By Amro Tahir
I stand by the notion that phones should be given earlier on, but with the given, they’ve earned it. Typically, most parents think of giving kids phones early as dangerous, but they don’t make an analysis of how worthy the child is of it but rather go with what they see around them; It’s crucial to shift the focus from a blanket judgment on the dangers of giving phones early to evaluating each child’s readiness and responsibility. Not every child is the same, and assuming that phones will harm children neglects the potential positive impact they can have. By putting focus individual worthiness, parents quite easily find the the right time to intrduce phones by looking at the child’s maturity. Not only is a “one size fits all” a bad way of thinking, but it also leads to kids falling behind in their social lives.
Throughout the years, people have been spending less and less time with each other outside and instead going on with their decisions inside, so not allowing a kid to have a phone early would make them feel excluded and embarrassed. Phones should be viewed as an outlet to the world. Early exposure to phones provides an opportunity to cultivate digital literacy from a young age. Just as we teach children to read and write, we should guide them in navigating the digital world. Developing digital literacy skills provides children with the tools to engage with technology, spot sketchy information, and navigate the complexities of the online world. “Clearly, the creative use of technology will help us achieve all of these objectives, and in fact, it will be essential to how youth will assimilate, share, and benefit from knowledge./”- Richard J.Dolesh.
In conclusion, a progressive position that emphasizes digital literacy, values individual readiness, acknowledges the changing social landscape, recognizes phones as educational tools, and highlights the value of parental guidance should be the dominant voice in the discussion surrounding early phone access for kids. By doing this, we enable kids to use technology to its fullest potential and prepare them for life in the digital age.
Work cited:
Dolesh, Richard J. “Why We Want Kids to Use Technology.” EBSCOhost Login, EBSCO Industries, May 2013, research.ebsco.com/c/5cvfut/search/details/c6aj2kc765?q=kids%2Busing%2Bphones&db=asn%2Caqh%2Ceue%2Ceric%2Cn5h%2Cnsm%2Cpwh%2Ctrh%2Cnmr