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It’s been just over a decade since Steve Jobs revealed the first iPhone in a historic presentation at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco (still one of his most popular videos on YouTube)
I was 17 at the time and can’t forget my excitement when I first touched a smartphone and zoomed into pictures with my fingers.
It felt magical and was something I had only seen in movies. So I can easily relate when I see teenagers (and even small children) glued to their devices for hours.
But is it safe for them to do so? Not exactly.
Excessive mobile usage is linked to several physical and psychological problems and may also directly impact the personality development of a child.
As a parent, you should take certain precautionary measures before allowing smartphone access to your children in order to protect them from any ill effects of the device.
Here are a few things you should consider.
Have a Good Reason To Give Your Child a Smartphone
Do you use your smartphone to comfort your crying baby or angry child?
Many parents do so by playing baby songs or cartoons on YouTube. It quickly changes the baby’s mood and keeps him busy for a while.
But according to the researchers at The University of Toronto, it’s not a great way to handle children since it can slow down their brain development.
In fact, several psychologists believe children should mostly be kept away from smartphones until 8th grade (around 13-14 years of age). But that’s rarely the case since most children get their first smartphones before they’re even 10.
According to a research by Nielson, here are the most common reasons why parents give smartphones to their children.
Source: Nielson
As a parent, you need to ask yourself several questions before handing over smartphones to your children.
- Do they really need it?
- Is it necessary for their education right now?
- Are there better ways to fulfil their academic and social needs?
- Are they mature enough to use a smartphone responsibly?
- How much access should they be allowed?
- Can you wait for another year?
You can’t keep children away from smartphones forever and there’s no real need to do that either. You just need to decide whether it’s the right time to give them access and ensure that they use it responsibly.
Educate Your Child About the Benefits and the Hazards of Smartphones
Before giving your child access to a smartphone, it’s a good idea to sit down and have a conversation about it. Tell them how smartphones have changed the world and enabled people with few resources to do great things for the benefit of others.
Highlight the advantages of a smartphone and how it can be used positively to make an impact on the world. Tell them stories of people who’ve helped educate their communities, provide social justice, and run human rights campaigns using the power of smartphones and the internet.
At the same time, warn them about its negatives and how it can ruin lives if not used properly. Educate your child about the risks of addiction to inappropriate content, sharing pictures with strangers, sexting (which is a dangerously rising trend) and insecure websites & applications.
Doing this is important because sooner or later they are going to encounter these risks while using a smartphone. It’s wise to prepare them in advance and ask them to let you know when they see something like that.
Define Usage Limits and Mobile Free Times
Prolonged and continuous smartphone usage can lead to several health problems in young kids and teenagers. Studies show that more than 5 hours of smartphone use can result in
- 71% increase in suicide risk
- 51% risk of sleep deprivation
- 27% more risk of depression than an average child
Source: BankMyCell
Before allowing your kids access to a smartphone, you need to define clear boundaries and rules. Tell them that you expect them to use it responsibly and only when it’s needed.
In particular, make sure that there’s no unnecessary mobile usage at the following times.
- During meals
- In the toilet or bathroom
- Behind closed doors
- Before sleep time and in the bedroom
- During family gatherings and meetups
In fact, it’s a great idea to create a smartphone parking place in the house where all the family members put their phones before sleep.
Teach Them To Surf Safely and Stay Away from Inappropriate Activities
The internet is an open world with all kinds of content and information. Research shows that nearly 50% of the kids who’ve watched internet pornography at least once were exposed to it for the first time by accident.
To keep your children safe, teach them ways to surf the internet responsibly so that they can stay away from trouble.
- Avoid randomly browsing the internet
- Avoid using random search queries on Google Search
- Read content only from trusted websites and publications
- Never open any links from unidentified or unknown sources
- Never access age-restricted websites or content
If your child is in his early teens or has not yet reached teenage, make sure they do not download any mobile applications on their own. If they need any new application, they can ask you to download it for them.
Educate Your Child About Cyberbullying, Online Trolling, and Data Security
Cyberbullying and online trolling are among the top reasons for depression, anxiety, and suicide among young children and teenagers.
Unfortunately, cyberbullying is a part of the internet and it’s hard to completely isolate your children from it. Which is why it’s important to educate them about it and help them handle it better.
Source: StopBullying.gov
Also, ensure that your children know the importance of protecting their personal information and do not (under any circumstances) share their passwords or login details with any stranger on the internet.
Because data breaches are often the starting point of online harassment and blackmailing.
Use the Necessary Security Apps, Tools and Filters
A staggering 87% of children use smartphones without any kind of parental restrictions. Which means they’re vulnerable to all kinds of threats on the internet.
Before giving your child a smartphone, make sure it has the necessary security apps and filters enabled. You can protect your child online by blocking unwanted content with Cloudflare DNS or CleanBrowsing, a free tool created by a group of software engineers who were worried about the safety of their own children on the internet.
It allows you to decide the type of content allowed on your child’s smartphone by applying ready to use adult and family filters to your network. It also allows monitoring of your child’s online activity and protects him from any surprises online.
Keep the Ownership of the Phone With You
Even if you allow smartphone access to your children at a young age, make sure they know you’re still the owner of the device. It’s your phone that they’re using and you can take it back from them whenever you want.
It’s important for them to know this so that they use it carefully, responsibly and only when they actually need it.
Connect With Them on Social Networks
Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram etc. are the most common platforms where teens socialize with their friends. But most of the cyberbullying and data theft incidents also take place on these sites.
So, without interfering with their lives unnecessarily, follow your children on any social networks that they use to keep an eye on their activities and protect them from any potential dangers.
Be a Good Example to Your Child
Perhaps the most important thing you can do to encourage healthy use of technology in your family is to become an example yourself.
Children see their parents as role models and try to emulate their lifestyle. If you want your children to stop using smartphones during meals, make sure you don’t use it either.
Want your children to spend more time reading books and playing outdoor games? Take them out with you and become a part of their activities.
Want them to pay attention, instead of looking at their phones, when someone’s talking to them? Make sure you don’t use your phone during conversations.
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Photo: Pexels