Too Often Watching Short Videos Makes Children Lazy To Learn, This Is What Experts Say

JAKARTA - In today's digital era, more and more children are having difficulty learning and maintaining focus. One of the main causes of this phenomenon is the habit of watching short videos such as reels on Instagram or similar platforms.

The fast and short pattern of content consumption makes children accustomed to instant stimulation, making it difficult for them to concentrate on things that require longer attention, such as reading books or understanding subject matter at school.

According to a psychiatrist specialist from Hermina Bitung Hospital, dr. Julian Raymond Irwen, SpKJ, children who often watch short videos are at risk of hyperstimulation, where their brains are constantly stimulated by rapid image changes. This condition could have an impact on the way they receive and process information, which ultimately affects their interest in learning.

He explained that children who spend too much time with short videos will experience significant focus disorders. Many of them seem nervous or often turn to their right and left when they are spoken to.

This shows they are not used to focusing on one object for a long time. In addition, these children also tend to be more emotional and angry easily, especially when parents limit the use of gadgets.

Furthermore, dr. Julian mentions the habit of watching short videos excessively can also cause children to show symptoms that resemble Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Studies show that children who are addicted to gadgets often have difficulty concentrating, similar to children diagnosed with ADHD.

The habit of enjoying videos with striking colors and visual effects that are interesting makes them lose interest in textbooks that generally have a simple and more static look. As a result, children become more lazy to learn and are reluctant to read books.

To overcome this problem, parents need to play an active role in guiding their children so they are not addicted to gadgets. One way that can be done is to limit the time to use gadgets and replace them with more useful activities.

Invite children to read books together can be a solution to build literacy habits from an early age. In addition, physical activities such as swimming or playing badminton can be an alternative to entertainment that is not only fun but also good for children's motor development.

In addition, it is important for parents to recognize the signs of children starting to get addicted to gadgets. Some of them are easy to get angry when gadgets are taken, show drastic emotional changes, are willing to sacrifice sleep to play gadgets, and have difficulty breaking away from the screen even though they are gathering with family.

In this increasingly digital world, the use of technology is unavoidable, but parents still have an important role in controlling and directing children to remain balanced in their lives.

This step not only helps increase children's concentration but also maintains their mental and emotional health for a better future. This is as quoted by ANTARA.