A mom shares her personal experience about the effects of gadgets in her kids. Know her story here.
What can you read in this article?
- Mom shares how gadgets affects the eyes of his son
- What she learned about this experience and advice to other parents
Today, I really felt guilty as a mom. I felt like I'm a bad mom at all.
When Kuya Skye, Summer, and I arrived at school he was crying and said his eyes hurt. I'm half scolding half trying to understand him. It's the second time (on my knowledge that he cried at school because he's not feeling well).
So I got irritated and was telling him that he could've told us when we were at home still. So, he could've stayed home instead. When a mom passed by and asked what happened and then told me that maybe he's not really feeling well.
Then I approached his teacher and that's when I learned that he also cried last Friday because of his eyes but when the teacher asked him if he wants me to be called, he said no.
The effects of gadgets in the eyes of our children
I really felt bad and was feeling guilty. I got mad but not to him but to myself. Friday pa pala siya may nararamdaman and I don't have any idea and I still have the guts para magalit last Saturday.
Then we went to an optometrist and she told us that he needs eyeglasses already. Ang grado na pala ng mata niya ay +75 na raw, and he's to young for that. He just turned 8 years old that time.
It's understandable if its inborn but is was damage due to constant usage of gadgets. That's where it hits me the most. I felt ashamed and at the same time guilty, sad, and all different emotions. Those are one of the effects of gadgets in our children.
This won't have happened if I know how to control him. I honestly don't know how to discipline him anymore. He is so stubborn and is so addicted to online games.
How he started using gadgets?
Skye was 3 when he started using PC. Mayroon kasi kaming pisonet dati sa bahay kaya doon siya naglalagi para manood ng mga nursery rhymes. Then he eventually learned how to play online games and when my Mom came back home from abroad, he was given a mobile phone. He was kindergarden at that time.
From then, he would play sa pisonet dati kung may pera lang siya but since it's public, nakiki-upo siya para manood. Hinahayaan lang din naman siya ng mga players kasi naaaliw sa kaniya. Then after he got his phone, he can use it after school hours on weekends.
He usually watch in YouTube. Dati mga pambata na show, now that he is 9 turning 10, nanood siya ng mga cooking shows and mga science related videos. He also plays Roblux.
Partly because we have piso-net, we have laptop, and unlimited internet access but mostly because during those times I'm asleep, busy working or with household chores, he can play all he wants without anyone to limit his screen time.
What I've learned about the effects of gadgets in our children
Dati na stress ako pero now, dahil marunong na siyang makinig, lalo na sa Papa niya its easy for us to control the way he use gadgets. Sinisita namin siya tapos titigil naman siya.
Basta tapos na ang modules niya - he's on modular class kasi, I allow him to watch mga information related videos. He then tells me what he learned from the videos. He's the one updating me as well ano na latest trend ngayon lalo na sa YouTube (coz we're trying to be a vlogger on YouTube).
Now, we learned our lesson the hard way. He'll be wearing his glasses para 'di magtaas grado niya and if we're lucky baka bumaba pa if we both will religiously follow limited to no screen time. Plus mommy and daddy, masakit din siya sa bulsa.
Always keep in mind how we allow our kids to use gadgets, because it can totally affect them. Not only in their visuals but in other aspect of their development.
About the author
Hello! I'm Mama Disay. I'm a mother of 5 kids. My eldest is 9yrs. old - Kuya Skye, my 2nd born went back to God in heaven (FDU) - baby Raine, my 3rd child is 3 yrs. old - ate Summer, and I have a 4 mos. old twin boys - baby Aire and Snowe.