Beyond screens: Helping children rediscover attention and balance

Recent times have shown a very different perspective of our youngsters. I met several teachers, and they all had the same concern – The attention span of our children has decreased so much that even the brightest of them cannot sit with a single idea for more than a few minutes. They get distracted and end up interrupting the classes. To them, silence in the classroom is uncomfortable. Moreover, routine tasks and assignments feel burdensome. The problem is, it is not an anecdotal issue; it is more structural.

What data tells us

A 2024 survey by Baatu Tech of 1,000 Indian parents found about 60% of children aged 5-16 exhibit behaviours indicative of potential digital addiction. It also noted 70-80% exceed recommended screen time limits daily, with 85% of parents facing difficulties regulating usage. A longitudinal study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) dataset found nearly one-third of participants had increasing addictive screen use trajectories for social media or mobile phones starting at age 11. Compulsive users showed two to three times higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

Surveys, including data from LocalCircles, indicate that nearly 49% of urban Indian parents report their children (ages 9–13) spend 3+ hours daily on social media, videos, and games, with many exceeding six hours. This excessive, often daily, screen time is linked to increased impatience, aggression, hyperactivity, and shorter attention spans in children. For anybody who thinks this is just data, educators are feeling the brunt of it as they see education being majorly impacted.

Inside a restless mind

Learning requires sustained attention, while emotions must be regulated, and there should be an ability to tolerate complexity in human behaviour. Digital platforms, on the other hand, bombard the young mind with content at a great speed, with a novelty factor and with instant rewards. Extended screen time exposure results in the brain becoming accustomed to rapid stimulation, where slow-paced tasks such as reading, solving multi-step problems and listening to a lecture feel exhausting.

Moreover, constant exposure to curated online identities is making the young minds more vulnerable to comparison and self-doubt. A restless mind not just struggles with focus but with resilience too. From the perspective of educators, emotional stability and intellectual growth are interconnected. A child who is distracted cannot think deeply, while an anxious child cannot absorb fully.

The onus on parents and schools

The National Education Policy (2020) too emphasises holistic and multidisciplinary development. Education must nurture the cognitive as well as emotional needs of children. But with fragmented attention spans, basic education is difficult. Thus, parents and teachers both must come together to bring the child out of the trap.

Schools must integrate mindfulness periods into the timeline. This has resulted in calmer minds that process information in a better way and are able to do justice to their talent.

Moving towards mindfulness

But classrooms alone aren’t sufficient. Parents too must support their child in building a routine that shall help them overcome everyday anxiety and stress. Our children need to be encouraged to start their day with seven minutes of mindful, deliberate breathing. The physiology of stress starts to change as they sit still with their thoughts and themselves. The heart rate stabilises and the mind calms. This calm sitting is supported by pranayama, which can also be incorporated into this practice. Over time, one learns to watch ideas rather than be drawn by them since they set the tone for the day.

External balance is necessary to support this internal discipline. The kids require human contact, sunlight, and movement. Sports, music, art, and unplanned time with friends must therefore be a part of their day. It gives children emotional energy, which they can then use to express themselves in healthy ways. Make mealtimes sacred as a family, and don’t let any electronics on the table. It is necessary to promote dialogue. These shared rituals give people a sense of community and a way to express their issues and find solutions—something that no digital platform can offer.

In addition, parents and educators need to pay more attention to behavioural changes in children. Red indications include declining academic interest, abrupt mood swings, seclusion from friends or family, irregular sleep patterns, and device concealment. They are an indication of emotional excess. Additionally, an addiction to screens is only a way to avoid reality. It is frequently possible to break down the barrier and assist the child by having a kind and sympathetic discourse.

In the near future, technology shall continue to be a part of the classroom. We need to consciously cultivate focus, emotional steadiness and patience. As children learn to pause, breathe and ponder upon a thought without feeling the itch to reach out to distraction, learning shall regain its depth soon. In the future, the digital access shall increase, but we need to protect attention itself. And parents and teachers both must step up for the same.

(Acharya Anita, Life Coach and Spiritual Mentor)

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Published – March 06, 2026 02:51 pm IST