10 Reasons Not To Give Your Kid Your Smartphone

BY GreenBot Staff

GreenBot Staff

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All Articles by GreenBot Staff

Published 12 Jun 2015

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Back when I was a kid, kids didn’t have smartphones. Actually, nobody had smartphones. Because it was 1990, my parents made me entertain myself with things like typewriters and baseballs. Just kidding, we totally had cutting-edge Game Boys back then. Nowadays, it seems like a toddler is playing with his mom or dad’s smartphone everywhere I look. Dropping it, drooling on it, putting it in their mouth, and buying $99 worth of in-game currency on it twice. And the parents’ reasoning seems to be something like, well, that’s one way to shut them up. But I’m here to tell you, don’t give your child a smartphone; it’s a terrible idea.

Here’s Why:

It Costs $600!

not 2

I don’t know about you, but if I’d asked my parents, at age 4, to let me play with a device that cost even $100, they’d have laughed in my face. And yeah, while I know you’re not paying at least $600 for your phone, thanks to carrier-subsidized pricing, you will be when your kid drops it. You have to replace it before your contract runs out.

Kids Have Developing Motor Skills

not 3

Your smartphone is made of glass and metal. Mostly glass, and you will do anything not to drop it, so your three-year-old will definitely drop it!

They’ll Become Dependent

not 4

You know how you’re not supposed to give kids pacifiers all the time to shut them up because then they’ll become dependent on their pacifier? Same thing with smartphones. And, well, sometimes, you’ll want to use your smartphone. So good luck with that!

They Won’t Sleep

not 5

Screens, all screens, and even tiny smartphone screens can disrupt your sleep. And kids need rest. A lot of sleep. Because they’re growing, also they become obnoxious little jerks when they haven’t slept enough.

They’ll Become Social Outcasts

not 6

Or maybe not, if every other child they interact with also gets to use their parents’ smartphones from an early age. Seriously, though, face-to-face social interaction is something your child should be learning now. At the same time, it’s still acceptable to be a socially awkward fool as an adult.

Limited Creativity

not 7

Smartphones turn us into consumers, not creators. Remember when you were a kid, you had to use your imagination? What is imagination? Kids ask today.

Your kids Will Never See The Sun

not 8

My parents used to do that when they wouldn’t let me watch TV because I should go outside and get some fresh air. Also, my parents are both gym teachers, therefore very anti-screens. Now the saddest thing is watching your kid go outside while you are glued to a smartphone.

Smartphones Are Distracting

not 9

You usually give your kid your smartphone to distract them, right? Because you’re waiting in line, they’re getting bored and start fussing. Well, there’s a problem. How will they ever learn to deal with boredom if you always give your kid a distracting object when they start getting bored?

Three words: In-App Purchases.

not 10

Yes, it will refund unauthorized in-app purchases made by your kids. But waiting for a refund is not the same as never having that money leave your account in the first place.

They’ll Eventually Want Their Own

Sorry kid. Maybe when you’re 18. And they can buy it for themself.

And One Reason You’re Going To Ignore All This And Give It To Them Anyway…

There’s nothing like the sweet silence of a toddler entranced in YouTube videos. And they only start a tantrum when you have to recharge the thing from a completely flat battery!