[Technology] How Does This Little Kidz Smartphone Addiction Resolve Itself?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's getting bit scary now. Little kidz addicted to their phones. They seem to barely know - or want to know - what the Beeb's and other mainstream broadcasters offerings are. How do you wean them off it when (seen it with my own eyes) a three year old knows how to call up their favourite Youtube vids and also knows how to effortlessly 'Skip Ad'

 

[maltaseagull]

It's getting bit scary now. Little kids addicted to their phones. How do you wean them off it when (seen it with my own eyes) a three year old knows how to call up their favourite vids and also how to effortlessly 'Skip Ad'

Make them wear woolen mittens until they are 21?

 

[stewart12]

my 18 month old is pretty adept with a smartphone. I think it's a combination of exposure to them but also possibly smartphones are purposefully easy to use?

They're here to stay, don't think it'll resolve itself until something comes along to make them obsolete

 

[Easy 10]

It's getting bit scary now. Little kidz addicted to their phones. They seem to barely know - or want to know - what the Beeb's and other mainstream broadcasters offerings are. How do you wean them off it when (seen it with my own eyes) a three year old knows how to call up their favourite Youtube vids and also knows how to effortlessly 'Skip Ad'

Its actually very, very simple. You restrict their usage to a reasonable level, don't allow the devices at the dinner table, don't allow the devices in their rooms at night, and learn to say the word 'no'.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Just seen on ITV News that '45% of parents' are worried about their kidz smartphone usage. Almost like the shitferbrains parents have no input into the buying of, or control over usage of the poxy thing

 

[Peteinblack]

My wife works in orthopaedics, and says a growing number of people in their late 30s and early 40s (the first mobile phone generation) now coming in to hospital with problems caused by over-use of phones:

a) Thumb tendons and muscles seized-up due to years of constant texting.

b) Neck, upper-spine and posture problems due to years of looking down at phones.

I shudder to think of the problems that these kids will have when they grow up, in terms of these symtoms, and in terms of their cognitive and communications skills, and limited attention spans.

 

[schmunk]

This.

Its actually very, very simple. You restrict their usage to a reasonable level, don't allow the devices at the dinner table, don't allow the devices in their rooms at night, and learn to say the word 'no'.

And this.

I suppose the question is... does it matter? There was a time they had similar concerns about the TV.

Perhaps the fact they're interactive makes it better for their mental development than the TV is or was.

 

[Wilko]

I suppose the question is... does it matter? There was a time they had similar concerns about the TV.

Perhaps the fact they're interactive makes it better for their mental development than the TV is or was.

For me the greater concern is when they get older - glued to their smartphones browsing Instagram, snapchat, and all the rest. A false interpretation of the world which is focussed on peer-acceptance, attention and filtered appearances. It can't be good for mental health, surely.

I work at an international college with students 16-21, I would say the addiction for many of them is of huge, huge concern. Some are unable to put the phone down or look away from it for longer than 30 seconds. This has had huge implications on communication and interaction, a large percentage of the students never communicate in any way verbally with anyone else at all, they have whatsapp groups that they chat to each other on even when they are sat next to each other. There is without doubt a direct correlation between usage and mental health and educational performance too, the highest performing students are personable and communicative.............their phone is always away and out of reach in lessons.

Sounding like a boring psychologist for a moment- humans need attention, love, affection, interaction and communication, this addiction is cutting into all of these things dramatically.

 

[Wozza]

Its actually very, very simple. You restrict their usage to a reasonable level, don't allow the devices at the dinner table

Great rule until a parent wants to catch up with MOTD whilst having a late breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning.

I'M STILL BITTER ABOUT THIS, MRS WOZZA!

 

[schmunk]

Great rule until a parent wants to catch up with MOTD whilst having a late breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning.

I'M STILL BITTER ABOUT THIS, MRS WOZZA!

Or at the dinner table when a question is posed to which I do not know the answer but could Google...

FUMMIN.




(edit: although since Christmas we've had a Google Home speaker in the kitchen, so... )

 

[Wilko]

I suppose the question is... does it matter? There was a time they had similar concerns about the TV.

I would say they are quite different mediums in that TV is passive (known as linear in media terms), you watch it as a form of entertainment or information. The danger with smart phone technology is that it is constantly updating and non linear, in other words you can contibute to it and it is constantly chaging, you could check your phone and 30 seconds later there is a new comment, email, tweet, NSC post etc and so it sparks a higher level of addiction.

 

[schmunk]

I would say they are quite different mediums in that TV is passive (known as linear in media terms), you watch it as a form of entertainment or information.

...except 24 hour news channels, which are circular.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Its actually very, very simple. You restrict their usage to a reasonable level, don't allow the devices at the dinner table, don't allow the devices in their rooms at night, and learn to say the word 'no'.

All correct - but I'd add ban them in schools - there must be a way that the kids can hand them in on arrival, and collect them when they leave.

They do not need them during school hours.

 

[Wilko]

...except 24 hour news channels, which are circular.

You are either watching it or not, if you walk away from the TV, turn it off or go out then you have detached yourself.

Few turn off their phones or leave them at home when they go out.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Avoid children adults and social media.............oh

 

[rippleman]

Just seen on ITV News that '45% of parents' are worried about their kidz smartphone usage. Almost like the shitferbrains parents have no input into the buying of, or control over usage of the poxy thing

Well, they aren't are they or they wouldn't give the phones to such young kids.

Before Xmas I was travelling home on the train and two youngsters, about two years old, each had their smartfones to keep them occupied whilst both parents were on their smartfones. Lazy parenting.

 

[MTSeagulls]

In my view it's mostly lazy parenting. It's far easier to push a smartphone into your kids face rather than, read to, play with or otherwise occupy your child.
My step daughter is the worst example of this with her 18 months old daughter, which allows her to spend all day herself on social media.

 

[schmunk]

You are either watching it or not, if you walk away from the TV, turn it off or go out then you have detached yourself.

...and come back to the SAME NEWS in a big loop.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Popped in, realised it was the perfect parents thread, thought I'd better duck out again...

 

[Deleted member 22389]

It's getting bit scary now. Little kidz addicted to their phones. They seem to barely know - or want to know - what the Beeb's and other mainstream broadcasters offerings are. How do you wean them off it when (seen it with my own eyes) a three year old knows how to call up their favourite Youtube vids and also knows how to effortlessly 'Skip Ad'

My 5 year old gets the tablet once a week. If we didn't do this she would be on it every evening. There is a lot of moaning about it, but in the end she forgets about it and does something else. On the other hand we our telling our daughter no tablet, at the same time as looking at our phones. Adults need to follow the rules also, double standards.