I remember a specific time that I was babysitting last year for a 10-year old girl last year. She had just been given a cell phone in order to stay in contact with myself and her mom for after-school pickup. When she was handed the small flip-phone, she immediately opened it and began trying to use the phone’s nonexistent touchscreen, and was dumbfounded when I told her the buttons on the keypad were the navigation for the screen. In the moment, I thought it was a very funny situation, but it also shocked me to think about how she just assumed it was a touch screen.
It made me realize how even though I am only 10 years older than the girl I was babysitting, our perceptions of technology (and more specifically smartphones) is extremely different. People in my age group grew up right on the edge of the smartphone revolution, with the first widely successful smartphone, the iPhone, released in 2007. To me, the idea of a cell phone with actual keys and no touchscreen is not a foreign concept – it brings back middle school memories of nail-polished Motorola Razr phones, and the clicking sound of LG Env keyboards flipping open and closed.
I recently stumbled upon an article on Facebook that discussed the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, a pledge that families have begun taking in which parents promise to not give their children smartphones until at least the eighth grade. The main argument behind the pledge is that “childhood is too short to waste on a smartphone.” The pledge is supported by medical professionals and public figures speaking on how phones disrupt sleep, and create “unrealistic social pressures” on children in elementary and middle schools. Even Bill and Melinda Gates are cited as an example of a family who did not allow their children to have smartphones until the age of 14. Since its launch in March 2017, over 2,000 families have signed Wait Until 8th. This number continues to grow, with the pledge now present in 49 states and over 500 schools.
Source: waituntil8th.org
Personally, I did not receive a cell phone at all until I was in the 5th grade, and I was given my first iPhone when I was a freshman in high school. Some of my elementary classmates had iPhones in as early as 6th grade, but recently I have seen children far younger than this age walking around with smartphone in hand. I have seen the effect that smartphones have had on myself and those around me throughout my adolescence, and I agree with the argument that the “Wait Until 8th” pledge makes on smartphones’ impacts on sleep, schoolwork, mental health, and general well-being. Smartphones give access to countless sources of information and connectivity, both positive and negative, and many parents are struggling to keep up with the fast-paced rate of change in content available online.
“Wait Until 8th” is just one example of the increasing awareness that modern society has begun applying to technology’s role in the upbringing of children and teens. It seems that mental health and social interaction have become more and more of a focus among today’s youth, and pledges of this nature may help to strengthen this movement. However, the decision is ultimately up to the parents; the heavily-integrated role that technology plays in today’s world is a new dynamic, and it can be difficult to determine where the cutoff point lies in terms of the appropriate age group for cell-phones, smartphones, or any mobile device to be introduced.
Source: waituntil8th.org
Smith, Chris. “The First iPhone Just Turned 10: Here’s Every Single iPhone Apple Has Made So Far.” Boy Genius Report Online, BGR, 29 June 2017. http://bgr.com/2017/06/29/original-iphone-release-date-10-years-of-iphone/. Accessed 29 August 2017.
Tate, Allison Slater. “’Wait Until 8th’ movement asks parents not to give young kids smartphones.” TODAY Online, TODAY, 17 August 2017, https://www.today.com/parents/wait-until-8th-asks-parents-delay-smartphones-kids-t115141. Accessed 30 August 2017.
“Wait Until 8th.” Wait Until 8th, Wait Until 8th.org. https://www.waituntil8th.org/. Accessed 31 August 2017. Image.
“Why Wait?” Wait Until 8th, Wait Until 8th.org. https://www.waituntil8th.org/why-wait/. Accessed 30 August 2017.
This was an intriguing piece! I remember getting my first cell phone which was touch screen and had a keyboard back in about 7th grade. I personally felt late to the game compared to my classmates. Nowadays, they just keep getting younger. When I was in primary school, it was such a big deal to the adults in my family getting cell phones (especially the Motorola Razr) because there was nothing like it! I do agree that kids should just be kids and enjoy themselves without a phone. However, I just find it to be hard because the phones can be very useful in terms of security and convenience. I remember when I did not have a phone back in middle school and couldn’t find ways to get home.
If I were a parent, I would just set limitations to what phone my child gets. Cell phones have been getting a lot of backlash on the possible effects it can have by using them and social media.
WebMD, link listed down below, has a couple of ways for parents to incorporate better ways of giving a child a cell phone.That list consists of: getting them a basic phone, setting limits, follow the same limits yourself, create some distance, and teaching good behavior. I find that those would be good ways to incorporate a cell phone into a child’s life. But, only the parents can determine when it is right to get one for their child. All in all, I find that campaign a good one to abide to.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/children-and-cell-phones#4
I completely agree! I have younger cousins that are all constantly playing on their phones that they were given in 5th grade. I definitely agree that for safety reasons it is nice to have a phone at a young age but a device to communicate with parents etc. is very different than getting a smart phone which is basically a computer. The freedom that is given to a young kid on a phone is also something I would be concerned about. On the computer or tv you can have parental locks on certain things but with a phone I’m not sure if services like that are available. I think wait until 8th is a great thing and will definitely implement that to my kids in the future! Great job!
