Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. Why is this the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Youngsters engaging with their mobile

devices

for a prolonged time are increasing alarmingly. Several factors contribute to their extensive phone usage, and most notably, the

Internet

facility on their

devices

allows them to access various social media platforms.

Although

smartphones

can be helpful, they still can harm

children

's daily life routines and mental well-being, mainly if used for long periods. One of the main reasons why

children

spend countless hours on their mobiles is attributed to the accessibility of the

Internet

. Touchscreen

smartphones

enable us to utilize the

Internet

.

For example

, my younger siblings have up-to-date

smartphones

, which allow them to browse different online platforms or social media sites, including Netflix, YouTube and TikTok.

As a result

, it has become routine for them to use their

devices

for online social interactions.

Additionally

, another main reason for

children

's lengthy smartphone usage is their concern about the potential absence of digital social engagements. Because their peers are on the

Internet

for a substantial amount of time, these

children

are concerned that they may not know or miss out on important information and activities. To give a clear example, teenagers in Norway stay online for extended periods as they feel peer pressure to do so.

However

,

Smartphones

can be beneficial if used wisely, as they can contribute to

children

's learning development.

For instance

, YouTube contains many educational videos on different levels, which can increase

children

's learning skills.

On the other hand

, spending hours on mobile

devices

can disturb

children

's lifestyles as they may stay up long at night, leading to reduced sleep duration and poor school performance.

To conclude

, the availability of an

internet

connection is a contributing factor to the extended use of

smartphones

among

children

, which can be advantageous if used appropriately.

Nevertheless

, if parents do not limit how many hours their

children

use them, they can negatively affect

children

's health and well-being.