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I plan to take it further. No smart phones at all until 18, and only a dumb phone (calls, texts, etc) whenever they start high school, or possibly a bit earlier

I plan to take it further. No smart phones at all until 18, and only a dumb phone (calls, texts, etc) whenever they start high school, or possibly a bit earlier if they're on public transport by themself. I see absolutely no reason for somebody till in school to need a smart phone.

dingleberry420 4y ago
You will destroy their social life and make them outcasts. A smartphone is absolutely necessary to stay in touch with friends nowadays, everyone is using various messaging apps.
- codedokode 4y ago
  And a kid phone allows to stay in touch with friends (those approved by parents) without exposing a child to any risks.
WheatM 4y ago
bruce511 4y ago
Good luck with that. I'm reminded of my own childhood years, where most families had television, but some didn't (because it would be bad for the children.) Annecdotally the kids with no TV would visit, and all they wanted to do was watch TV. The ones who had tvs at home played outside. In reality in environments where kids have phones, it's more important for your kid to have a phone, and learn how to use it, than see it as a forbidden fruit. Plus of course the fact that you think your 17 year old doesn't have a phone is delusional. They have one. The only question is whether they share that fact with you. I get where you are coming from, but scary as it seems children don't magically become adults, making good decisions, on the day they turn 18. They become adults by slowly learning how to handle the world, by being guided with each new step, by making lots (and lots) of mistakes. The areas that you block off completely are the areas where they will be the least mature, the least able to exercise good judgement. That's typically why "bans" lead ultimately to worse outcomes not better ones.
SV_BubbleTime 4y ago
Prohibition works and never has unintended side effects. If you want to train your kids to lie and hide things from you, going too far in “their protection” is a good way to get there.
astrange 4y ago
Nobody uses texts for anything, so they wouldn't be able to talk to anyone.
SamPatt 4y ago
This sounds like what my religious nut parents would have done if smartphones had existed when I was a teen. Their efforts to shelter me didn't work and caused me to feel guilt about seeking information about the outside world as I aged. If you're really religious then you're not going to listen to me anyway, but if you're not then please reconsider depriving your children like this.

dingleberry420 4y ago

You will destroy their social life and make them outcasts. A smartphone is absolutely necessary to stay in touch with friends nowadays, everyone is using various messaging apps.

codedokode 4y ago
And a kid phone allows to stay in touch with friends (those approved by parents) without exposing a child to any risks.

WheatM 4y ago

bruce511 4y ago

Good luck with that. I'm reminded of my own childhood years, where most families had television, but some didn't (because it would be bad for the children.) Annecdotally the kids with no TV would visit, and all they wanted to do was watch TV. The ones who had tvs at home played outside. In reality in environments where kids have phones, it's more important for your kid to have a phone, and learn how to use it, than see it as a forbidden fruit. Plus of course the fact that you think your 17 year old doesn't have a phone is delusional. They have one. The only question is whether they share that fact with you. I get where you are coming from, but scary as it seems children don't magically become adults, making good decisions, on the day they turn 18. They become adults by slowly learning how to handle the world, by being guided with each new step, by making lots (and lots) of mistakes. The areas that you block off completely are the areas where they will be the least mature, the least able to exercise good judgement. That's typically why "bans" lead ultimately to worse outcomes not better ones.

SV_BubbleTime 4y ago

Prohibition works and never has unintended side effects. If you want to train your kids to lie and hide things from you, going too far in “their protection” is a good way to get there.

astrange 4y ago

Nobody uses texts for anything, so they wouldn't be able to talk to anyone.

SamPatt 4y ago

This sounds like what my religious nut parents would have done if smartphones had existed when I was a teen. Their efforts to shelter me didn't work and caused me to feel guilt about seeking information about the outside world as I aged. If you're really religious then you're not going to listen to me anyway, but if you're not then please reconsider depriving your children like this.