7 Reasons Why Smart Phones May Not Be Smart for Kids

Kids younger and younger are begging their parents for the latest and greatest smart phone and it's no surprise that the iPhone seems to be the most popular. But just because the phones may be smart and able to do a multitude of functions doesn't mean they are the smartest choice to give to your kids.

For many adults, these smart phones have become their office away from the office. However, aside from the few young entrepreneurs who may be rely on their smart phones the same as an adult would, most kids really don't need or even use everything that a smart phone can do.

Smart phones may not be so smart for kids because...

1. They are a major distraction. It's hard enough for kids to stay focused today. Having a device that tempts them with everything at their fingertips only makes staying focused more difficult.


2. They inhibit verbal communication. Kids may feel more connected to their friends but since texting has become the preferred method of communication, they actually are much worse at verbal communication compared to kids of past generations. Being able to have a verbal phone conversation is an important basic skill in life.


3. They contribute to poor writing skills. The whole idea of texting is to make the message as short as possible, use abbreviations, emoticons, and various symbols. Long gone are the days when kids were able to write in complete sentences, spell correctly, and use proper grammar.


4. They are addicting. Look at how many kids insist on having their phone on them at all times. Or how many have the phone on their nightstand because they can't bear to miss a late night text even though it may only say, "hey." For lots of kids, the smart phone has become an electronic pacifier.


5. They are an expensive toy. Since most kids do not use a phone for talking, what's left is a device for playing games, using fun apps, taking pictures and videos, and texting. While some parents are upgrading their own phone and giving the kids their hand-me-downs, the facts remain the same. That toy which costs several hundred dollars still requires a monthly data charge and will be outdated in a couple of years anyway.


6. They create laziness. With everything at their fingertips and kids already expecting to be spoon-fed information, smart phones give them no reason to expand their knowledge or abilities. Think of a dictionary or encyclopedia. Once kids pass elementary school, they very rarely are required to even pick up one of those books because everything is online. Now think of how many kids don't even know how to use a dictionary because all they have to do is start typing a word and many programs fill in what they "think" the person is trying to write. Smart phones require less and less human effort.


7. They reduce face-to-face social interaction. Remember how fun it was to play board games like Scrabble or Pictionary with your friends or family when you were younger? Today kids miss out on the human connection because so much playtime is done remotely over the Internet. Most of these reasons apply to elementary school age and older kids. However, some parents are using smart phones as babysitters for their kids as young as two or three years old. It doesn't take much effort to plop a phone in a toddler's hands, start up a video and go about your business. While that may be a quick way to keep a child quiet or occupied for a while, it probably isn't the smartest parenting choice today.

Any electronic device should be an enhancement, not a crutch. If a person feels like they cannot live without their smart phone, maybe it's time to go back to the basics and learn how to function without it for a while. That may be the truly smart decision.

Nancy O'Neill is the Common Sense Consultant. Combining her education and experience, she offers a common sense approach on a variety of topics for entrepreneurs of all ages, authors, speakers, parents, and kids. Life or business does not have to be complicated but many times, people make it that way. Nancy believes the most effective way to help people is by giving them the tools to think for themselves. 

Through practical, common sense education and coaching, a person can gain the knowledge to become confident in their own abilities and not rely on someone else to spoon-feed them information.

Nancy also uses her creative talent for web and graphic design, concept direction, writing, publishing, and marketing.

She lives in southern California with her husband and teenage son.

Visit http://www.onedotenterprises.com for any of her services.