Reclaiming childhood from screens

There is a silent epidemic spreading across India’s homes. It does not arrive with fever or cough, but through the glow of a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Children are increasingly spending several hours a day staring at screens, watching reels, playing online games and consuming a constant stream of digital content designed to hold their attention.

In Jammu and Kashmir, as in other parts of the country, this growing dependence on screens deserves far greater public attention.

What makes the situation more worrying is that the screen has gradually become the easiest solution for busy and exhausted parents. A mobile phone can keep a restless child quiet, but what appears to be a harmless convenience can carry serious consequences when it becomes a daily habit.

Paediatricians, psychologists and eye specialists are increasingly drawing attention to the impact of excessive screen exposure on children. For younger children, prolonged screen time can affect language and social development because meaningful interaction with parents, teachers and peers remains central to learning. The growing incidence of eye strain and myopia among children is another warning sign that cannot be ignored.

Perhaps the most serious consequence is the erosion of attention span. Digital platforms are designed around instant gratification. Short videos, rapid visual changes, endless scrolling and constant notifications train young minds to expect stimulation every few seconds. A classroom, however, demands patience, concentration and the ability to remain engaged with a subject for a sustained period. Teachers across Jammu and Kashmir have increasingly voiced concerns over declining attention spans among students.

This is not an argument against technology. Digital tools are indispensable in modern education and communication. The real challenge is to ensure that technology remains a tool rather than becoming the environment in which childhood is lived.

Schools must establish clear screen-free periods, discourage smartphones in classrooms and introduce digital wellness and responsible technology use as part of education. But government policy alone cannot solve the problem. Parents must reclaim the dinner table, the bedroom and bedtime from the screen. Children need conversation more than scrolling, outdoor games more than online games, and books and human interaction more than algorithm-driven entertainment.

The vision of a developed India by 2047 will ultimately depend on the quality of the generation that is growing up today. A nation cannot build a strong future on children whose physical, emotional and intellectual development is increasingly being shaped by algorithms.

Technology should serve childhood, not replace it. The screen has already entered our homes. The question now is whether we will allow it to take over our children’s lives. It is time for families, schools and society to draw the line—and give childhood back to children.