Understanding the worst action you can do to your child’s brain

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Since records began in the late 19th century, every previous generation has cognitively surpassed its parents. That stopped with Generation Z, and Generation Alpha is faring even worse. So what occurred?

The following information is based on a report originally published by A Midwestern Doctor. Read the original report here.

A teacher-turned-cognitive scientist shared a disturbing reality that left the audience stunned: “Our children are cognitively less capable than we were at their age.”

Since records began at the end of the 19th century, every previous generation has surpassed its parents. So what occurred? Screens.

Dr. Jared Horvath explained:

“Generation Z is the first generation in modern history to perform worse than us in virtually every cognitive area we measure, from basic attention and memory to reading and writing skills, numeracy, executive functions, and even general IQ, despite spending more time in school than we did.”

“Why is this? ……. The answer seems to lie in the tools we use in schools to promote learning (screens).”

“Looking at the data, performance drops significantly in countries where digital technologies are widely used in schools – so much so that children who use computers for learning purposes for about five hours a day at school score more than two-thirds of a standard deviation less than children who rarely or never use technology at school. And this is true for 80 countries.”

But screens don’t just destroy learning and make new generations less intelligent than previous ones. They’re doing something much worse. And if you look closer, it’s not pretty.

That’s not a mistake. Engagement-driven algorithms understand neither meaning nor context nor child development. They only understand clicks and viewing time, which are controlled by dopamine release.

So when AI is tasked with producing videos on a large scale, it doesn’t filter for innocence – it optimizes for stimulation.

Young children are presented with cartoon images that mask adult themes, warning signs, violence, and psychological distress. At first glance, the colours are bright and vibrant. But beneath the surface lies something very, very wrong.

This content has absolutely no educational or developmental value. No story. No moral message. No learning effect. Just fast-paced novelties designed to grab attention at any cost – even if that cost is literally the development of the viewer’s brain and nervous system.

Dopamine-optimized media and AI-generated trash are conditioning our children for addiction, emotional dysregulation, and long-term neurological damage.

We need to stop this immediately – before the pharmaceutical industry steps in with its “solution”.

Something unprecedented and highly worrying is occurring to the brains of children. Young kids don’t just look at screens – they are neurologically conditioned by them. Fast cuts, flashing colours, constant change.

And none of it is accidental. It’s all intentional.

What looks like “content for children” is often dopamine engineering aimed at maximizing attention rather than healthy development, regardless of the harm it causes.

Parents recognize the patterns.

Their young children are quiet while they watch television – but when the screen is turned off, they break down. They’re not just sad that it’s over. It’s about much more than that.

Anger. Despair. And outbursts of rage that seem disproportionate.

A survey from 2025 found that 22% of parents reported “violent tantrums” due to excessive screen time, along with irritability and mood swings. Many parents say that this is worse than a blood sugar crash and harder to cope with than hunger or fatigue.

This is no coincidence. This is withdrawal.

Unfortunately, 25% of parents use screens to calm their children when they are agitated, and 17% report that their children calm themselves down using mobile devices.

Fast-paced children’s programs train the brain to expect constant stimulation.

When attention is conditioned to jump around every few seconds, slower experiences in the real world – reading, conversations, imagination, boredom – become unbearable.

The developing nervous system adapts by seeking out novelty rather than building concentration. Unfortunately, this restructuring won’t disappear on its own.

Classic children’s television programs were fundamentally different. They were slower. Predictable. Repetitive. Deliberate. They left room for emotional processing and imagination. Modern programs do the opposite – relentless stimulation without breaks, optimized through analysis to captivate children.

The brain learns what it practices most. Especially in young children. And research confirms this. Early exposure to fast-paced media is associated with later attention problems, impaired executive functions, emotional dysregulation, and increased anger.

And every additional hour intensifies this effect. The younger the brain, the deeper the imprinting.

This isn’t just about screen time. It’s about screen design.

So why are addictive and harmful YouTube shows like Cocomelon allowed to exist?

This is not about bad upbringing or lack of discipline. The mechanisms by which dopamine captures attention – especially in children – are deeply disturbing.

