Some parents forbid young children from owning smart phones (cell phones with Internet access), while others disagree and believe that they are important tools for keeping in touch. Which point of view do you think is better, and why?

It is true that smart phones are important tools to keep in touch with people. However, I disagree with the above statement when it comes to young children and feel that parents should forbid them from owning smart phones.I will state my views in the upcoming paragraphs. Firstly, at a young age, the brain of a child isn't fully developed and they do not have the mental capacity to distinguish the good from the bad. The internet is easily accessible to a wide variety of vulgar videos, audio and obscene pictures which could easily have a negative influence on a child. For example, when my younger sister watched a video of a famous music artist and heard her use foul language, my sister also began to use the same words not knowing the bad meaning. Thus, I think at a younger age children can use their parent's phones to keep in touch with people under adult supervision rather than owning their own phones. Secondly, at a younger age children have an increased ability to learn compared to an older age. I think it is crucial for a child to focus their energy on gaining knowledge rather than using a mobile phone and easily getting distracted. I also feel that children can easily get addicted to using mobiles and can damage their eyesight due to excessive screen time. For instance, my neighbour next door was a huge fan of a video game that had recently launched. However, he easily got addicted to the game and spent less time on studying which led him to receiving a low grade in his test. Lastly, I think that forbidding young children from using smartphones at a younger age is a great idea to encourage kids to go out and meet with their friends physically in person rather than sitting at home and connecting virtually. At a young age going out, playing with friends and making memories is a great way to ensure the child has a memorable childhood and bonds with other people. I distinctly remember my childhood to be one of the best days as I got to make several memories with my friends outdoors on the beach, garden, amusement park etc. Thus, I feel that smart phones aren't the only option for children to stay in touch as they can easily stay in touch by going out and meeting people. Therefore, I feel that the benefits of forbidding young children from owning smart phones outweigh the benefits of providing children with smart phones as a tool to keep in touch.
Submitted by Cynthia J on
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