I partially agree with all this and I fully agree that addiction to mobile phones is not a good thing for our younger generation. I don't have children of my own. I do however, believe that we shouldn't ban it entirely. Mobile phones have become a major aspect of our lives whether we like it or not. For some, it is a tool for work, for others a socializing tool but that is just exactly what it is - a tool. No more, no less. Having our children avoid it entirely will not help. Neither is giving into their every whim. I believe we need to educate them. Its just as how we teach them to use the toilet or even a comb. They need to understand the purpose of the device and if we do it right, they will not only understand the effects it can cause but even be a better generation than us. We talk as if children are the only ones that need educating when in fact, we do too. Time spent with family and friends now limited to only meeting physically. Meaningful conversations now are replaced with smileys and emoticons. Yes, it takes patience and it takes time, but aren't they worth it? I have a niece and nephew that I love very much. They were as addicted to their iPads as most children are today. But you can not imagine their joy when my husband and I taught them how to ride bikes. They aren't born to only like technology. They need to be molded into the kind of fun that benefits them. Now, they know that their iPads are ok but only for a while. Maybe after lunch when they want to sit and watch their favourite cartoons before its time to study or play outside or even chores.
It should start with the parents having control on what the kids can use to play. 8 years old is too young.
It is surely bad habit that kids are more attracting with mobiles and other stuff in compare to play ground. This is not good for many purposes. Kids at their age should be involved in play ground activities more in compare to mobile phones and all that. But sad thing is that this problem is arising almost everywhere with every kids.
Not only the adults but the kids today are addicted to phones and that too smartphones. My friend's daughter is only 2 years old and she plays with his smartphone couple of hours a day. She is addicted to watching videos and playing games. This addictive nature will lead to problems in the future. Almost every kid has a smartphone. Instead of playing outside they will play on their smartphones. I have seen kids not able to live without their smartphones for an hour. Due to this problem, kids today are physically and mentally inactive compared to kids 15-20 years ago.
I may allow our grandchildren to use smartphone for communicating their mother who is working abroad. If they're going to play I will give them time to do it and when they're done or it's already time I get the phone and keep it away from. I will set a standard on how the phone may be used and I will stick to that standard.
Better not introduce phones to kids let them play outside with their friends or give them books to keep them entertained. I observed that children who don't use a phone are more polite, courteous, friendly and bubbly because they always play outside where they met other people and new friends while some kids who always using phone tends to be a snob and disrespectful towards another.
I am against kids and phones because just the another day I watched a kid almost getting killed on a street because she paid no attention to the traffic. A few times I witnessed drivers being reckless but children were so busy wearing the earphones not to notice approaching car whose driver paid no attention and decided to run them over even he was given a red light.
