In earlier generations, kids who were bored used play games with other kids, read, or do crafts. Today, many parents are making the mistake of allowing their children to use their smartphones to play a game at a restaurant to silence their complaining. This one action will trigger a cycle that ends up with young kids becoming addicted to cell phones just like many teens are today. It is crucial for parents to wait until at least middle school to give their child a phone, because cell phones can be extremely addictive and they lead kids and teens into an unhealthy lifestyle.
Kids have very short attention spans, so often times giving them a cell phone can be very convenient for parents. However kids become too infatuated with devices and instead of exercising outside or reading as young developing minds need, they sit staring at screens hours on end. This is not healthy for young kids who are still growing and their minds are devleoping. ln addition to waiting until middle school, parents should place restrictions on their kids cell phone use. By limiting their kids access to data and texts, parents can grant their kids the freedom they want with a phone, while still making sure their smartphone does not take up all of their time.
As a college student today, it is very clear that so many people in my generation are addicted to smartphones phones. They are constantly in our hands and are eyes are practically glued to them. Many people would rather sit on their phones during a class texting then meet the new people around them and talk to them. College students should be able to use ourselves as the perfect example of smartphone addiction and see the negative affects it has. They should then take this information and remember it when they are raising their own kids.
Parents should focus on spending time with their kids instead of pushing them off and giving them a cell phone so they stop complaining. Its important for kids to be bored when they are young, because it develops their creativity that a cell phone does not provide. It is also very clear that cell phones are addictive for teens today, and we do not want the younger generation to be as addictied as our generation is.
Credits:
Created with images by DayronV - "using device phone mobile" • hadesdaiphat - "play park kid" • Guilherme Jófili - "i got dizzy" • derek olson - "Hello Operator" • katgrigg - "Family"