Young children everywhere are beginning to get a case of the sticky fingers when it comes to technology, specifically smart phones and devices. Almost everywhere you go you will see the majority of children with smart devices in their hands or within their reach. You will be in a restaurant watching a parent desperately trying to talk to their child who is only interested in what is going on with their device, or run into someone paying attention to their phone and not where they are walking. A regular standard cell phone is the best option for a child and there are a load of good reasons as to why, but when it comes to a smart phone with social media and extra applications that is when it could become a problem.
There is a good standing reason behind children having an ordinary cell phone. But when they get to an age where they will be away from their parents for periods of time it would be a smart move to always keep some form of contact. Keeping in contact as well as being a comfort measure for parents to know that their child is safe while they are gone is completely doable with a regular calls and text only cellular devices. There are so many dangers around the world and some kids try to act very independently when having access to a smartphone, when in reality they are not sure what they actually might be doing with that device.
There is a problem when the child receiving the smartphone is too young or not mature enough to handle the responsibilities that an expensive smart phone requires. It could be quite the financial issue. First of all, it is very likely that the child could possibly misplace, drop, and not even take proper care of the smartphone. They cost a lot more than a regular phone and even data charges are more than likely to be very high (Cohen, Danielle). Also, young children owning smartphones will open them up to a world they are not mature enough for nor need to be exposed to. Now a days there are so many disgusting people taking disguises as others to lure young manipulatable into situations they have no idea of. Depending on the age of the child or maturity, they may not understand the consequences that come with the information they may post either. There are alternate options like a ipod or computer when can be constantly monitored by the parent.
While not every child with a smartphone is addicted, it is very likely that eventually they will be facing a bad habit that could turn into an addiction. Statistics show that half of teenagers felt addicted to their phones. The act of obsession to be on your phone constantly and compulsively is actually beginning to take name as a disease called Problematic Internet Use (PIU), which a person of any age can be affected, children are not excluded from that list. A child addicted to their phone could go as far as causing identifiable problems, such as slower development. Due to the fact that the child has their smart devices easily accessible at all times, they open right up to social interaction, therefore not forcing them to go out and actually experience it in real life. It is believed that children have began to take a slower transition to adulthood due to the popularity of the smart phone and devices(Campbell, Leah).
Parents and their phone use could also have an affect on their child’s smartphone usage as well. Children seeing a parent glued to their phone could even persuade and tempt the child to do the same. When a child is watching their parents constantly on their phone they will want to follow the example. They will not only become attached to their phone you will be fighting for their attention just as they had been fighting for yours.
Around the world parents are viewing the smartphone differently. In other countries such as Europe the smartphone is not as widespread as it is in the united states when it comes to constant usage. Even though about 80 percent of children in 2014 widespread had a cellular device, they had more access to their devices more in their home. Schools in Europe also are more strict on the cellphones where they either had no access to wifi or had to turn it off. Some countries, such as Portugal, had economic problems that has an affect toward the amount of children having a smartphone as well internet to use (Howard, Jacqueline).
Smartphone use has become too common in younger children. Before they understand even what it is they are playing on it. Before they can even talk their social interaction skills are being tossed down the drain. Then once they get in school they begin to be introduced to social medias and different apps that children around them have already been exposed to and using. The more parents that make a stand towards not giving their children smartphones until older the better overall the social skills of their child may be. Maybe one day parents will realize what has come of their children’s generation on this topic. If this problem continues, there will eventually be so much of a lack of actual verbal communication that children will not know what to do with themselves in the future.
