Smartphone Age: How Young Is Too Young?

While growing up, I didn't know what a smartphone was until I was much older, and the kind of phones we had back then could only perform simple functions such as calling and texting—no internet, no apps. But with time, things have changed dramatically, as we now see kids of 5 or 7 who can easily unlock and operate a phone faster than many adults; they'll even go so far as to guide their parents on how to perform some basic things on their parents' phones. Some of these kids even have their own phone and a social media account even before they become teenagers, and this has raised ethical questions such as, is this really okay?

If I were to state my opinion on these subjects, even though I'm a technology enthusiast, I'd still say that kid shouldn't be allowed to own a smartphone or have a social media account at such a tender age, if at all they'll have any, then such would be run or operated by their parents or guardians, and why I'm even giving such privilege is because nowadays we've seen how parents create content with their kids and go on to have massive engagement that fetches them money and fame, so if you're a parent who has such a desire to make content with your own kids, then you can create a dedicated account for them and run it yourself.

If it's aimed at helping such a child secure their future financially, you can also withdraw their earnings from such content and save it somewhere or invest in something cool that'll go on to fetch more interest so that by the time the child is of age and ready to stand alone, they'll have someone to start with.

But when it comes to such a young child having a social media account operated by themselves, I'd say no, that can happen when they're about 15 or 16 years old. In fact, if you were a child of my father, he wouldn't let you have such until you're 18, but regardless of if it's allowed for them as early as 15 or 16, one thing we must still do as parents is to allow such with the intention that we'll still supervise their interactions, content they engage with, and the like, because while I, for one, can't help but admire all the benefits that come with technology, I can't, because of that, turn a blind eye to the deep consequences that follow misuse or when it's handled prematurely.

One of the major issues with kids owning a phone at such an early age is the level of exposure they'll be open to. Our world and the internet are filled with tons of both good and evil, and without proper guidance, these kids can easily come across harmful content, fall into the traps of cyberbullies, fall victim to scammers, or even go on to become victims of online predators.As adults, we can attest to the fact that social media can create unnecessary pressure for us; how much more for these immature kids? , and this influence on social media can influence their act, look, or even living in a certain way just so they can fit in. In a nutshell, social media can mess with their self-esteem and consume their sense of reality in the process.

Still buttressing on why I said it's not ideal for kids to have smartphones or social media accounts at such an age, another reason is distraction. When a child has phones to play with, they'll be so preoccupied with it to the point of addiction whereby they won't even have time to focus on their homework, chores, or even have a meaningful real-life interaction, as they'll be so intrigued with what's on the smartphone that it'll literally make them bury their head in it all day long. And that's not to forget how it'll also affect their sleeping routine and attention span, because you'll notice that a child with a phone will be in a hurry to end a conversation so they can get back to it, and that's because they've become so attached to their screen.

While I understand that in today's world, we have schools who wants to have home tutoring like we had during COVID, and the need for the child to get acquainted with technological devices and how to operate them for communication or even for safety reasons, all of these reasons are valid and enough to make us want to let our child own a phone; however, I think there should be a big difference between giving them a basic phone for emergency purposes to call and giving them a phone with access to the internet and social media.

I'm not saying that there are no chances of things working out if a child has a phone, maybe with constant supervision, proper digital education, and strict boundaries including parental control settings implemented; however, without those, I think giving them phones is like handing them something they're not mentally and emotionally ready to handle.

Overall, we all should know that childhood days are one of the most exciting moments of our lives; we shouldn't rush it for these kids. You and I can attest to the amount of joy that existed outside the screen because we grew up in the generation when phones weren't a thing. We should let these children grow, explore the real world, and learn life basics first; we shouldn't influence them with screens and filtered realities because the digital world and devices aren't going anywhere, and they'll meet them whenever they're really ready for them.

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All photos are taken and edited on canva.

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