Anyone else tired of seeing children glued to their phones at such a young age? It’s the new “thing” to be “styling and profiling” with the newest iPhone and games available. But with that amount of power and capabilities and a small child’s hand, comes responsibility, which can be hard for the youngins’ to control.  The use of smartphones by children should be restricted due to the recurring issue of distractions in school and at home.
         

With the constant notifications and text messages appearing on a student’s smartphone, it can create a large distraction on their everyday activities. So much of one where parents say “they are taking the child away from their schoolwork, and from doing other things in their free time” (Scobey). Taking a look around at the There comes a point where something has to be done and there are ways to crack down on what a child can and cannot do. They can easily access the apps or websites or whatever it may be but still have restrictions as well as a social life. According to New York University, “Parents can still remain in control even when children have cell phones. Some phones are designed specifically for younger children, but with parental controls” (Brunswick News). As they get older, the issue of distractions will increase greatly making it seem like they’re the walking dead because they were up late at night texting away or on social media. It can make the parent’s lives so much easier if they start restrictions when their kids are at a young age. In the article “Parents Provide Guidance on Cell Phone Use”, a parent explained that they would not permit their child to respond to text messages when their parents are speaking to them and to always keep their phone on vibrate in public. With small steps a parent can make with their child, the less of a problem a smartphone owned by a young kid will be.

While it is recognizable that cell phones can be a convenience to busy parents with crazy schedules, they can become a large distraction to children at home and at school and it can take away connections between students and peers. According to Marybeth Hicks, “When you give your child a cellphone you are giving him or her a lot more freedom and access to a social life that can't be supervised.” One option to help control what children do online on a smartphone is parental controls. Apple offers a set of restrictions for children that only their parents have access to. With parental controls, there can be limited access to services like data, as well as limit when kids can access the phone and which numbers they can call. However, even with parental controls and restrictions, it can never stop the issues of cyberbullying. The effects cyberbullying can have on a child, especially when faced with it at such a young age, are tremendous. While giving them a phone at a younger age to keep in touch with them, it’s hard to judge what they are actually doing given the unlimited possibilities even with said parental controls. In 2010, Cyberbullying Research Center conducted a survey asking students if they have ever been cyberbullied and about 20% of more than 4,400 11–18-year-olds reported that they had been. According to this study, this issue is growing because of how frequently students use the internet and cell phones to do homework. Before giving a child a phone, a parent should educate them on the dangers of them and the do’s and don’t’s of having one. Without proper awareness, they can get involved in serious things, such as cyberbullying. Using the tools of parental restrictions and education on the consequences of a misuse of a phone can make the difference when trusting a young child with a device, if decided to give them one at a younger age.