be required when trying to implement this ‘gadget free’ time zone.
- No technology of any kind at the family dinner table
- Tech-free bedrooms. The bedroom must return to its original function as a place of sleep.
Obviously, it would some time and some getting used to when trying to apply some of these digital devices limitation, but I it will be worth the effort.
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
– Robert Frost
In retrospect, the 1980’s does not seem like a worse time period after all to spend my teenage years in. Back then, people frequently engaged in warm and joyful communication. Family members were still looking forward to birthday parties, spending time together during new year and Christmas time. But time marches on, and we should all do our parts in making sure that in the midst of all the advancements made in technology and whatever fields we are in, we do not loose ourselves in the process.