It seems like every kid has a phone these days. With social media running rampant and remote learning becoming more of a norm, kids of all ages are turning to cell phones for entertainment, communication, and learning.
Cell phones have a lot of benefits. They give kids a creative outlet and help families stay in contact from far away. Like everything though, giving your child a phone comes with some pros and cons.
So let’s answer that age-old question, “Why are cell phones bad for kids?” Here are five ways smartphones negatively impact children—and how Troomi combats these cons and gives your kids a safe, smartphone experience.
1. Notifications Impact Focus
How often do you check your phone for notifications? Did you do it before you clicked on this blog post? According to this article, the average American checks their phone every twelve minutes—which is about 120 times a day!
If you think about how often we are distracted by notifications, it’s no surprise that phone exposure causes a lack of focus. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions proves that using your phone in between tasks significantly decreases your ability to focus.
Troomi’s kid-safe smartphones combat this attack on concentration by giving parents the power to create time limits on their child’s phone, encouraging kids to be present and exercise their ability to concentrate. Make sure you discuss with your children the best screen time rules for their situation. Emphasize the importance of focus, so they better understand why screen time limits are for their benefit!
2. Mobile Games And Social Media Are Addictive
Do you remember Flappy Bird? It was a mobile game released back in 2013 where players tapped on the screen to guide a bug-eyed, yellow bird through a maze of pixelated pipes.
If you do remember the game, you’ll know that Flappy Bird was addictive. I was in high school when the game came out, and I remember watching student after student lose their phone to a teacher because they were spending more time with the little bird than with their classwork.
Flappy Bird has since been removed from mobile app stores, but there are other mobile games and social media websites that are just as addictive. Kids are especially susceptible to technology addiction, and the ease of access to addictive media that smartphones provide leads to self-isolation and moodiness, according to Addiction Center.
Troomi eliminates this threat by removing the culprit itself. Unsafe games and social media networks are not available on Troomi phones. Check out this blog post to learn more about why Troomi smartphones don’t use or have social media, and how this removal benefits your kids!
3. Smartphones Sabotage Quality Sleep
I used to sleep terribly, until I made one rule for myself that changed everything: no phones in the bed.
The bright, blue light that smartphones emit is often the culprit for bouts of insomnia. This light worms its way into your brain and suppresses production of melatonin, the natural hormone that helps you sleep. What results is disrupted or delayed sleep, and a messed up circadian rhythm.
There’s no need to worry about smartphone induced insomnia when your kiddo has a Troomi phone. Just use the time limit function to schedule a screen-free bedtime, ensuring that your kids get the restful sleep they need.
4. Excessive Screen Time Keeps Kids Inside
Phones encourage excessive screen time, and excessive screen time encourages living life inside. While there’s nothing wrong with spending some time indoors (especially if you’re doing one of these screen-free indoor activities), enjoying the serenity of the outdoors has a bundle of benefits!
According to the Child Mind Institute, “kids who play outside are happier, better at paying attention and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors.” Spending time outdoors also gets kids moving, encouraging them to get some necessary exercise.
Troomi phones get your kids outside thanks to KidSmart® apps. Our carefully curated collection of applications features programs that foster kids’ natural curiosity for the outdoors. AllTrails encourages kids to hit the hiking trails and SkyMap illuminates the stars, aiding in the identification of stellar constellations, planets, and nebulae across the sky.
Click here to learn a little more about how KidSmart apps encourage kids to enjoy the real-world without watching it through a screen.
5. Phones Make It Easy To Access Inappropriate Media
The Internet can be a pretty marvelous place. Kids can use it for research, to communicate with teachers, and to play some educational games. Sites like Wikipedia feature a wealth of information about any topic you can dream of (for example, I was reading the other day about how bees communicate through something called a waggle dance—it’s wild)!
However, the Internet isn’t all sunshine and daisies. Hazards lurk around every corner. Dangers like chat rooms, the Dark Web, and child pornography run rampant through the reaches of the worldwide web, exposing kids to mature topics they shouldn’t have to face.
Regular smartphones make the Internet more accessible than ever before. While many kid-friendly cell phones lock down the Internet entirely, we at Troomi are firm believers that the Internet can be a powerful tool to empower your kids’ education. Thus, Troomi phones use a safe browser with domain SafeListing so your kids can browse the Internet without any fear.
Check out this blog post to learn more about Internet safety for kids!
Troomi Chooses Optimism Over fear
While cell phones have some pretty big issues, we at Troomi choose to focus on optimism and look beyond these dangers. As a result, we’ve discovered and developed safe ways of introducing technology to kids—and that’s just the starting point.
Click here to read our mission and learn a little more about Troomi. Don’t forget to keep an eye on our blog for more technology tips and tricks in the future!