My 4-year-old wants a cell phone for her next birthday
This morning my daughter said she wants a cell phone for her next birthday. I asked her why she needed a cell phone and she said to send smiley faces to Papa Tim and because her doll has a cell phone.
It really took me off guard when she asked. I didn't think that request was going to come until maybe jr. high.
But, it makes me think is why does she really want a cell phone? And it makes me think about marketing. My kids are being marketed to by their family, me, my wife, their grandparents, and probably just about every other adult that they're around. They're being told that looking at a cell phone is normal. Scrolling social media is something you do as an adult when other people are in the room. Taking lots of photos from your phone, sending emojis, etc. are things that everybody does.
So, we had a little talk about cell phones this morning. How she probably won't get a cell phone until high school or college. That cell phones are dangerous and we talked a little bit about why in a way that a 4-year-old can somewhat understand.
Then I got to thinking about cell phones again. How much time am I on my phone? And how much time is my wife on hers? What are we looking at? I don't feel like we're on our phones all the time, but we probably average a good hour a day... at least. And depending on when we're on our phones it says a lot to our kids as to the importance of our phones. If we're on them during meals or during key times of the day when our family is all together it says we care more about our phones than them... even if that isn't necessarily true.
So, next time you're with your kids think twice about checking that scrolling on social or checking your favorite app. How necessary is it? What are you saying without saying anything?
It really took me off guard when she asked. I didn't think that request was going to come until maybe jr. high.
But, it makes me think is why does she really want a cell phone? And it makes me think about marketing. My kids are being marketed to by their family, me, my wife, their grandparents, and probably just about every other adult that they're around. They're being told that looking at a cell phone is normal. Scrolling social media is something you do as an adult when other people are in the room. Taking lots of photos from your phone, sending emojis, etc. are things that everybody does.
So, we had a little talk about cell phones this morning. How she probably won't get a cell phone until high school or college. That cell phones are dangerous and we talked a little bit about why in a way that a 4-year-old can somewhat understand.
Then I got to thinking about cell phones again. How much time am I on my phone? And how much time is my wife on hers? What are we looking at? I don't feel like we're on our phones all the time, but we probably average a good hour a day... at least. And depending on when we're on our phones it says a lot to our kids as to the importance of our phones. If we're on them during meals or during key times of the day when our family is all together it says we care more about our phones than them... even if that isn't necessarily true.
So, next time you're with your kids think twice about checking that scrolling on social or checking your favorite app. How necessary is it? What are you saying without saying anything?