Kids Exposure Socials And Smartphone, What Age Is Best?

Back in the days when I was a kid, the use of phones was far from my parents, and computers weren't readily available for us. I began relating to computers as far back as 2004; those were my secondary school days. It seemed like a new magic to me because even television was not frequently used in my house. Fast forward to now; I have my kids, and I have access to smartphones.

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It becomes so difficult to really deprive my kids of access to my smartphone. It is impossible for me to do that because in one way or the other they will see things that drive their attention, and before you know it, they want to see more of it. My kind of person is one that doesn't appreciate stress, so I just want to give them what they need so I can have my peace; hence, it won't corrupt their mind.

This is to say that smartphones and gadgets have become an important tool for the kids because even in their school they are working on installing AI tools, which they feel will be of good help to the pupils. I see this as a good step in the correct direction, but I see lots of risk here in the sense that if the children are not monitored properly, they may dive into what will bring about their downfall.

As I bring my thoughts concerning the topic at hand, I will get to speak on the good side and the bad side of exposing the kids to smartphones and social media.Smartphones are good material for the kids in this modern age, as they are good material for them for educational purposes, and they help them to develop their minds in no small way. The use of smartphones for educational resources in a way, driven or reduced the way the traditional materials are being used. I have a boy that is in the senior class; for the past two terms, anytime he comes home with an assignment, I am on the hotspot and allow him to connect to the WiFi using the kid's phone, and that became a habit for him, so he doesn't even bother to access his textbooks.

So when we don't put in some regulations, it tends to bring lots of things that won't help the students in any way.This makes the students lazy because they don't bother to do research because they have a simpler way of accessing information. Just last week I withdrew the phone and told him to always visit the library or use his textbooks for his assignment. From then till now, his reading habits have improved, and if I can maintain the tempo, he will improve more.

Students don't read these days because they feel there are simpler ways of getting things done, so they just focus on passing exams rather than knowing the subject.Even for us adults, we face lots of addiction to combat as a result of using the smartphone or our socials on a daily basis, which, personally, I am yet to overcome. Imagine the amount of time we spend on screen.

Most times I will just feel like spending five minutes on Facebook, and I will end up spending thirty minutes. If these kids are allowed, the addiction will be more. The age of introducing kids to social media and smartphones depends on the kids' development and the parents' readiness to guide the kids through the new adventure. Kids can be very wise and smart. My son has this way he hides apps that it just took an eagle eye for me to discover. Personally, I introduced smartphones to my son as early as two years old.

The smartphone I left with him is my old phone. I downloaded educational materials for him. As he grew, he began operating it himself. Now I come in to regulate the operation. At first it was a serious fight because he felt I was doing something wrong, but now when I say, Off the phone, he understands and does that, though not with a smiling face.Talking about social media, I don't have a set age at the moment because this topic is more practical than theoretical, but I think when a child graduates from secondary school, I can easily get a smartphone for him, and I may not restrict him totally on what to download and what not to download.

This is one of the reasons why I am making sure to impart the correct thing to them so that when they see the wrong, they will easily say no to it.Most importantly, it is important not to deprive them totally because if we do, they will be hiding to operate the phone or social media because if we do, they will get to the point of accessing things that may damage their mind. One thing I noticed with kids is that when you insist they do a thing is when they want to do it because they feel they really know why you said so, as they feel everything they haven't tried is good for them.