How old should a kid be before he or she gets a phone?
Kids these days love electronics, and most of them know more about them than their parents. It’s not uncommon to see an 8-year-old with a phone at school or a toddler playing with a tablet in the back of a shopping cart. It’s just the age we live in, but is there a time to draw the line?
Do young kids really need phones that are capable of getting on the internet?
Most kids don’t even use their phones as phones. How many elementary school students really call or text their friends? They use them to play games. So, when a third grader asks for a phone, what he or she really wants is a device for gaming.
A new phone called the Light 2 is made to clear things up and maybe make phones seem a little less exciting to young kids. The phone can tell time, make calls, and send and receive texts, and it has a speaker and a headphone jack. That’s it, though. No fancy apps, and no internet access.
For parents who really think their kids need a phone to make calls, this is the one to get.
No need to worry about them racking up charges on an app store or going over their data limits. All they can do is call and text. It’s basically the way a phone should be. Instead of a smartphone, it’s a “dumb phone.”
Not only is this making parents happy, it’s also making kids realize they don’t need phones.
When kids realize their phones are boring, they stop asking for them and start looking for tablets and other devices that allow them to play games and do all the things they want to do. That, of course, is another battle, but at least parents can buy cheap tablets that don’t require monthly bills.
Parents seem to really like the Light 2. One parent said:
“My daughter is 10 years old and claims she’s ‘one of the only kids’ without a phone. I feel her pain, but not enough to hand over a piece of Steve Jobs’ genius and the ability for her to tune the world out in favor of apps. I’m sure there’s plenty of productive reasons for her to have a smartphone, but I’m not really feeling like any are solid enough to justify it. But for her to be able to text me at a sleepover and let me know she’s OK or tell me when swimming practice ends early so I can pick her up? I’m all about that.”
Will other kids be impressed when your son or daughter shows up at a sleepover and can’t get online?
Probably not! That’s why it’s a good idea to ask your kids about the reason they want phones. The Light 2 is still pricey at $250, and for the same price, you could find a phone that does offer internet access and app downloads. Still, for parents that want simple and safe phones for their children, this is a good option.
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