During school holidays in Kenya, children are spending extended hours on mobile phones and tablets, raising concerns among experts regarding the unseen psychological and social consequences of growing up online.
While digital devices provide both entertainment and educational opportunities, experts warn that prolonged screen engagement is fundamentally altering how children interact with others and exposing families to risks that are frequently overlooked. A central challenge highlighted by observers is the need for children to develop critical thinking skills, learning to question the content they encounter online rather than accepting everything at face value.
According to expert Ndungu, continuous exposure to short-form videos, digital games, and social media feeds is changing the way children’s brains respond to stimulation. These digital platforms are engineered to deliver rapid dopamine hits, creating a cycle of continuous stimulation that can be difficult for young users to break.
Ndungu noted that children who spend hours immersed in this cycle often display noticeable emotional and behavioral changes when screens are removed. Common reactions include restlessness, irritability, and becoming emotionally flat.
In addition to behavioral shifts, experts emphasize that social media is exerting a powerful influence on children’s developing sense of identity, marking a significant change in how young people navigate their personal and social lives.
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