Many parents rely on screens to calm distressed children. This works in the short term because dopamine overrides the discomfort. In the long term, however, the nervous system learns that relief comes from external stimuli – and not from self-regulation.

The child becomes dependent on artificial sedation. That’s bad. Really, really bad. And this dependency accompanies them into adolescence, where it can affect everything from school to work to relationships. This pattern directly reflects the addiction.

Remove the stimulus and the waves of stress. Reintroduce it, and calm will return. Over time, baseline satisfaction decreases, and stronger stimuli are required to achieve the same effect.

Children don’t choose it. Their brains are trained to do it. They are being prepared for a life full of challenges, simply because someone wants to profit from the attention of a toddler.

Platforms benefit from attention, regardless of the viewer’s age. Algorithms reward anything that holds attention for the longest time. Developmental health is not the measure – engagement is. And children are particularly at risk because their brains are still in the process of developing reward pathways.

Profit and protection are not aligned. However, this is not just a problem in childhood.

A nervous system conditioned to constant dopamine release has difficulty with delayed gratification, deep concentration, emotional resilience, and sustained pleasure. It seeks intensity instead of meaning, stimulation instead of presence.

The foundation for lifelong dissatisfaction is being laid earlier than ever before. This isn’t just about screens. It’s about how a dopamine-driven world quietly and subtly shapes how joy, attention, and connection are experienced. And this begins in early childhood.

Children pay the highest price. However, this does not mean that adults are immune. When the nervous system is constantly overstimulated, more subtle pleasures disappear – completely. Silence becomes uncomfortable. Stillness feels empty. Real relationships seem boring compared to artificial highs. This gap leads to further consumption and a greater alienation from the real world.

A healthy nervous system resists addiction. When regulation, safety, and connectedness are intact, artificial stimulation loses its effect. Dopamine releases become unnecessary instead of irresistible.

Unfortunately, many people walk around with a nervous system that is seriously out of balance. And chronic overstimulation further undermines this internal stability.

Young children need protection while this system is still developing. Therefore, restrictions alone do not work. You can limit screen time – but if the nervous system is already disrupted, the craving will persist.

Real transformation requires rebuilding regulation through sleep, exercise, connection, reduced sensory overload, and good old-fashioned play. Replacement is more important than restriction.

The tragic aspect is that most of this damage is initially invisible. Children appear “advanced”, “engaged” and “calm”. The costs only become apparent later – in the form of attention problems, emotional instability, anxieties, or dependence on constant stimulation to feel good. By then, the habits will already be firmly established.

Parents do not intentionally want to harm their children. They trust that these products manufactured for children are not harmful to their target group. Once they realize they have fallen into a trap, it can be difficult to free themselves.

But there is a way out of this trap. This doesn’t mean they have to reject the technology – they just need to understand how the nervous system actually heals.

This is not about blaming parents.

Families navigate a constantly changing environment that is working against them. The responsibility lies with the systems that monetize neurological vulnerability – especially in children who can neither consent nor defend themselves.

Awareness is the first form of protection. Children do not need constant stimulation to develop well. They need security. Rhythm. Boredom. Presence. They need time for their nervous system to calm down and integrate. These elements promote resilience, concentration, and genuine joy – the kind of joy that doesn’t fade quickly.

Depth is more important than intensity. It’s not just about attention span.

The question is whether the next generation is capable of sustainable thinking, emotional regulation, and meaningful relationships – or whether they will fixate on chasing superficial highs that never truly satisfy.

This outcome is being shaped right now. And if most children continue down this path, the result could be catastrophic.

Fortunately, the nervous system is adaptable. When overstimulation subsides and regulation is restored, attention improves. Emotional fluctuations are mitigated. Joy returns in a calmer, more stable form.

The healing doesn’t occur immediately – but it is real.

Protecting our children does not mean isolating them from the modern world. It means understanding how this world works – and choosing environments that encourage its development rather than exploiting it.

This decision is more important than most people realize. A society that trades children’s nervous systems for engagement metrics is indebting its future.

Reversing this course requires clarity, restraint, and a willingness to prioritize long-term health over short-term convenience.

This work begins at home.

Author: A Midwestern Doctor

 

yogaesoteric
February 3, 2026

 

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