As July arrives, schools across the country begin their summer breaks. What do children enjoy most during these long holidays? According to the "Survey Report on Sports Participation Among Chinese Youth Students," the top three activities students prefer in their free time during breaks and holidays are surfing the internet, listening to music, and watching TV—less than 30% engage in outdoor sports. From tutoring and playtime to bedtime...nowadays, touchscreen devices like iPads, computers, and smartphones have essentially become children's "electronic nannies" and "playmates." Experts warn that excessive and premature exposure to electronic products may turn naturally active children into "homebodies." "Homebody syndrome" can severely harm both physical and mental health, often resulting in declining eyesight, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease; it can easily lead to introverted personalities, such as reduced curiosity, aversion to social interaction, and unwillingness to integrate into society; in severe cases, it may even cause school refusal, violent tendencies, or develop into "internet addiction" or "depression." Experts suggest that parents should take their children out more during holidays, using a variety of engaging activities aligned with their interests to pull them back from the virtual world into reality.
As July arrives, schools across the country begin their summer breaks. What do children enjoy most during these long holidays? The "Survey Report on Sports Participation Among Chinese Youth Students," released late last year, shows that the top three activities students prefer in their free time during breaks and holidays are surfing the internet, listening to music, and watching TV—less than 30% engage in outdoor sports. Additionally, the "Blue Book on Outdoor Activities of Urban Children in China" indicates that 27.7% of teenagers spend less than one hour per day on outdoor activities.
From tutoring and playtime to bedtime...nowadays, touchscreen devices like iPads, computers, and smartphones have essentially become children's "electronic nannies" and "playmates," occupying a significant portion of their childhood. Experts warn that excessive and premature exposure to electronic products can easily turn naturally active children into "homebodies." These "homebodies" can hole up at home for a week or even a month without wanting to go out; they’re adept in front of screens at home but become sullen and silent outdoors, disinterested in exercise, seemingly preferring to immerse themselves in the digital world. Jiang Chongmin, director of the Mass Sports Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Sports Science, recently pointed out: "It is precisely this 'homebody' lifestyle that has caused a sharp decline in children’s physical fitness, and the situation has already become very serious!"
"Homebody syndrome" harms both physical and mental health of children
"Homebodies" refer to teenagers who prefer staying indoors and are engrossed in the internet all day. These children dislike exercise, have no other hobbies, and even less time for studying, devoting all their precious time to the virtual online world. The emergence of "homebodies" is closely related to family education, the children themselves, and their surrounding environment.
Liu Ziyu, a psychologist at Kunming Gelv Psychological Counseling Center, states that a "homebound" lifestyle can negatively impact a child’s physical and mental well-being. First, children who are still developing physically and mentally need plenty of exercise—such as swimming or hiking. Staying indoors without exercise for extended periods affects their normal growth and development. Second, prolonged isolation at home also hinders their psychological development and interpersonal skills, and may even alter their personality.
When children stay "homebound" for too long, some may develop "homebody syndrome." According to doctors, symptoms include rebelliousness, introversion, difficulty communicating, always feeling like there isn’t enough time online, and some children even pretending to be sick or preferring to be punished rather than going outside to play. "Homebody syndrome" can severely damage both physical and mental health, often leading to declining eyesight, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and in serious cases, school refusal and violent tendencies.
Experts point out that prolonged isolation at home can make children irritable and closed-off, easily leading to introverted personalities, and in severe cases, "internet addiction" or even "depression." Their social skills may also be impaired, such as reduced curiosity, disinterest in interacting with others, and reluctance to integrate into society.
Parents must find ways to get "homebodies" out of the house more
Today’s parents often face significant life and work pressures, tending to focus only on their children’s material needs while neglecting their physical and emotional needs. This causes children to seek emotional solace in the virtual world, with some even developing internet addiction. Especially during holidays, "homebodies" give many parents a headache—some parents have lost their temper repeatedly because their children spend all day on the computer, yet the kids don’t listen and remain glued to the screen.
