Photo by Cristina Navarro
Christmas is one of the times when mobile phones and smartphones become the main focus of the letters that the youngest members of the household write to Santa Claus or to Their Majesties the Three Wise Men from the East. It is then that parents must consider the learning and maturity process of the person receiving the gift to choose one type or another. To help families decide which type of phone is most suitable for our children, we have gathered five tips to ensure the safe, healthy, and responsible use of this type of technology.
1.- Start by giving them phones and products without internet access: there are currently different options on the market for children to become familiar with technology. Phones without internet connection that allow making and receiving calls are a good option to introduce them to technology and help them understand that it is primarily a communication tool.
2.- Set family rules for device use: parents have the responsibility to guide the little ones in using technology and set limits according to their maturity. It is common for them to gradually seek more independence and use screens for other activities. Therefore, all family members should establish a dialogue to decide how the device will be used at each time, set usage times, and make it clear that adults should always be their point of reference.
3.- If you choose a smartphone, make parental controls your ally: in the early stages of using that first smartphone by the little ones, it is essential to accompany and guide them, but our duties, commitments, and responsibilities as parents prevent us from always being there. Therefore, parental controls are very useful tools when introducing kids to technology. Parental controls like Google Family Link allow setting time limits, managing privacy settings, and knowing what they are doing with the device when you cannot be physically present with them.
4.- Avoid device use during school hours: screens and devices can have countless uses, from entertainment to supporting children’s educational learning. However, during school hours, regardless of whether schools prohibit it or not, these devices should not be used. It is the family’s responsibility to communicate to children that using devices at school is not allowed before providing them with a mobile device. Also, through parental controls, the smartphone can be set to turn off during classes.
5.- Review data plans before subscribing and avoid unlimited plans: when children start using a smartphone, self-management is a challenging moment. In this regard, it is advisable to avoid unlimited data plans so that children understand they do not have unlimited online content access and decide with their parents what they can access.
