Eid Holidays Can Be Used By Parents To Strengthen Relationships With Children

During holidays, parents can invite their children to play together at tourist attractions. (ANTARA/Sizuka)

JAKARTA - Take advantage of the Lebaran holiday to strengthen family relations and reduce children's dependence on gadgets.

This vacation time can be used by parents to do activities with children, such as cooking, playing traditional games, watching family films, or visiting relatives and tourist attractions.

Clinical psychologist Ratih Ibrahim said spending time with family during the Eid holiday could be an effective way to distract children from the gadget screen. "During holidays, parents have the opportunity to interact with their children more through fun and useful activities," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

Ratih also emphasized the importance of parents' role in providing good examples by limiting the use of their own devices. That way, children can understand that the balance between the use of technology and other activities is very important.

If the child starts showing signs of dependence on the device, parents need to understand the causes behind the habit. "The discussion-based approach will help children be more open about their habits," said Ratih.

As a precaution, parents can make agreements with their children regarding the rules for using gadgets, such as determining what applications can be used during school days and the duration of use of devices every day.

However, if dependence on gadgets has begun to disrupt children's daily lives, Ratih suggested that parents consider professional assistance, such as psychologists.

He also reminded that excessive use of gadgets can have a negative impact on various aspects of children's lives. In terms of physical health, children can experience eye fatigue, sleep disorders, and lack of physical activity that can trigger other health problems.

From the emotional aspect, dependence on gadgets can increase levels of anxiety, stress, and difficulty managing emotions. Meanwhile, from a social perspective, children are at risk of delays in language development and difficulty interacting with others.

"Excessive use of gadgets can also have a negative impact on children's academic achievements at school," he concluded.