I agree with this article highly but I also don’t think a pledge should be made in order for a parent to KNOW not to give their child a phone until the 8th grade. I personally did not receive a phone until I was 14 years old. Even then it wasn’t because I wanted a phone, it was given to me so I could easily contact my mother in case of an emergency or to find out where I was at a given time. Today, I see a lot of parents giving their phones to occupy their Childs time. Im not trying to say this is always bad, I think children using phones can make them grow to be very smart and tech savvy which is a very useful skill to have. There are children that I know that might even know more than me about certain aspects, which in a way is scary. But as I said, some parents just hand a phone to their child to keep them from acting out but by doing this, its making them antisocial. Most kids today would rather be on a phone, tablet or laptop instead of going outside and hanging with friends. Being outside was something I loved as a kid and I would only imagine that children who spend most of their time on a phone, would love it too. But this doesn’t apply to just kids, this is an issue with teens and adults as well. Just the usage of a smart phone has really put a damper on social interaction within the years. Moral of the story, a pledge shouldn’t be put into place just to ensure their children have a childhood. The parents should just know that giving their child a phone at a young age will deprive them from the childhood they should have.
This was a very interesting article. I had no idea there was a campaign of parents pledging to wait until their children are in 8th grade before giving them a phone. I definitely agree that it is important to limit the use of smartphones with children. I had a wonderful childhood playing outside and getting together with friends. It worries me that children nowadays are more content sitting inside on their phones than playing and interacting with others. I work childcare at one of the churches here in state college. Last Sunday the kids were planning a ball for all the kids to attend. We have a bunch of toys for the kids including old broken phones the kids use for pretend. This one little girl had one of the phones in her hands and her immediate action was to put the phone up and pose for a selfie. Like mentioned in the article the idea of phones with buttons rather than touch screens is foreign to kids. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that that phone probably wouldn’t be able to take front facing selfies. I don’t think it is a matter of keeping kids away from smartphones but simply limiting their use so they can have an active and healthy childhood.
I have always found this topic of debate interesting because the smartphone has become such an important social tool for young teenagers in middle and high school. Although many articles point to the educational advantages of smartphones, most 10-14 year-olds are going to use smartphones for communication purposes. As pointed out by a NY Times article I read, giving children early access to smartphones can also make them more likely to watch porn or send nude photos at an earlier age. In this case, it seems as though waiting to give your child a smartphone is the right choice. However, the article also mentions that the iPhone offers a way for parents to monitor what children can do with their phones. I think that smartphones can be a valuable asset for social connection and easy communication, but they offer such a wealth of information that parental controls may be a good way to prevent information from getting into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the Internet is filled with bad websites and media, and it is difficult to prevent children today from gaining access to it. I don’t know if restricting technology use is the answer, but perhaps monitoring access to such information is.
Chen, Brian X. “What’s the Right Age for a Child to Get a Smartphone?” The New York Times, New York Times Company, 20 July 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/technology/personaltech/whats-the-right-age-to-give-a-child-a-smartphone.html. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
After reading this post, I had a lot of interesting thoughts crazy my mind and now I’m conflicted. While I do agree that having a smartphone at such a young can be detrimental to a developing mind, I have to say that in our ever rapidly growing world full of technology it will become increasingly important to be adept at new and evolving technology at all stages of life. Yes, I agree that kids should be kids while they still have a chance to be young, but I don’t think smartphones and enjoying your childhood are mutually exclusive. I think like with all other resources moderation is key. Of course a child glued to a screen is harmful, but learning to use a phone, computer, or other electronic device at a young age will give them a leg up on an competitive future they have to look forward to. Whatever your opinion at the end of the day is, I hope we can all agree that youth is something we should value and cherish while we have it, so go outside and do something.
This is a really interesting post to read. I can 100% agree with all the events in your life that happened in mine when it comes to technology improving and becoming more and more common. It made me think about how technology is just going to improve more and more as I grow up, especially with the internet of things taking over the united states by storm. Is it going to be good to expose my babies to all this new technology? Or will it be bad for their health? It can definitely have its benefits- with the convince and easy way to keep my kids in contact, but it could have its negatives- health risks, dangers of texting and driving, taking away from socializing and playing on the playground, getting exercise. Thinking back on my days, I would chase boys at recess and give my crushes notes in class, but now they just text and start being dramatic at the age of like 6 years old because this boy liked this girls posts (girls i babysit would love to gossip and they are only 6!). I personally think you should wait till high school until they get their smart phone, but its so hard when the world is shifting towards improving technology.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/children-and-cell-phones#1
Your blog post is very informative! I totally agree with your viewpoint on how kids nowadays are so integrated with technology at such a young age. Personally, all of my nieces and nephews, ages ranging from 3-12, all have some type of smart device whether it be an iPad or iPhone. It is very interesting though that the child that you were babysitting has such a different mentality than most of the people of our age group and on. Although many of these small children have such a different mentality, I can see this as being an advantage rather than a surprise or disappointment. With these children already knowing how modern technology works, it will be very easy for them to use technology when they flourish as adults in their future. With the right supervision and caution, technology for children can be very very useful. But who knows! We’ll have to see when the time comes.
