Johannesburg [13 June 2019]: Over the past couple of decades, smart phones have gone from being luxury items to modern essentials. They’ve transformed the way we communicate and perform a myriad of other functions too – they’re our notebooks, calendars, alarm clocks, entertainments hubs, health trackers and more.
Technology has become a way of life, a necessity we simply can’t, or won’t, do without. As we prepare for smart cities of the future, and allow our children access to technology for learning and communication purposes, the question most parents ask is “when is the right time to get your child a smart phone?”
“This is a difficult question because early childhood development differs from child to child, but what is important to note is that being digitally-savvy at an early age will be advantageous in the long-run,” says Michelle Beetar, Cell C Chief Customer Experience Officer.
“The smart-city future envisages that careers in the next era do not even exist at this point in time. What we do know is that technology is a key factor in jobs of the future, so allowing your child to gain digital skills will be crucial to her/him in the future,” Beetar continues.
However, owning a smart phone should come with certain limits and responsibilities to ensure that children are protected against predators and cyberbullying.
According to author Emma Sadleir in her book ‘Selfies, Sexts and Smartphones’, thousands of people (adults and children) fall into the trap of chatting and giving out too much personal information in the online space. It is therefore extremely important for children to understand why they should not be communicating with strangers and why they should be very careful with the information they share online. In Sadleir’s book, she lists strong privacy settings and turning off location services as crucial practices.
The Child Mind Institute – a non-profit organisation that helps children with learning disorders and mental health – says that by the time your child is 10 to 12, he or she will ask for a phone. Although this may be of concern to some parents, there are many advantages to this. Child experts say it’s not a question about the right age, but rather the rite of passage.
“I tell parents that it’s not so much about a particular age as it is about a kid’s social awareness and understanding of what the technology means,” Says Jerry Bubrick, a clinical psychologist at the institute.
He recommends the following factors be considered when purchasing a smart phone for a child.
Here are some basic tips when purchasing a smartphone for a child
Set guidelines
Before you give your child a phone, sit them down and explain what can and cannot be used on the device. It may be worthwhile to draw up a little contract between yourself, as the parent, and your child, as recommended by creative parenting expert, Nikki Bush. Such a document will set out the responsibilities for both parties to comply.
Education on data charges
Set monthly monetary limits. You may need to provide guidance on what data charges are, and how much it costs for games and apps. A fantastic option for this is Cell C’s Smart Data Share plan. This is perfect for families to share data across as many as 14 Cell C SIMS. It also gives access to 1,000 free Wi-Fi calling minutes, which will come in handy when communicating with your children.
Social media and strangers
If your child is under 13, they should not be on social media. With messaging apps like Whatsapp, they need to be advised on the dangers of communicating with strangers and about sending pictures of themselves to other people, even if they are known to the family.
Inappropriate communication
Parents should assist their children by providing guidance on what is appropriate content to send and what is not.
Set limits on screen time
The recommended screen time for children is two hours per day. Before purchasing the device, make sure your child has agreed to follow your screen time limits.