Pulling "homebodies" back from the virtual world into reality is not an easy task. Overbearing discipline can backfire, sparking resentment and anger. A psychological counselor noted that prolonged isolation at home is detrimental to both physical and psychological growth, but if parents forcibly demand that children stop watching TV or using computers—or even resort to scolding or hitting—it may trigger rebellious behavior, resulting in the opposite effect.
Experts recommend that parents of "homebodies" should take their children out more, show them the world outside, and use the right methods to guide them back from the virtual realm to reality.
1. Parents should offer more care and guidance. Parents should communicate with their children as much as possible, understand their thoughts, and make them feel the warmth of family and the love of relatives through words and actions—so they don’t seek comfort solely from TV or the internet.
2. Arrange more appealing outdoor activities. To pull children away from the computer, you need activities that are more attractive to them. Parents should first decline social gatherings and work events with friends, and try to spend holidays accompanied by their children. Based on the child’s interests, organize activities such as taking them to watch their favorite basketball game, see a movie, go on an outing, or fishing—in short, fill their schedule with various leisure activities to crowd out online time. Through these activities, children will gradually discover that there are so many interesting things beyond the online world, and over time, they’ll become less obsessed with the computer.
3. Guide children reasonably and cultivate other hobbies. Don’t blindly enroll children in various tutoring classes just to reduce their online time. Tutoring isn’t a bad idea, but it should be done wisely. Observe daily to find out what the child enjoys—whether it’s taekwondo, table tennis, or swimming—and then support those interests. This way, children won’t feel resistant, and may even readily accept them. For "homebodies," these sports-focused interest classes are far more effective than academic ones like English or math.
4. Encourage participation in community activities and maintain real-life interactions with classmates. This helps children stay connected with society, meets their normal social needs, and prevents them from becoming immersed in the virtual online world.
How to prevent children from becoming "homebodies" during summer vacation
With summer vacation approaching, how can parents prevent their children from becoming "homebodies"? Family education experts offer four suggestions:
1. Don’t let the holiday become an extension of school. Experts point out that holidays are not a continuation of school education. Parents should provide children with space to relax and fully explore their interests, which helps broaden their horizons. If parents ignore children’s needs and remain focused on academics, the home becomes an extension of school during the break. When children don’t feel the relaxation and joy of the holiday, they may develop dissatisfaction and negative emotions toward their parents—even if the schedule is packed with study plans, their learning efficiency will be very low, which is very detrimental to building a healthy parent-child relationship.
2. Integrate multiple elements into the holiday plan. A child’s holiday plan should include entertainment, leisure, and learning, making summer homework just a “seasoning” in their holiday life.
How to help children face each day of the holiday with a joyful attitude is a key consideration for parents. For example, parents can engage in outdoor activities together with their children. During these activities, they can naturally guide and nurture their child’s powers of observation, encouraging them to view things from multiple angles and perspectives—activating their interest in learning. After enjoying relaxed fun, children can then transition, with parental guidance, to completing holiday homework and studying. This requires parents to have ample patience and strong parent-child communication skills, and also demands that homework be linked to the child’s holiday life, so that while completing assignments, children experience the beauty and joy of life.
3. Give children space to “grow freely.” Most families have only one child, which leads parents and even other relatives to overprotect the child. This can cause children to rely on others when facing difficulties or solving problems, and their ability to cope is often much weaker than those raised in more open environments. Children also need independent space to grow. Excessive attention from the family can lead to unexplained anxiety and irritability in children, resulting in incomplete personality development. Parents should encourage children to go out more, give them independence, and try to spend more time taking them out—to focus on their emotional world and understand shifts in their moods.
4. Provide spontaneous education and ensure a healthy, enriching holiday. During family visits and gatherings, parents should teach children proper etiquette and manners, helping them learn how to treat others correctly. During reunions, parents should model respect for elders and filial piety, allowing children to inherit fine traditional Chinese values. Parents should also guide children to pay appropriate attention to their diet, avoiding overindulgence. It’s important to ensure children get sufficient rest and avoid disrupting their biological clocks.