SINGAPORE: On Wednesday (Jan 22), a 15-year-old Singaporean student posted on an online forum that his parents still restrict his time on his devices.
In a post on the subreddit r/SGexams, the student vented his frustration, saying that he was not allowed to use his laptop because it was password-protected and that he was given only one hour of phone time daily.
“Since Sec 1, I’ve been revising right after school until around dinner time (around 5:30), whereas afterwards, at six every day, I have tuition (Math, Bio, Chem, A-math, Chinese) until 9 PM. After that, without a break, my mum wants me to study until 10 when I go to sleep,” he explained.
The student explained that while he understands the importance of preparing for the O-levels next year and recognizes the need to step up his efforts, he’s finding it increasingly difficult to manage the stress and pressure of such a demanding academic schedule.
He then recalled a time when he managed to crack the password to his laptop and used it to relax by calling his friends and playing games with them after tuition. He said he felt much happier during this time, as it gave him something to look forward to after a long, exhausting day.
Unfortunately, his small moment of relief didn’t last long. His mother caught him playing and immediately confiscated the laptop. “She started to scold me for a solid hour,” he recounted.
After the incident, the student shared that he felt more irritable and admitted that he “genuinely didn’t feel motivated to study at all”.
“Tuition feels like torture, and I don’t know what to do. Any suggestions would be really helpful,” he said.
‘Reassure them that you are doing your best in school’
In the discussion thread, several Reddit users suggested talking to his parents about how important it is to take breaks for mental health.
One user said, “I think you should discuss how you feel about the restriction with your parents. Tell them that you feel very irritable and unmotivated. Lack of rest and free time can also lead to burnout.”
Another user reminded him, “You’re a kid — you deserve to have fun and enjoy life a little. Restrictions should help control your impulses and usage, not control you.
“Regardless of opinions and focusing on studies, it should NEVER be at the expense of a kid’s social life. You are missing out on a lot, and in my honest opinion, the limit should be increased to 5 hours per day at the very most.”
A third user recommended, “Reassure them that you are doing your best in school, but you also occasionally need your own time and space.
“Ask them if they made any core memories in secondary school and convince them that you want to be able to do the same because you know time won’t go back, and it’s harder making friends after secondary school because everyone is quite literally facing different life stages.”
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Health (MOH) introduced stricter guidelines to reduce screen exposure for children under 18 months old.
According to the Straits Times, the updated guidelines specify that infants younger than 18 months should not be exposed to screens, including background screen use.
Background screen use refers to situations where devices such as televisions or smartphones are left on in the background, even if the child is not actively watching.
The guidelines recommend limiting screen use to less than one hour per day outside of school for children aged three to six. For those aged seven to 12, this limit is extended to two hours per day.
Read more: Singapore bans screens at meals and TV for kids; stricter guidelines aim to curb screen time
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