The Screen Generation

If your child was not enrolled in a public or private school during the “Covid Year” you might be luckier than you think. The millions of children who experienced “remote learning” that year became the participants of an unintended experiment: off-site learning. This meant learning by and large via Chrome Books at home. Add to that the TV time, electronic game time, and—especially for kids ages 12 to 18—the “added bonus” of phone time, and you have a recipe for disaster.

With the lockdown, limited access to outside trips for shopping, the playground, team sports, going to restaurants, or just plain going outside and interacting with friends and relatives became the norm. So, what did kids turn to? The screen. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and school counselors are learning about the aftereffects of the lockdown. So are teachers, many of whom describe phone usage in schools as a severe addiction. They are not alone.

National surveys indicate tweens, teens, and beyond are more anxious than ever before, with alarming spikes in anxiety, depression, and suicide. A newer condition called “texting anxiety” has arisen. It occurs after a person sends a text and doesn’t receive a timely response—usually just a few minutes.

The longer a sender waits for a response, the more anxiety builds. They begin to question themselves. “What did I do?” “How come they’re not texting back?” “Why are they ghosting me?”

It’s only going to get worse as younger and younger children clamor for mommy and daddy’s phones. The problem is more prevalent than ever, with parents using the phone or tablet as a babysitter. And after all, who are the role models for these kids? Older siblings, parents, and grandparents are on their phones for hours a day.

According to a recent Consumer Media report, 42% of ten-year-olds have phones; 71% of 12-year-olds; and 91% of 14-yearolds. Most smartphone studies have focused on older teenagers due to the fact they’ve had a large amount of phone use. Teenagers and college-aged students use their phones more than anyone, but those stats are moving upward to older adults and downward to children under five.

A study in Japan of 1,642 first graders determined there’s a link between smartphone technology and behavioral development. Researchers found that routine and frequent use of mobile devices appears to be associated with behavioral problems in the age group. The World Health Organization identified the risks with young children using smartphone technology. Their findings state that children between two and four should spend no more than one hour a day in front of any type of screen. No doubt, children are excited about phones at an early age. They know how to play games, watch videos, take photographs, and Facetime with Grandma and Grandpa. When they can, they beg for Mom or Dad’s phone. But how old should a child be when they get their first phone?

An informal survey of 100 high school juniors selected the age a child should have a full-access smartphone: 14. Many of them had phones at 12, but even now at 16, they understand the pros and cons of smartphone ownership. The real question is not one of age but making the introduction of a phone at the developmentally appropriate age. It also depends on the type of smartphone. If you want your child to be able to call you, take pictures, text, and have a GPS locator app, there are plenty of choices, including GABB and BARK, which may be a great place to start.

Of course, it’s up to parents to make the choice for their kids and set limits for them. The call is yours to make. Choose wisely.