By Apoorva Khandelwal
I believe that children under the age of 13 should not get a phone unless there are reasons. I got my first phone when I was 12 years old. It may seem too young but my parents bought it for protection and communication. In elementary school, I would have to walk to and from school which was almost a mile away from my house. Adding on, when I came back home from school, I would spend a couple of hours without a parent. I would be home alone with my sister. Having a phone in my hand was important during that time so whenever my parents called I would be able to pick up anywhere at any time unlike a landline. Don’t worry, I didn’t spend all day on my phone, hardly an hour. But now, I start seeing 6, 7 year olds carrying around iPhones watching and creating TikToks. But when is it too young for a phone?
A recent survey found out that 38% of children under the age to two spend several hours on a mobile device such as smartphones, iPads, and tablets. Children aren’t responsible. Kids are going to end up losing it or breaking the device. They are more likely to put their nose up in their phone while crossing a street which is dangerous. Teenagers start hanging out with their friends with adults supervising, so transporting with a device is crucial to contact their family about when they reach, where they are, and when they will come back.
A device can be used for several reasons such as communication, socializing, and learning. If you travel or your parents pick you up late from school, it is better to have a phone so the parent can contact you whenever. Parents worry about their children a lot, so communication is important. Devices are also used for socializing. Most apps such as Snapchat require a minimum age of 13 to set an account. If children under that age choose to get the app even after it says there is an age limit, it shows how irresponsible they are. It shows that they choose not to follow the rules. If the child you have is using the gadget to learn, encourage them to do so. Especially during a time like this, youths are needing a device to learn.
Newer generations keep getting this piece of technology at a younger age. In my opinion, if a child is getting a device, it should only be for the reasons of learning, safety, and communication. If it is an adolescent, lending them a phone for socializing seems reasonable as they are responsible and understand the value of it and money.
In the end, it's all up to the parent to decide when they choose to get a gadget for their child. All the parent has to keep in mind is why they are buying it, the side effects of excessive screen time, distraction it brings, and safety issues such as strangers online.
References:
Gonchar, Michael. “How Young Is Too Young for an IPhone?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2013, learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/how-young-is-too-young-for-an-iphone/.
“Kids and Cell Phones: How Young Is Too Young?” ChildrensMD, 2 Oct. 2018, childrensmd.org/browse-by-topic/parenting/kids-and-cell-phones/..
Sable LeoneSalisbury-Elk LickNatalie KingRockwoodOlivia
WeaverBerlinMadi WalkerSCTCChloe HooverSomersetMackenzie CollinsTurkeyfoot ValleyKailyn ThompsonWindberAllison FiddlerShanksville-StonycreekNick BloughMeyersdale Area. “Question of the Week: How Young Is Too Young for a Smartphone?” Daily American, 11 Dec. 2018, www.dailyamerican.com/entertainment/highschoolhighlights/question-of-the-week-how-young-is-too-young-for-a-smartphone/article_7b551a6e-c9ad-56d5-ab0a-71dd6a756a74.html.
Commentaires