Child Psychologist: Screen "Detox" Isn't the Solution

When screens come out of kids' hands, tantrums often follow. But child psychologist Lavina Nanda says the real problem isn't how many hours children spend online.

Nanda leads developmental services at Children First, a mental health organization in India that works with families navigating digital challenges. She's urging parents to shift their focus from screen time limits to something more important: how screens affect daily life.

"The red flag for me is not the number of hours," Nanda explains. "It's when a child cannot stop, cannot regulate, and daily functioning starts to change."

Her clinical checklist looks different from most parenting advice. Can your child fall asleep without a device? Do they play physically, not just watch videos? Can they handle disappointment without immediately reaching for a screen?

If screens have become the only tool for calming down, eating meals, or getting through bedtime, that's when families need to pay attention. Nanda sees this as less about addiction and more about missing developmental skills.

She also pushes back on blaming children for being "lazy" when they can't tolerate boredom. Apps are designed by adults to be irresistible, using autoplay features and instant rewards that even grown-ups struggle to resist.

"When something highly rewarding is available instantly, why would they choose the slower option?" she asks. Children haven't yet learned what they gain from unstructured time.

Why This Inspires

Nanda's approach replaces shame with understanding. Instead of labeling kids as addicted or weak-willed, she recognizes they're developing brains living in an ecosystem designed to capture attention.

Her focus on functioning over hours gives parents practical tools. Families can observe whether screens are replacing physical play, disrupting sleep patterns, or becoming the only emotional regulation tool available.

Most importantly, she emphasizes that children aren't the primary decision-makers about screen access. Adults control when devices enter homes, what apps get downloaded, and which boundaries exist. That means solutions require family-wide changes, not just restrictions placed on kids.

The shift happening in India reflects global concerns, but Nanda's message offers hope. Parents don't need to create battlegrounds or enforce harsh detoxes. They need to understand how development actually works and build environments where children can learn regulation skills gradually.

Her work with very young children shows that when families focus on restoring play, movement, and face-to-face connection, screen struggles often resolve naturally. The answer isn't removing technology entirely but making space for the slower, messier, more physical experiences that build healthy brains.