Interactive and rapid pace content on a screen increases a child’s sensory input.
This is, of course, a good thing – if it’s a good thing, that is.
Caution needs to be taken to insure that it remains a good thing. Because, overstimulation of a child’s senses when participating in interactive content is common.
First of all, it’s easy to understand other screen related stimulation that is overwhelming to a child: the blue light (we’ve heard that for a while now), radioactivity, the mindless entertainment factors.
It’s sometimes harder to understand how the interactivity and rapid pace of the onscreen world triggers a child. After all, it makes perfect sense that a child loves to be entertained and is ‘doing something productive’ at least in playing an online game or program. How could this possibly also be what’s triggering the angry meltdowns and emotional drama?
Above all, as a parent, it’s important to help them learn to gauge and regulate (as much as their system is able to).
Think about the interactive quality.
The game or online program is building. The point is to be the best strategist, the best hunter, the best builder, the best finder, the best hider, the best and quickest thinker…
Which means needing to interact either with a computer, other “players”, a friend who is also playing or a combination of others.
Think about the rapid pace.
The best…most often means to be the fastest. Hm, yeah that’s not stressful. Especially if you’re up against who knows how many opponents that just might be a better strategist, hunter, builder, finder, hider…than you.
So many flashing lights, new obstacles, new and higher levels to beat, new things to jump over, fling yourself up to, build, climb, dodge, fight, move up, around and through.
Know why games and online programs are built that way?
For the reason that the human brain is amazing.
The human drive for control.
We all want to feel control of our lives. It’s part of our programming. That particular programming is called the human drive for control.
Interestingly, there are only 5 factors that actually fill that control. And as a parent, it’s important to understand that to be able to help our kiddos as they grow and develop.
These 5 factors bring about a sense of control of our lives. Notice how each of them is independent of anyone else.
You know how it is, many times we try to feel in control by trying to control others (manipulate much?). We try to feel in control by trying to control the outcome (OCD much?)
In actuality, control is found when we control these 5 factors in our own lives:
The activity level we get in our day,
What we put in our mouths (our nutrition),
How much water we drink,
How much sleep we get,
NEW in our life.
Ding! Dong! Ding! And that’s another draw for the online pull. Our human brain loves NEW.
NEW helps us feel in control when we’re experiencing new things within a setting that is familiar (think screentime).
We all know that the ages and stages of life are REAL. For a child, it’s such a wondrous thing to watch.
It’s a beautiful thing.
You may notice, as your child gets more and more chiropractic adjustments, they seem to magically be able to handle transitions better. What a beautiful thing to witness.
Wanna chat about your child and their struggles with sensory overload? Click here and tell us what’s going on. Helping kids like yours is exactly what we do best. Most noteworthy: you’ll find it helps not just your child but your whole family.