Source: https://www.education.com/reference/article/technology-enhance-children-development/
Great article very well researched! I received my first cellphone when I was in second grade in order to contact my parents to pick me up from dance or a friend’s house, and received my first iPhone in seventh grade. My younger brother on the other hand got his first cellphone in kindergarten and if I remember correctly, he got an iPhone before or shortly after he entered middle school. While I think it’s important to let kids be kids I do feel there are some drawbacks of restricting smartphone use. Forbidding the use of smartphones and other technology can cause kids to fall behind socially. I’m a firm believer in the development of technology and the fact that each new generation should get more comfortable and be able to teach others with time. By withholding this aspect from our children, we’re halting this process. Kids do deserve to still be kids and I feel that a compromise to combat this issue would be to allow children to have smartphones but restrict the time frames they’re able to use them.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/warning-signs-parents/201703/kids-using-smartphones
Great work with your article! I have been a strong advocate for waiting to give children phones until at least eleven or twelve years old. Personally, I believe even 8 may be too young. As soon as my son/daughter would start to go out and be more independent is when I would consider getting a phone, just to keep in contact of where they are.
Many articles have found correlations between kids getting phones too early and lack of creativity. Articles, such as the one I have linked below, have speculations that technology stunts the creative growth of children. Kids are no longer going out and playing imaginative games with each other because it is much easier for them to take out a smartphone and play candy crush. The campaign you speak of is great and I 100% would stand by it.
http://www.businessinsider.com/research-shows-our-youth-are-losing-their-creativity-2010-10
Smartphone usage has definitely gone a long way. I can still remember when my friends and I communicated via MSN messenger from a computer or when we all got our BB pin numbers to chat through our Blackberry’s. The modes of communications have changed drastically. According to Influence Central’s 2016 Digital Trends Study, kids have gained ownership of their devices; furthermore, enjoy having access and privacy online. The study reveals that 31% of surveyed parents said they text their kids even if they are together at home. Learning about the “Wait Until 8th” movement is encouraging because I believe kids should be focusing in spending more quality time with their family and friends, rather than with a tablet or smartphone.
Kids & Tech: The Evolution of Today’s Digital Natives. (n.d.). Retrieved September 01, 2017, from http://influence-central.com/kids-tech-the-evolution-of-todays-digital-natives/
Your blog was relatable to read as I too did not get my first iPhone until I was a freshman in high school and my first cell phone until I was in fifth grade. While I do think that technology can enhance the learning experience for many children while they grow, in many aspects it can also hinder it. I watched my younger cousins grown up and I think that they are the perfect example as to how technology can interfere with their childhood. Since the second grade, they had iPads, allowing them to play popular gaming apps such as Angry Birds. While I do think my aunt and uncle did a good job of managing the amount of time the kids were in front of the screen, I know other parents are not the same. In some cases, kids are being robbed of their childhood by being glued to a screen all of the time. I think that if parents do allow their children to grow up with tablets and smartphones, they should sit alongside their child and stay involved with how their child is using it. Since it’s true that there’s an opportunity for children to learn from apps on smartphones, I wouldn’t rule the usage out completely. Even if the parent were to give the child a phone to use only while at home until eight grade, and then once they hit high school, they let their children have the device full time.
Source: http://www.pbs.org/parents/childrenandmedia/article-when-introduce-child-smartphone-tablet.html
I thought this article was great! I’ve actually been thinking about this idea a lot lately. In my marketing class today we were discussing how younger kids are better with devices than their parents. I agree with whole movement of “wait till 8th”. I think that kids should be out playing and experiencing childhood and they shouldn’t be sitting inside from a young age attached to their smartphones. However, I didn’t have a smart phone until my sophomore year of high school and I felt out of the loop because all of my friends got one when they were so young. So I feel that a lot of people would have to join this movement or theres going to be a disconnect between people.
Great article. I agree that parents should avoid giving their young children their own smartphone. Despite all the great applications a smart phone can provide, there are also a lot of inappropriate material available on the internet through a smartphone, as well as malicious people looking to take advantage of youth online. Through my experience, as a person who grew up as this technology was being introduced, I agree with my parent’s decision to keep personal devices away from me till I was in high school. It is a big responsibility, which I don’t think young children should have to bear.