…but EVERYONE I know has a smartphone! Now where have I heard that before? Actually last week was the first time my son threw this curved ball my way: “I’m the ONLY person I know who DOESN’T have a smartphone” “Aha! but your best friend ‘A’ doesn’t have one“, say I as quick off the mark as I could manage while steering my way around some bonkers drivers whose cars are clogging up the road home. “OK, he doesn’t have a smartphone, but he’s got a Wii” “Fine, but what’s that got to do with smartphones..?“
You may have had similar versions of this conversation that don’t really go anywhere. At present, I win and even with his best pester power efforts, child doesn’t get a smartphone for the following reasons:
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a) Â He wouldn’t be able to get to a shop selling smartphones without my help
b) Â He doesn’t have any money (or not enough to buy anything with a microchip)
c) Â Â I believe it will be a major distraction from his schoolwork
e) Â Â It’s not good for children to be staring at a small screen for hours
f) Â Â It’s likely to be addictive and unsociable
g) Â Â Who knows what he’ll be looking at
h) Â Â I am still quite a bit taller and bigger than him
Am I being unfair? Will he feel deprived because at eight years old he’s not electronically connected to the rest of the world? What on earth is the ‘right‘ age? Please let me know because I can withstand the ‘gentle persuasion’ up to a point, but it would help to have some statistics on my side.
8?? The rule round our way seems to be you get one when you start walking home from school alone – which if I have my way will be 17 😉
Love it – couldn’t agree more!
In my household, the rule is that the children have a smartphone when they go or come back to school by themselves.
Smartphones at 8? That’s a complete non-sense. Stick to your guns!
Thanks for your comment 🙂 Good to know I’m not alone !