Should kids have smartphones?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/tech-ed/should-students-use-their-smartphones-as-learning-tools/
http://mashable.com/2012/10/15/wireless-reach-students/
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Hesitant-Parents-Cant-Keep-Kids-Away-Smartphones/1010075

I'd normally bother to explain why I think these are relevant but apparently just shitting out some links is good enough now.

A steadfast one out of 10 parents of children ages 18 or younger said they would never feel comfortable with him or her having a smartphone.
Read more at http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Hesitant-Parents-Cant-Keep-Kids-Away-Smartphones/1010075#ZUKT9T7zhLzKHMb6.99

NEVER.  That is AMAZING.

[East Coast Hustle]

I DON'T LIKE THESE NEWFANGLED ELECTRIC LIGHTS. IT WILL ONLY ENCOURAGE OUR CHILDREN TO STAY UP LATE AND WE ALL KNOW THAT'S WHEN THE PEDOS STRIKE!
\

[Salty]

Ok, that seems to indicate, in certain setting and conditions, a hampering of closeness between two people.

I don't see how that creates absolute certainty about this topic, especially in medium to large groups of young people.

We are talking about harm here, social and emotional harm. I'm not very convinced either way.

Why would it be any different with more kids?

Because social dymanics differ between groups of two and groups of more than two.

And that doesn't address the steadfast certainty displayed, ITT. That study does not conclusively prove anything beyond a doubt. It indicates, suggests, leads one to narrow down possibilties.

[Salty]

Kids in larger groups, unfettered by close scrutiny do not act like two people in a study. If there is some kind of similarity or.parallels in their behavior, it's just that.

And, that study fails to consider the effect of smartphones on kids' brains over a long period of time. How will today's kids be affected by this in ten years? Twenty? Christ, these things have only been around for 10 years.

So, be certain. Be sure. That's not for me, I wait, I see.

[Salty]

Man, you often say this place doesn't talk about Discordia anymore.

I can't speak for anyone else, but in MY Discordia uncertainty comes first, and well ahead of anything else.

If you're not midly confused all the time you're doing it wrong, IMHO.

[AFK]

Sure, but another part of Discordia is Nonsense as Salvation, the art of playing games.

I don't think they had Angry Birds and Candy Crush in mind when they wrote that bit.

[Cain]

-

[Don Coyote]

Anecdotal evidence BUT the only two people I know who play Angry Birds or any of those kind of games on a regular basis are my mother- and father-in-law. Disregarding that, what makes you any kind of authority on what are appropriate games for anyone to play? I mean evidently your idea of a good time is spend an inordinate amount of it "trolling" people who loathe you while acting as if you are above reproach. You have an inflated sense of your rightness of thought and action when it comes to mediating how others utilize their time. This brings to mind the great satanic scare in the 80s over the vile demon of Dungeons and Dragons brought about by people who didn't want to actually talk to their children about their hobbies, or the still current idea that anyone that plays any kind of game into their adulthood is an infantile mind living in a basement with poor hygiene and social skills. You are using the very noticeable outliers to prove that there is a problem that very likely does not exist.

[AFK]

I'm an absolute authority when it comes to MY opinion.  And you are with yours.  You, of course, are free to disagree with my opinion.  My opinion is based on my observations.  My job involves working with youth, I have two kids of my own, one who is on the verge of ten with lots of friends on the verge of ten.  So I'm not exactly flying blind.  I think there is some utility for technology in learning.  My school distric has a program that provides iPads to Kindergartners, but they are pretty bare bones and not set up for unfettered use of the internet. 

I know many parents give their kids smartphones, I also know many of these same parents who set up FB accounts for very young children, like my daughter's cousin who is only 9.  I happen to think that is an exceptionally bad idea.  What with the Loveshades and Agrippas out there.

My daughter asked me if she could have a YouTube channel and record and post videos.  Nope, not gonna happen.  She's asked for a TeeVee in her room, also a nope.  I allow her to use my iPad but I monitor where she has been and what she has watched.  Unfettered access to digital entertainment and the internet is a bad idea for young children.  Many parenting experts will tell you internet usage should be monitored.  Much like it is a good idea to always know where your kids are going IRL, it is also a good idea to know where they are in cyberspace.  Otherwise you are inviting trouble.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-your-cell-phone-hurts-your-relationships

That's not particularly convincing, for a variety of reasons, including that the study was on adult strangers meeting for the first time and that no other controllable variables were tested, such as the presence of a third person, land line, computer, magazine, newspaper, or any other media.

http://spr.sagepub.com/content/30/3/237.full.pdf+html

[Cainad (dec.)]

A different question:

The kids already have the smartphones, so how do we intelligently and maturely cope with this new development in a way that doesn't result in estranged, frustrated parents and dismissive, alienated children?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Unfettered access to digital entertainment and the internet is a bad idea for young children.  Many parenting experts will tell you internet usage should be monitored.  Much like it is a good idea to always know where your kids are going IRL, it is also a good idea to know where they are in cyberspace.  Otherwise you are inviting trouble.

Moving the goalposts, any? 

[AFK]

C'mon, there is a reason that it is generally considered rude to be on your smartphone when you are, say, out on a date or hanging out with friends.  Because it is a distraction, the person isn't completely present because part of their thoughts are focused on whatever texts, FB posts, etc they are monitoring on their phone.  At a crucial time in development, when kids are still learning the importance of communication, smartphones will tend to be distractions. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

A different question:

The kids already have the smartphones, so how do we intelligently and maturely cope with this new development in a way that doesn't result in estranged, frustrated parents and dismissive, alienated children?

Ah, now here's the real question.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

C'mon, there is a reason that it is generally considered rude to be on your smartphone when you are, say, out on a date or hanging out with friends.  Because it is a distraction, the person isn't completely present because part of their thoughts are focused on whatever texts, FB posts, etc they are monitoring on their phone.  At a crucial time in development, when kids are still learning the importance of communication, smartphones will tend to be distractions.

Teaching your children appropriate manners is part of basic parenting, regardless of what the technological landscape looks like.