According to research shared in USC Today, digital devices were a greater source of conflict among teens and parents in the U.S. than in Japan: One in three U.S. families reported having an argument every day. And according to the same research, More teens in the U.S. also felt that mobile device use has hurt their relationship with their parents
Many parents, and schools are struggling with do’s, don’t and limitations (if any) on preteen and teen smartphone use. Many parents characterize smartphones as a “necessary evil, for their preteens/teens they’d do without if only they could.
Question— If you honestly don’t want your preteen/teen to have a smartphone, why do they? If the answer is for safety or to make transportation arrangements a flip phone is a viable option. I’ve navigated corporate life as an executive always accessible by cellphone. And teach public school. I have taught adult life transition courses to public school 9th graders and private school seniors. Privately I mentor and teach teens and young adults, 1 on 1, adult daily life skills not covered in academic curriculum.
This gives me the opportunity for me to get their first-hand feedback, almost daily on their phone use. I have casualy surveyed 100’s of teens and preteens, some as recently as yesterday, about cellphones, specifically smartphones. Every single one- when asked, “If you could only have a flip phone would you still want a phone?” The answer is, “Yes because I could still talk to my friends (note they say friends- not parents). They are never going to tell you they would be good with a flip phone because it doesn’t have Apps or access to social media. Mine wouldn’t tell me either, though they both, by their own choices have opted to use virtually no social media, no gaming, no Facetime. That’s another story.
Pexel
When asked to rank their main uses of smartphones it’s– not necessarily in this order-TikTok, Instagram, watch videos, play games (they even sneak and play multiplayer games in class) FaceTime friends, text and call friends. mentioned MUCH LESS is talking to parents, with some students saying “not at all.” Some student even say they think they’d do better in school if they did not have a phone at all. Many admit that being up late or all-night Face-Timing or talking to friends impacts their focus and productivity at school… The Los Angeles Unified School District I believe 2nd largest in the country behind NYC recently banned cellphones, with a few exceptions requiring documentation.
That said every family and situation is unique. There are great options of parent controls built into phones and there are a ton of Apps that can a set time limits, site access restriction, etc. Net Nanny, Bark, Aura, Qustodio. And, if parents and students all have a Gmail account google has something my friends swears by, I think it is called Link. Even your home Wi-Fi has control settings available where wife access to specific devices can be manage individually.
For free resources and tips and to help build community and conversations dedicated to helping you help teens and young adults gain much needed adult life skills…. JOIN https://www.facebook.com/groups/masteringadultlifeskills