The shift from the physical realm to the digital realm during the Covid-19 pandemic, is feared to have turned the generation known as digital natives, into one entirely consumed by screens.
From online school to zoom weddings, birthday parties and get-togethers, the emerging all-online culture is blamed for leaving playgrounds deserted and youngsters devoid of physical activity. Health experts, seeing the trend, alert that this growing lack of physical exercise in an entire generation, could negatively impact its physical and mental health in the long term.
“It was during Covid-19 that schools went entirely digital, which meant that children as young as three to four years as well as pre-teens now had full access to mobile devices and internet. It was painted as the need of the hour, but at the same time various violent video games were also being mainstreamed on these devices. So while parks, playgrounds and extracurriculars activities remained suspended, the children ended up adopting these addictive videogames as a means of entertainment,” complained Zafar Malik, a distressed parent, who believes it is the adults’ responsibility to draw children out of the lure of these aggressive video games and encourage them to pursue healthier activities.
Similarly, Nadia Sohail, who is a mother of three, shared that the closure of the physical world during Covid-19 also turned a lot of young girls towards these games, which had previously remained popular among boys. “I have two sons and a daughter. While playground and schools were shut, the boys would still sneak out and play on the streets or wherever and whenever they could afford company with their friends. However, most Pakistani households forbid girls over the age of five from playing outdoors and they are only allowed to other girls’ houses to play indoors. Coronavirus even took away that outlet from them. As a result, many girls like my daughter, ended up getting addicted to these video games surfacing on mobiles,” she told.
Speaking in the regard, Shaheen Qureshi, a local school teacher said that this digital dependency has already started take a toll on the children’s attitude towards education. “During online classes they [children] had a solid excuse for staying glued to the screens all day. But now that physical classes have resumed, we have observed a certain drop in their attention spans and declining interest in sports and physical education, while they always seem to be wanting access to digital screens and internet,” she lamented, adding that this behaviour needs to be addressed by parents and teachers alike.
Ratifying the concerns, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) Department of Psychiatry Assistant Professor Dr Javed Akbar Dars, said that any activity carried out in excess can have a negative impact on both, mental as well as physical health. “Playing video games in moderation doesn’t necessarily have a harmful impact on brain activity, depending on the kind of video game it is. But if played too much, they can actually stunt mental and physical growth. Moreover, ample physical activity is necessary for children to release their pent-up energy, which amid lack of productive outlets can also take a destructive form,” the professor told The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2022.
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