Strategies for implementing rules to prevent excessive gadget use in children

Jakarta — Dr Kristiana Siste Kurniasanti, a psychiatrist specialising in addiction and head of the psychiatry department at Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, has cautioned parents about implementing rules to prevent children from excessive gadget use, particularly during school holidays.

According to Dr Kurniasanti, parents should not simply demand that children stop playing with gadgets continuously; rather, they must become role models and exemplars in their own device usage habits.

“There must be rules at home. Children should not eat meals in their rooms whilst playing with gadgets. Gaming should take place in open family spaces, such as the living room, together as a family,” said Kristiana in an exclusive interview with ANTARA in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Kristiana emphasised that parents must establish time limits for children’s gadget use and balance these with family activities. Additionally, devices such as gadgets, laptops and computers should not be brought into children’s bedrooms, and parents should set specific times to collect devices—for example, around 20:00 or 21:00 in the evening.

“Set timers. Gaming itself is not forbidden, but according to our research, it should not exceed three hours daily. Apply the same rule to social media use. All family members should follow the same rules,” she added.

During school holidays, children often play online games with friends, which Kristiana notes makes it difficult for them to stop, coupled with anxiety about being excluded by peers.

“For example, a session of Mobile Legends takes about 20 minutes for skilled players. You could restrict it to two sessions—that’s 40 minutes—and explain that joining friends briefly is acceptable. Then involve them in other activities. Parents must also be creative,” she said.

Kristiana further noted that if children have tantrums when gaming or gadget use is restricted, parents should not immediately capitulate to their demands. Such tantrums often represent attention-seeking behaviour when a child’s wishes are not met.

“Usually within two hours, the tantrum stops. Let them be angry; it is attention-seeking. The more parents panic, the more children enjoy the situation,” she concluded.