When the phone matters more than parents
Children used to want to be like their parents. Today, more and more often, they want to be like people they have never met.
Look around you.
In restaurants, parks, cars, school hallways and even at the family table, the scene is almost always the same.
Children sit with their heads bowed, eyes glued to small glowing screens. Fingers swipe tirelessly across the glass.
One video. Another video. A third video.
TikTok. Instagram Reels. YouTube Shorts.
An endless stream of short clips, fast images, loud sounds and new stimuli.
Everything has to happen now. Everything has to be fun. Everything has to be exciting.
And when the screen goes quiet?
Some children become restless, frustrated, tearful, even angry.
Have we let the phone become more important than conversation, play, friendship – even their own parents?
An industry that profits from our children's attention
Let's not fool ourselves.
Social networks are not just places where people connect and share information.
They are also a huge industry that profits from our attention.
Every like, every notification, every new video and every swipe is part of a digital environment designed to keep us in front of the screen for as long as possible.
Algorithms analyse what we watch, how long we watch it, what we skip and what we come back to.
Based on that, they offer us new content.
And more.
And more.
It is especially worrying when we expose children, whose brains are still developing, to these mechanisms every day.
The brain has a reward system in which dopamine plays an important role. It is involved in motivation, learning and the anticipation of reward.
When a child does not know whether the next video will be boring or incredibly interesting, that very unpredictability can keep them watching.
One more video.
Five more minutes.
Just this one.
And the hours go by.
Not every child who uses TikTok is addicted to their phone. But when digital content starts to crowd out sleep, school, family relationships, friendships and other activities, the problem becomes serious.
Because at that point the child is no longer freely deciding how to spend their time. Their habits are increasingly steered by a digital system designed to hold their attention.
When mum and dad stop being heroes
Children's heroes used to be their parents, teachers, athletes, scientists and the people around them.
Today, people children have never met have more and more influence.
A child no longer compares themselves only with school friends.
They compare their looks, clothes, phone, home, holidays and way of life with people they watch online every day.
And who are these new idols?
Sometimes they are thirteen-year-olds posing in front of private jets.
Teenagers showing off garages full of Ferraris.
Young influencers who claim to have already made millions, travel the world and live a life most adults can only dream of.
But how much of it is real?
A private jet may be rented just for the photo shoot.
A Ferrari may belong to a car rental agency.
A luxury villa may be rented for a few hours.
An expensive watch may be borrowed, and a perfect face may be the result of a digital filter.
Everything is carefully lit, edited and presented as everyday life.
And the child watching often does not see the production, the advertising or the acting.
They see the life they want to have.
And they start to ask themselves:
Why don't I have a car like that?
Why doesn't my family have that much money?
Why don't I look like that?
Why isn't my life that interesting?
And so a real childhood starts being measured against someone else's invented reality.
A system of false values
What can children learn from a world where success is so often measured in followers, views and likes?
That being famous matters more than being educated.
That looking rich matters more than working honestly.
That having the perfect photo matters more than actually being happy.
That success does not come from effort, learning and perseverance, but from one viral video.
Of course, there is also excellent content online, quality educators and influencers who set a positive example for young people.
But the algorithm does not need to tell a good role model from a bad one to do its job well.
Its goal is to offer content that keeps the user watching.
And provocation, exaggeration, luxury and shock often attract more attention than an ordinary, honest, real life.
It is a value system in which attention is turned into money.
And we do not need to assume a secret conspiracy to recognise the problem.
Digital platforms have a financial interest in keeping our children in front of screens for as long as possible.
That is the business model.
And parents have to decide how much room they want to give that model in their children's lives.
What happens when you take a child's phone away?
Many parents know that moment well.
You tell your child that's enough.
You ask them to put the phone down.
And suddenly the argument starts.
“Just five more minutes!”
“Everyone else is allowed!”
“No!”
Sometimes there are tears, shouting, slammed doors or aggressive behaviour.
Parents are left stunned.
How can one ordinary device cause such a strong reaction?
Such behaviour can sometimes resemble the reactions of people who find it hard to give up an addictive habit.
Still, it is important to understand that a strong reaction to having a phone taken away is not in itself proof of addiction, nor is it the same as physical withdrawal from drugs.
In children, frustration, fear of missing out, a lack of other activities and difficulty regulating emotions can all be intertwined.
