Childhood is a critical phase for primary socialization, where children learn norms, values, language, and emotional intelligence primarily through close physical and emotional interaction with caregivers.

In recent times, mobile phones and digital devices have increasingly substituted for parental interaction. This shift has significant implications for the cognitive, emotional, and social development of children.

Impacts on Socialization of Children

1. Delayed Emotional Bonding:

   • Physical touch (like cuddling) is vital for building trust and emotional security.
   • Replacement with screen time leads to emotional detachment, lack of warmth, and trust deficit in later life.
   • Example: Children exposed to screens early show more attachment to devices than caregivers.

2. Impaired Language Development:

   • Interaction with caregivers promotes language learning through speech, tone, and gestures.
   • Overuse of phones leads to delayed speech and poor vocabulary.
   • Data: A 2019 Indian Pediatrics study found that children with more than 2 hours of screen time daily had 3 times higher risk of speech delay.

3. Reduced Attention Span and Cognitive Impairment:

   • Passive consumption of fast-paced digital content reduces attention span, memory retention, and analytical thinking.
   • It fosters instant gratification tendencies rather than patience and resilience.

4. Stunted Social Skills:

   • Children learn empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution through human interaction.
   • Screen addiction impairs non-verbal communication, leading to social awkwardness and isolation.
   • Example: Rising incidents of social anxiety among school children post-pandemic due to excessive screen exposure.

5. Emotional Regulation Deficits:

   • Cuddling soothes and regulates emotions, while screen distraction merely suppresses them.
   • This leads to tantrums, mood swings, and inability to cope with real-life challenges.

6. Weak Moral and Ethical Foundation:

   • Storytelling and moral guidance from elders are crucial for value transmission.
   • Digital media often lacks contextually appropriate moral learning, or even promotes aggression and consumerism.

7. Family Detachment and Alienation:

   • Mobile phones create digital distance between children and parents, even in physically close settings.
   • This undermines the family as the primary agent of socialization

Replacing child cuddling with mobile phones is not just a parenting issue—it reflects a deep societal shift in child-rearing norms, with long-term implications for social cohesion, emotional intelligence, and moral integrity of the next generation.