We all want our kids to be better people. This means that we have to become the blueprint for our children. And when there are so many modern comforts we can realize that we are setting our children up for bad habits. The most obvious example in the modern day is using a smartphone. We think nothing of it when we are walking around the house checking social media. And when our children are at those crucial ages of development, they will see us on our phones and think that they need one. And we can either give in and provide them with a smartphone, which can have negative consequences, or we can dig our heels in. But there are many pros and cons to getting our children a smartphone? What are the main ones we should take note of?
The Convenience
It's easier to contact our children if there's an emergency. And now with increased mobile phone coverage and the fact that you can access the internet easily in a rural area means that you can very quickly contact your children. The company Vertical Consultants have highlighted that the mobile phone companies Sprint and T-Mobile have merged meaning that there will be improved communication. So for any customer that owns a mobile phone, there will be better service which will increase peace of mind. The fact of the matter is that now we live in an age where we can't picture ourselves without our mobile phones. So does this mean that our children should have one? Because it's so convenient, especially in an emergency, it's worth thinking twice about!
How Does It Impact The Child?
Some parents get their children phones for practical reasons but when that child is under the age of 10 they could very well be using the phone for more than just making a phone call to mom and dad. The fact of the matter is that giving your child a phone can open them up to bullying. If you buy your child a phone, it means that they can become the victim of torment. As well as this they could be the tormentor. Children in high school have reported going through more than 5 phones for this very reason. Owning a phone is a big responsibility for a child but it's not just the responsibility and the potential to be a victim that is thrown up...
The Blue Light Problems
Smartphones are addictive, as any parent will know. And even if we can't tear ourselves away from my phone for 5 minutes, what does this mean for our children? If they start to install games on their phone we can't monitor what they are doing 24/7. They could be watching questionable content online but for children under the age of 10 staying up late playing on their phone means that their sleep will be greatly impacted. Because of the blue light being emitted from a smartphone, this interrupts our sleep cycle. As children need more quality rest than adults this can have an impact on their life inside and outside of school.
Should we get our kids a phone? It's a very difficult question to answer. You've got to be sure that your child is responsible enough to not use it improperly but it's the best way to contact them quickly. The jury is still out.
