Some parents surrender under the pressure of what outsiders advise and what social media encourages. This leads to them giving their children more freedom than they should. As a result, their children often engage in harmful habits that will affect them later on. While they may seem simple, they can significantly affect a child’s life. In this article, we will explore some of the things that parents allow their children to do that has a lasting impact.
1. Unrestricted Internet Access
In today’s digital age, children are exposed to the internet at tender ages. In most cases, parents give their children access to the Internet for educational purposes and entertainment. However, giving your child unrestricted access can expose them to inappropriate things like adult content, online predators, and cyberbullying.
Advice: It is crucial to set up parental controls and monitor your child’s usage. Never give them free access and assume they are watching what they should be. It takes only one click for them to reach the dark side of the internet. Additionally, encourage your children to have outdoor hobbies for a healthy balance.
2. Drinking Diet and Sugary Drinks
Children will request sweets, and some might even fuss over them. While some parents give in and let their children have sugary drinks, others give their children diet sodas as an alternative. Parents should avoid doing either of these. Diet sodas are marketed as a healthier option, but the artificial sweeteners in them could increase sugar cravings and lead to weight gain. Meanwhile, sugary drinks can cause obesity, diabetes, and energy crashes.
Advice: Encourage your child to drink milk or some natural fruit juice in moderation. It is also important to encourage them to drink water to maintain their health and prevent conditions like chronic dehydration.
3. Excessive Screen Time and Sedentary Lifestyles
Many children spend their time indoors, sitting for hours. Whether at school or home playing videos and watching TV. Excessive screen time can lead to multiple issues, including mental health problems, obesity, and poor social skills.
Advice: Monitor your child’s indoor activities, ensuring they have moderate screen time. Encourage outdoor activities that keep them physically active. Include the family and make outdoor time fun for everyone.
4. Using Social Media and Texting
Children who use social media and text at a young age are often exposed to things they shouldn’t be. On social media, they can encounter unrealistic beauty standards that can lead to low confidence, online predators, and cyberbullying, which can take a toll on their mental health. Meanwhile, texting can prompt them to have secretive and cause miscommunication, and social pressures.
Advice: Prevent your child from having access to social media at a young age, and explain why it is not age-appropriate. Encourage them to have more in-person interactions over texting.
5. Dressing Beyond Their Age
In the world of social media, many parents show off their children’s style online. While some are admired, others garner criticism because the outfits promote an image that is too mature for the child. Parents who allow their children to follow fashion trends and wear revealing clothing attract unwanted attention to their children. In many cases, shameless online predators make disturbing remarks about their child’s appearance online. Dressing your child in adult-inspired outfits can also cause self-esteem issues.
Advice: Teach your child about which outfits are appropriate for their age. Teach them self-respect, and confidence in who they are, and help to build their self-worth.
6. Playing Violent or Mature Video Games
Many video games focus on violence, aggression, and inappropriate themes. With many popular games sharing these factors, it is natural for your child to learn about them through their peers or online. They may develop an interest in these games, which is widely considered a fun escape from reality. However, violent games with inappropriate themes can influence your child to adopt aggressive behaviours.
Advice: Discourage your child from playing these games and choose more age-appropriate games for them. Also limit their screen time, which can prevent them from experiencing negative impacts on their emotional well-being.
