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Begin your childâs journey with DIS Edge School. Our admission process is designed to ensure holistic development, academic excellence, and a nurturing environment for every learner.
Begin your childâs journey with DIS Edge School. Our admission process is designed to ensure holistic development, academic excellence, and a nurturing environment for every learner.
By Anubha Srivastava
âMy child wonât eat without Cocomelon.â
This sentence has become so routine in parent interactions that it almost feels like a new-age parenting mantraâexcept it arrives with worry, frustration, and a hint of helplessness. A mother recently told me, âIf the âBath Songâ doesnât play, my daughter wonât open her mouth.â Another father admitted, âHonestly, only JJ can get him to finish his roti.â
Each time I hear this, the same thought returns: Why didnât the cartoons of our childhood ever hold us hostage like this?
We grew up on Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, Mowgli, Shaktimaan, Duck Tales. They entertained us, but never dictated our meals or moods. Clearly, something in content designâand in childrenâs response to itâhas shifted dramatically.
As I explored this more deeply, the differences became sharp and undeniable. Old cartoons changed scenes every 10â15 seconds. Stories unfolded with rhythm. A joke had time to bloom. Our brains processed expressions, sounds, emotions, and anticipation.
Modern toddler shows like Cocomelon shift frames every 1â2 secondsâalmost like a music video. Neon colors, continuous jingles, fast transitions⌠theyâre designed to deliver constant dopamine hits.
Research confirms this. A 2022 JAMA Pediatrics study noted that rapid scene changes activate reward pathways similar to sugar. Another study in Developmental Science found that children show immediate reductions in executive functioning right after watching fast-paced content.
So when parents switch off the screen and the child becomes irritable, restless, or agitatedâit isnât boredom. Itâs a dopamine dip, a mini-withdrawal.
We often count minutes. But the real difference lies in what children watch, not just how long they watch it.
Older shows allowed space for imagination. Children predicted what would happen next, understood emotions, filled in narrative gaps, and built empathy.
Todayâs hyper-stimulating shows remove that cognitive effort. The childâs brain is spoon-fed excitementâquickly, repeatedly, loudly. Naturally, passive consumption becomes more attractive than active play.
A parent at our centre once shared, âWe thought our son had a feeding issue. It wasnât the food. It was the what-if-Cocomelon-stops issue.â
At The Edge Early Learning Centre, weâve supported countless families in rediscovering a calmer, healthier screen relationship. The wonderful news is that childrenâs brains are highly adaptable.
Screens arenât the enemy. Itâs overstimulation that disturbs young brains. Children grow slowly, naturally, rhythmically. They need pauses, silences, imagination, peopleânot flashing visuals.
Sometimes, all it takes is one slower-paced show⌠one small story⌠one tiny play break⌠and we reclaim the child behind the screen.
The author is the Principal and mentor at:
The Edge Early Learning Centre
Delhi International School Edge
Sector 18, Dwarka, New Delhi â 110078
đ§ Write to us: info@dise.ac.in
At DIS Edge, we nurture every childâs potential through a holistic learning approach that balances academics, creativity, and values. Our modern curriculum and supportive environment ensure that every learner grows with confidence, compassion, and curiosity.
