5 Reasons Your Kid Doesn’t Need a Smartphone
One of my biggest parenting struggles has been knowing when my kids are ready for their own cell phones.
We undoubtedly gave Natali her first cell phone far too early and I regret it all the time. She was in just third grade when all of her friends in public school started showing up with phones. So for Christmas that year, we got her a little pink phone, with all the bells and whistles.
It was a rookie mistake but one that parents make far too often. They see everyone else’s kids flashing around cool phones and don’t want their child to miss out.
But the truth is, handing over a phone to a young kiddo is giving them a LOT of responsibility.
They don’t understand the dangers that are waiting for them and their little eyes are left to see whatever they might stumble upon.
I would never take my third grader and turn them loose at a busy amusement park and tell them to have fun and be responsible but that’s basically what I did when I handed Natali that little pink box.
I literally put the entire world in her innocent little hands, without giving it a second thought.
Many parents will argue “But they need to get be able to reach me when I’m not with them.” And I understand that thought but there are much safer (and cheaper) ways to communicate with your child.
5 Reasons Your Kid Doesn’t Need a Smartphone Just Yet
You have no control over what they see.
One of the biggest reasons kids shouldn’t have a cell phone until later, is that the parent is literally handing over all responsibility to the child. They no longer can monitor what their child sees until it’s too late.
Sexting, nudes and pornography are just a few of the things you need to worry about when your kiddo is looking at a phone screen.
Strangers are not your child’s “friend.”
Kids often accept friend requests from people they don’t know because they have mutual friends. But that is not safe and is downright scary.
Adults often pose as children as a way to befriend kids.
Kids still have so much innocence that they don’t realize the harm that this could do to them. But “stranger danger” on the internet is just as bad as meeting up with someone you don’t know in real-life.
Ads are not kid-friendly.
Pornography, racy dating ads and marijuana ads are just a few of the jaw-dropping things your child doesn’t need to see. But once your kiddo DOES see these things, it’s too late to go back. You can’t unsee or unhear things and their innocence is gone in just a matter of seconds.
If that’s not enough to make you realize your kids don’t need a smartphone just yet, I don’t’ know what is!
Your kid NEEDS sleep.
Sleep is vital to healthy kids’ growth but once kiddos get their hands on cell phones, they tend to sleep less and worry more. Instead of
It’s too much responsibility for a kid.
Besides a huge price tag that comes along with smart phones, it’s simply too much responsibility for a kid. They have to constantly be thinking about their phone:
- Where is it?
- Is the ringer off?
- Has anyone texted me?
- Do I need to charge the battery?
- The list could go on and on…
Handing over this much responsibility to your kids is simply asking them to be distracted by their device!
But cell phones DO offer a level of security and safety that many parents crave in this crazy world. They want to track their kids, be able to text or call them and still feel connected.
But there is a much smarter option available!
Cosmo’s JrTrack2 SE Kids Smartwatch offers convenience and security without all the distractions!
Kids can text, call or send photos to their parents with just the click of a button. And they don’t need to worry about losing their device because the watch is literally attached to their body!
It’s a quick and convenient solution to a problem that has robbed kids of their childhood for far too long.
We bought Barrett a Cosmo Smartwatch a few years ago for Easter and it has been one of the best investments we’ve ever made! I preloaded the watch with the phone numbers of our family members so he can call or text us when needed but it doesn’t have access to the internet or social media. The GPS tracking and fun camera are the icing on the cake!
Trust me, this is one purchase you won’t regret.
