Computers are simply a way of life and all around us. There is no way of getting around the fact that there are computers. The problem arises when you suddenly realize your teen has a computer addiction.
What are the signs to look for to determine if your teen has a computer addiction?
Signs of teens with computer addictions include (but aren’t limited to) — excessive computer use, eating and drinking at the computer, sneaking time on the computer, wanting the computer moved to their bedroom for complete privacy, skipping family time to be on the computer, engaging in fewer social activities with friends to spend more time on the computer and isolating themselves socially from others to be on the computer.
There are several things to do as an active parent to help your teen with a computer addiction. Implementing these steps will help to get your teen over the computer addiction to live a more normal life.
First thing to do is to remove the computer from the bedroom. Put the computer in an area that is accessible by everyone in the home. Teens will have a difficult time hiding the amount of time and what they’re doing on the PC if it’s in a public place in the home.
Disconnect the keyboard and mouse from the computer when it’s not to be in use. Put these in a place that the teen doesn’t have access to. Require the teen to ask for the equipment to be able to use the computer. This will keep them from sneaking computer time when you and the rest of the family is asleep.
Talk to the teen about moderation in all things in life. Explain your concern. If the problem is extremely severe, get the teen counseling. Don’t blame anyone. Just move forward to solve the problem.