It's completely understandable when parents give their young children their iPhone or iPad to help them wait at a doctor's office, sit at a restaurant, or allow the parent to simply catch up with household errands. But after it happens, their children may continually ask to play with the device. He or she can't seem to be content playing with blocks or puzzles, dolls or play cars. Crafting or tinkering no longer have any appeal.

While it's true that children can experience a focused flow state while on electronic devices, they are then usually depleted after screen time. To process that screen time, they need ample time to be active and run around. By contrast, after a good playground or nature session, kids feel happily tired, fulfilled and joyful, and can often naturally conclude with that experience. Phones and other devices scream "More, more!" even when the children are exhausted.

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Read by Marie T. Russell, InnerSelf.com

Music By Caffeine Creek Band, Pixabay

Carmen Viktoria Gamper has worked internationally as an educator, advisor, coach and speaker for child-centered education. As founder of the New Learning Culture program, she supports parents, homeschooling families and schools in safely offering child-directed, flow-rich learning environments.

She is the author of: Flow to Learn: A 52 Week Parent's Guide to Recognize and Support Your Child's Flow State - the Optimal Condition for Learning (New Learning Culture Publishing, March 22, 2020). Learn more at flowtolearn.com.