Dangers of using Phone while Eating for Kids5 min read

Mobile phones and other technology can be addictive for children. While most adults can resist the urge to use it, children find it difficult to resist.

Since mobiles are very addictive, children start using them as an incentive to eat. This makes them think that it’s hard to escape from them. Unlike adults, children have different eating habits. They are also influenced by various factors such as the looks of the food and the taste.

Putting a screen in front of them makes our task easier, right? In the long run, this idea could be very detrimental to their development and addictive too. Let me explain why eating with a screen is so bad for kids and how to make them enjoy eating without using mobile phones or TV.

Addiction

According to a study, 90% of kids under 2 years old use smartphones before they turn 2. This is a scary statistic because children should be engaged in developing their brains at an early age.

Watching YouTube or Rhymes will eventually turn into a habit. It will start to feel like a chore that the child should be put in front of a screen for their Breakfast, Lunch, Snack-Time, and Dinner.

They eat way more or very little

If your child is struggling with under-eating or overeating, it may be due to their eating distraction. This issue can happen because they are constantly looking at a television or computer screen while eating. Children tend to eat slowly and without interest when the screen is not there. This is because they learn to eat following the external cues that distract them like YouTube video rhymes or Cartoons on the Television. 

Less Chewing

When a child is watching a TV show or playing a game on his mobile, all his attention is focused on the screen. Distractions can also cause a child to not properly eat and digest food. Not chewing food enough will cause the rest of the digestive system to get confused. The body may not be able to produce enough enzymes to fully break down food, which could cause digestive problems. It can also cause a choking hazard.

No Interaction with Family

If the family doesn’t eat together it doesn’t stay together! It can also lead the child to think that their family doesn’t talk much. The child can easily avoid interaction with their family members by using a smartphone. Making dinner time a collective activity of the family can help to keep the screens at bay at the dinner table. This can help teach your child the importance of family. 

Make food seem exciting to children. This will help them feel like they’re eating something they’re excited about.

Here are a few tactics to make lip-smacking meals that your child will love to eat.

A Yummy Breakfast Morning, Kids!

Instead of just a regular Good-Morning breakfast, Make an Assorted-Morning Breakfast! We are not being Master Chef’s, there can be a Zero Possibility! But why can’t we give it a try? When it comes to feeding kids, it is important to make sure they have a variety of food in every meal. This will help them develop a balanced diet. Also getting a variety each day can make them eat the food better! Why not a healthy veggie yet tasty Veg-Toasts, Bread recipes – Only make sure you use healthy veggies and protein-rich foods but a bit tastier and exciting.

Make it Creative!

Try to explain why a certain food is good for them while making food with them. Tell your child why eating food is good for them. What happens when they eat it. You can also make food look pretty by adding a smiling face or making different shapes of pastries. By making an effort to make creative food can be an advantage in making your child eat food better.

No Commands

It’s important to teach them to finish their food or eat the vegetables, but it can also be a bit challenging to convince them without forcing them to eat them. Instead, try asking them to dip or a different sauce. Yeah, that surely can make a difference.

Make Food Together

If your child is old enough to start making the salad, then having a ‘make your salad station’ could be a great idea. It would allow them to select the vegetables and dress them up. Involve your child in the process of making food by making a sandwich station. This activity can be done in a variety of ways. Ask your child to join in the kitchen and give suggestions about what they like and what they don’t. They will always eat anything that they’ve helped create. This is a brilliant way!

Gift them something

When your child eats well, treat them with something meaningful.

Reward them with something useful for their growth or with something that can help them develop a skill etc. after eating well as an encouragement. 

Be a role model

Skip your smartphones while eating, eat the same healthy food that your child is eating. Also, try talking to your child and tell stories if possible and make every mealtime a memorable one for your child. Doing so will make the mealtime fun for both you and the child.

Conclusion

It is not that hard to get kids to eat without screens. Just make sure to practice not getting distracted by the screens. Remember to keep your phones away from the kitchen counter and at mealtimes. Also, remember to preach what you preach, and why not send or attend to emails? Family interaction is more important than just being with the family. To avoid losing sight of that, we need to force ourselves to prioritize it more than just being with the family.