Smart Phones and Kids

 Smart Phones and Kids

From Dariusz Lesczcynski

Parents, be smart: Do not give your child a smart phone

HELSINKI, Finland, November 3, 2013 — Very young children, when they go to school, get cell phones. Nowadays it is often a smart phone.

The main reason for parents to give cell phones to their children is safety. A cell phone is a safety device for a child.

However, what kind of cell phone is suitable for small children and preadolescents, kids roughly five to 14 years of age?

Children at school compare cell phones and are smart enough to figure out who has the better functioning, more expensive gadget. These comparisons lead to asking parents for better phones because of peer pressure. Unfortunately, parents often surrender to kids’ demands and provide them with better and more expensive smart phones that can do much more than just calling or texting. Parents want the best for their children at whatever the monetary cost.

Small children and preadolescents are developing both physically and mentally. They need physical exercise in open air and they need mental stimulation appropriate to their age. Smart phones hamper both of these needs.

SNIP

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