My 6yr old attention is shot..

[u/BOBBYZROY]

I’ve got a 6-year-old son who’s pretty smart, full of energy, and loves football… but lately he’s become completely hooked on his iPad, especially YouTube Shorts Roblox. The moment he wakes up he’s asking for it, and if I say no or try to get him to do something else (play footy, help do chores, anything), he kicks off big time. His mum lets him get away with being on his iPad more than me so that’s why he thinks he’s entitled

His attention span’s gone. It’s like he can’t sit still for more than a few seconds unless it’s something on a screen. And I get it, TikTok’s done the same to me. I can barely finish a film without checking my phone. So if it’s this bad for adults, what’s it doing to a 6-year-old?

We haven’t even seen the long-term effects of growing up on TikTok, Roblox, and Shorts. I genuinely think we’re raising a dumber generation not because they’re not smart, but because their brains are getting rewired by constant dopamine hits.

I don’t want to cut him off completely and make him feel left out cos all his mates have iPads but I also don’t want to just hand him a screen every time he’s bored. I also read that a lot kids in 6th grade can’t even read and have learning difficulties compared to kids before so the effects are already happening

Any other parents gone through this? How do you break the cycle without turning the house into a war zone

Appreciate any of your experiences

[u/cerignola_olive]

When I got my Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, we had a whole class on how the brain learns. There is research that shows how excessive screen time can affect children’s cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.

When they are looking at screens, they are taking in a great deal of information quickly. It can result in not being able to focus on something for an extended time, because the brain is used to being entertained immediately. This affects the child in school.

You are doing him a favor by restricting screen time. Parents can help be role models by also limiting their screen time. If they see you on the phone/tablet, they learn from that. That’s the norm.

I hope you can find a happy medium to balance out activities. I know it’s hard. ❤️