It’s been 3 days since Raghu’s parents last logged off from their computers. Raghu is starting to get bored. He’s tried everything he can think of to get their attention, but nothing seems to work. Raghu quietly opens the door and walks in. His parents don’t even notice him as he tries to get their attention.

He finally decides to give up and goes to bed. But in the middle of the night, he hears a strange noise coming from his parent’s room.

Kids and Teenagers are often said to be addicted to their phones, but new research shows that they’re usually just copying what their parents do. Even if we know this, we want research to tell us who in world believes anything that pops up in our minds.

We all use digital devices for work, play, and socialising, but too much time in front of a screen can be bad for you. There is a thing called “digital addiction,” which is an unhealthy and obsessive relationship with technology that can hurt the person and the people around them.

When it comes to their kids’ addiction to technology, parents are often seen as part of the solution. But in a recent study done by my team, we found that parents may be part of the problem.

The survey looked into whether there was a link between how much parents and their kids were addicted to the Internet. Parents filled out a survey about themselves and another survey about their teenagers.

The results showed a direct link. The more addicted the parents were, the more compulsions their children had. A powerful way to raise kids is to show them how to act. Parents are no different in how they use technology. There are ways to deal with the situation.

The connection between parents’ Internet addiction and their children’s behaviour

It’s no secret that the Internet has become a huge part of our lives. We use it for work, play, and to stay connected with friends and family. But what happens when our use of the Internet starts to interfere with our everyday lives? This is known as Internet addiction, and it’s a real problem for many people.

One group of people who are particularly vulnerable to Internet addiction are parents. This is because they often have to juggle their responsibilities at home with their job or schoolwork. As a result, they can easily become overwhelmed and turn to the Internet as a way to escape from their problems.

Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on their children. Studies have shown that children of parents who are addicted to the Internet are more likely to suffer from behavioural problems.

The possible causes of parents’ internet addiction and their children’s behaviour

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that parents’ internet addiction can have a negative impact on their children’s behaviour. While the exact causes are not yet clear, there are several possible explanations for this phenomenon.

One possibility is that children mimic the behaviour of their parents. If Mom or Dad is spending all their free time glued to a screen, it’s not surprising that their kids will pick up the same habits. Additionally, parents who are addicted to the Internet may be less likely to engage in healthy activities with their children, such as playing outside or reading together. This can lead to behavioural problems in kids as they seek attention and validation from their parents. Another possibility is that parental Internet addiction creates an atmosphere of conflict in the home.

What can be done?

1) Switch things up

When kids teach other kids about a problem, they are more likely to change the way they act themselves. Let teens help you make a plan for how you will handle your own Internet use. Work with your kids to build trust and a sense of shared responsibility.

For example, if you make a weekly schedule to keep track of how much time your family spends on the Internet, add a column for yourself. This plan shows that both sides want to solve the problem. Teenagers need someone to look up to if they want to do well in life.

2. Don’t rely only on tools to keep kids safe.

The fact that so many teenagers are addicted to digital devices shows that parental controls aren’t working. A study done in 2017 found that 22% of the teens who took part used the internet too much. The tools can only do certain things. They don’t have important features like setting group limits.

The word “control” sounds bad, especially to teenagers, who see it as something to avoid rather than something to work with. People think it makes them less free.

Digital addiction is linked to a lot of bad things, like getting lower grades in school and losing your job. But spending time together as a family could be the answer.

3. Let’s discuss it.

Setting rules about when teens can use the internet, giving them punishments for breaking the rules, and giving them rewards for using less technology is not a good strategy by itself. What was clear was how important it is to talk to your child about how to handle screen time and activities online.

You need to know what’s going on in their lives that makes them want to use drugs. Use what you learned from what your child told you. After you agree on a goal, stick to it. When used with constructive conversations, setting goals and limits, giving rewards, and reviewing technology often did work.

4. Eat that frog with Self-discipline

No matter how often parents checked up on their kids, the level of addiction did not go down, according to what we found. Only if the child wants to change can it happen. Both kids and adults who spend too much time on the Internet are more likely to have low self-control.

Teenagers will feel more in charge and more likely to act if they feel like they own something and are committed to it. Teens should be able to set limits for how much they use technology (for instance, how much time they spend on a device and which mobile apps to delete).

5. Work on getting close.

Strengthening your relationship with your child is a good way to deal with digital addiction. Even though it sounds simple, our research showed that low levels of emotional engagement in both authoritarian (like turning off WiFi) and lenient parenting styles made their children more addicted to technology.

Almost all of the parents in our study (94% of them) used either an aggressive, assertive, or lenient style of digital parenting. But most of their teens were already addicted to technology or were at risk of becoming addicted.

Teens who didn’t get along well with their parents were more likely to be addicted to the Internet. Instead, low scores for Internet addiction in children were linked to strong family ties and few fights. Planning fun things to do as a family gives teenagers something worthwhile to do with their time and makes them feel more supported by their peers.