But if a child repeatedly loses control over device use, neglects responsibilities, does not get enough sleep or withdraws from real relationships, that is a sign we must not ignore.
At that point the phone is no longer just a source of entertainment.
It has become a problem that needs a parent's attention.
And where are we, the parents, in all of this?
This may be the most uncomfortable question of the whole story.
How much time do we really spend with our children?
I don't mean the time when we are all in the same room.
I don't mean the moments when a child sits next to us while we answer work messages.
I mean real time.
When did you last sit down with your child and talk without a phone?
When did you last ask them what makes them happy, what they are afraid of, who their role model is and what they dream about?
Do you know who your child follows on TikTok?
Do you know what videos they watch before bed?
Do you know who they compare themselves with?
Do you know why they might feel they are not pretty, successful or valuable enough?
Perhaps we are so busy providing everything our children need that we have forgotten what they need most.
Us.
Our time.
Our attention.
Our conversations.
Our presence.
Let's give children their childhood back
We do not need to raise children to fear technology.
Phones can be useful. The internet can open doors to knowledge, creativity and friendship.
But a child should not grow up believing that their worth is measured in likes, or that life without digital stimulation is dull and worthless.
So set boundaries.
Introduce phone-free time, especially during meals and before bed.
Talk about fake luxury, filters, advertising and the content influencers post.
Teach children not to believe everything they see.
Encourage sport, reading, socialising, creating and time in nature.
And most importantly, set an example.
Because we can hardly expect a child to put the phone down if we cannot stop looking at ours.
One day it may be too late
Dear parents,
One day your child will no longer be small.
They won't ask you to play with them.
They won't beg you to go to the park together.
They won't keep asking questions or tugging at your sleeve to show you something.
They will grow up.
And you may remember all those moments when you handed them a phone just to get a little peace.
You will remember the missed conversations, the games you didn't play and the evenings you could have spent together.
Time cannot be turned back.
So don't wait for the problem to become serious.
Don't let an algorithm know your child's interests, fears and wishes better than you do.
Take the phone out of your children's hands when you need to. But don't stop there.
Offer them your hand instead.
Because a child whose screen you take away, but to whom you don't offer your time, may simply wait for the moment they get it back.
But a child you offer attention, understanding and shared moments receives something no social network can give.
Real connection.
And what about electromagnetic radiation?
Besides the content children are exposed to every day, there is another question that worries many parents.
The electromagnetic fields created by mobile phones and other wireless devices.
Children today use mobile devices from a very early age. They carry phones in their pockets, hold them in their hands, use them for calls, games and videos, and often leave them next to the bed at night.
It is understandable that parents want to know whether they can do more to protect their children.
Scientific research into the health effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields is ongoing. Current evidence does not confirm that normal exposure to mobile devices within the prescribed limits causes harmful health effects, but parents can reduce unnecessary exposure with simple habits.
For example, using the speaker during longer calls, not keeping an active phone right against the body when it isn't needed, and leaving devices away from the bed while sleeping.
The HSC card: technology developed over the years
Among the products designed for use with mobile devices is the HSC protective card.
The HSC card is a further development and improvement of the earlier NESU card, whose technology has been the subject of various laboratory tests over the years.
The NESU card documentation lists tests and studies related to its materials, properties and possible physiological effects, including work by various international institutions and laboratories.
HSC continues that development, aiming to offer an additional option for users who think about the electromagnetic fields in their everyday environment.
It is important to distinguish between material tests, studies of physiological parameters and evidence of reduced health risk. The HSC card cannot replace responsible phone use, healthy digital habits or parental attention.
But its development history and the available documentation can be a starting point for parents who want to learn more about the product and its purpose.
For more information about the HSC card, its development and testing, visit the product page:
HSC 5G, 4G and 3G protective smart card
Finally, one question for every parent
You can buy your child the best phone.
You can give them the fastest internet.
You can give them all the technology in the world.
But there is something no device can give them.
Your time. Your love. Your presence.
So tonight, when you sit down next to your child, put your phone away.
Look them in the eye.
Ask them how their day was.
Listen to them.
Because one day you may wish you could bring back exactly that moment.
And then there will be no restart button.
Don't let algorithms raise your children instead of you.
Be their first role model. Their support. Their real hero.