Who are Smombie? A serious problem of the 21st century and its impact on children and parents
In 2015, it was announced that “Smombie” is the most popular German word. This neologism arose from the clusters of two words: “Smartphone” and “Zombie”. It means a person who does not part with his phone, goes with him even to the bathroom, walks on the streets, exposing himself to falling under the car. Like zombies.
The word should enter the dictionaries of all nations. Because “Smombie” is us.
Sad effects of the digital revolution and influence of phones on children
The fact that we do not stop staring at our phones has a bad influence not only on us, our relationships and can end in a tragic accident. First of all, it harms our children.
– I have been watching this trend since 1995. Parents are less and less patient, they want to deal with their children's vision less and less. That is why they give them what they want, so that they are finally quiet – says Michael Winterhoff, a child psychologist.
Why since 1995? It was then that the digital revolution began.
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Smartphone instead of action
Winterhoff puts a very strong thesis. In his opinion, digital progress causes that parents are increasingly overwhelmed and cannot prepare their children for life that awaits them.
The psychologist believes that such preparation should be done by showing children, that sometimes not everything has to be done in their thoughts.
– Parents stopped working. They are just reacting. They react on their smartphones, tablets, on Facebook, to the behavior of children. And they react immediately – says Winterhoff.
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The doctor compares such a life to how we make decisions during the last minute of Christmas shopping at the last minute.
– It is in constant standing out before the disaster. Parents are prepared to silence their child immediately when it makes a sound. And if it does not want to calm down, you can always plant them in front of the TV, or give him a tablet to take a few hours – explains the specialist.
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The child learns tolerance of frustration from an early age
Almost every day, each of us contacts situations that can upset. We have to sit in the office on a beautiful, sunny day or stand in a long queue for dinner, although we are very hungry. But we endure it. It is called frustration tolerance.
Getting this skill is extremely important. Without her, we would not endure a single day at work, 10 minutes in a traffic jam or half an hour of waiting for dinner in a restaurant. But none of us is born with a set level of frustration tolerance.
– We learn this in childhood. We start when we are 8-9 months old – says Winterhoff.
The point is that more or less at this time it begins to be shown to us, that we have to wait patiently for some things we want. We are slowly finding that we will not even get it with a loud scream.
The expert warns that if his parents do not start teaching about a year old, that he will not get everything he wants, immediately, they will struggle with the consequences of this overlooking through the entire educational process. It may also translate into his adult life. Explains:
– We now have almost 60 percent in Germany. Young adults who are unable to adapt are not suitable for working with other people. Their number will increase.
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Parents must achieve internal peace to be patient to raise a child
Winterhoff blames not only parents for this state of affairs, but also a modern education system. Believes that Currently, too little is required from students.
– In schools, everything has been subordinated to students' whims, teachers are only their “teaching companions”. Nobody tells the children that they are to sit peacefully and listen – says the doctor.
Winterhoff thinks there is only one way to fix this situation. Guardians, i.e. parents, as well as grandfathers and teachers, They should find time to regain inner peace.
– The feeling of overwhelming always comes from the inside, from ourselves. That is why it is so important that adults learn to rest, give themselves time to take care of themselves, think and regenerate. These can be Yoga classes, a walk in the woods or going to church. The idea is to break away from phones, laptops and other technological inventions at this time. At least for a few hours a week – a specialist advises.
In his opinion, it is a method, That adults would regain what they call “intuition”. As he notes, the issue of intuition is that the parent knows when to give the child what he asks right away, and when to wait for him to wait. But it only works when a man has internal peace.
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Winterhoff also recommends organizing as much time to children when they do not have contact with technology. Just In this way, they can be protected from the fact that they do not grow into another “smombie”.
Note from the publisher: The above article was originally published in July 2017 and was updated.
