Do you know how many children under the age of thirteen ask for a mobile phone as a birthday, Christmas or Communion gift? A lots of. Even too many. The other day I was struck by a conversation between some neighbors (a father with his son who was going to turn eleven in August). The man asked the boy what he wanted for that day. It didn't take her son two minutes to answer than a mobile phone.
That determined response made me think of my childhood and adolescence. I admit that I did not have a mobile phone until I was fourteen years old. But you know what? Neither did he need it. I was very busy watching my favorite drawing series, playing dolls and going out with my friends to play with the famous tazos. So now what?
Now i meet children under the age of thirteen in a park without taking their eyes off the phone. And they are with friends! It is curious that instead of talking to each other (if they are next to each other), they prefer to do it on WhatsApp or social networks. I admit that I am very sorry to see this. Children are practically no longer seen running around the neighborhood. And even fewer teenagers sitting on a bench listening to music and telling each other about their misunderstood life.
If your child is under thirteen years old, please don't buy him a mobile phone yet. And today I'm going to give you five reasons why you shouldn't do it. Although the decision is yours alone, obviously.
Because both children and adolescents need to develop their creativity
They need to invent, experiment, fall, get up, dream, and take an interest in the things around them. And they cannot do that if they are constantly sitting on the couch with their mobile phone. Childhood is the stage of active learning par excellence. And within active learning, talking on Facebook or WhatsApp with a friend from school or institute does not come into play.
Because the mobile phone does not favor face-to-face communication
Children and especially adolescents need active, close and understanding communication. Do you really think that sending emoticons by messages is going to favor that? Clearly not. I know families who tell me that they communicate with their teenage children through WhatsApp. On the platform they are asked how they are and how they feel. And that wouldn't be so bad if they weren't in the same house. In the same house! I do not intend to judge anyone (and at the moment I do not have children) but I do not understand how parents have lost so much communication with their children.
Because they have to learn to express their emotions away from a screen
A few days ago, standing at a traffic light, I could hear the conversation of two girls no more than thirteen years old. One read the following: "at the end I told Rubén on WhatsApp that I liked him." The girl who accompanied him asked him what he had answered. Do you know what the answer was? "He sent me an emoticon of a heart." Whatever the emotions of children and adolescents, they should learn to express them with the other person in front of them. I think through the screen of a mobile phone is really difficult to manage and identify emotions.
Because a mobile phone does not offer unforgettable moments to children and adolescents
Being stuck on the sofa chatting with your mobile phone is not an unforgettable moment. However, it is usually the case to go on excursions in nature, visit a theater or museum for the first time, go camping or practice some sport as a family. Children and adolescents need to live experiences to advance in their development. They need to make mistakes, discover, move and question a lot of things about their environment. How will they do these things if they are glued to the mobile phone?
Because excessive use of the mobile phone can cause health problems
It is not the first time that we have been told that excessive use of a mobile phone can cause obesity, for example. When children and adolescents lie down or sit with the appliance for hours, there is no movement or physical activity. To avoid major problems, it is necessary that they go outside to practice some sport and that their body is activated. In addition, the use of mobile devices should be prevented before going to sleep because it affects the quality and quantity of sleep in children and adolescents.
And please, you as parents should not use the option of the mobile device to entertain and get him to do what you want. What I mean by this? Well, there are many parents who say ... "give the phone to the child who is thus entertaining himself." And there are many families who give up their mobile device at lunch to distract themselves. But that way they are not learning to concentrate. Mealtime should be quiet and not full of stimuli caused by a mobile phone.
Always remember that we are talking about a excessive and continued use of the mobile phone. If your child uses your mobile to play a game he likes for an hour or two a day absolutely nothing would happen. We are talking about children and adolescents who see it as a necessity to have a mobile phone and create anxiety if they do not get it. We are talking about teenagers who cannot take their eyes off the screen even if a visitor comes home.