How to Know if Your Child Is Addicted to the Computer

The instant gratification, the ease of anonymous communication, the endless sources of entertainment -- adults and kids can find plenty to like about computers. Some kids, however, develop an attachment to the computer that is unhealthy and interferes with their daily lives. If your child seems excessively concerned with the computer, you might have a computer-addicted kid on your hands. Computer addiction comes with some tell-tale signs.

Instructions

    • 1

      Watch your kid̵7;s grades. If your once scholarly student is bringing home C̵7;s and D̵7;s, he might be overly attached to the computer and, as such, too busy to spend much time studying.

    • 2

      Figure out how much time your child spends on the computer. If your child isn̵7;t restricted in the amount of computer time he gets, watching how often he sits down and surfs the net can tell you much. If he is on the computer almost all night, he is likely too connected, according to an article at WomansDay.com.

    • 3

      Monitor your child̵7;s initial reaction when you ask him to turn off the computer. If he grumbles but complies, he might just be a computer fan. If he responds in anger or has an emotional outburst, he might have an addiction that you need to address, according to Larry Silver, a clinical professor of psychiatry, in an article for ̶0;ADDitude Magazine.̶1;

    • 4

      Check your child̵7;s mood when he̵7;s not online. If your kid is a moody mess during his not-logged-in hours, but his mood quickly brightens when he is next sitting in front of the flashing screen, computer addiction is likely, reports Common Sense Media.

    • 5

      Keep track of how much time your kid spends with his friends. If he is coming home to be online instead of hanging out with his friends IRL -- that̵7;s computer lingo for ̶0;in real life̶1; -- he is likely too connected to this digital buddy.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Build a Three-Year-Old's Self Esteem
      It is important for children to feel good about themselves. Children with healthy self-esteem are more likely to become productive adults. Parents play a key role in building their childs self-esteem. According to California family therapist Jane Nel
    • How Often Should a Child Receive a Tetanus & Pertussis Shot?
      Vaccines protect a child from infectious -- and potentially fatal -- diseases. They are generally both safe and effective, can save lives, and can protect future generations by reducing or eliminating some diseases. Two common childhood vaccinations
    • Cognitive Motor Skills of a 3-Year-Old
      Cognitive-motor skills combine a childs conceptual skills -- their ability to learn and solve problems, explore and interpret the environment -- with physical development and learned sequences of movement. The development and control of large muscle