There’s no doubt that cell phones have become the most used technological device for staying connected. Gone are the days of snail mail and a hand written letter. You can now log on to all your social media, pay your bills, email, manage your finances, video chat with others and even date all through your phone. It can be hard to tear yourself away from your phone when so much of your communication runs through a device. This can be especially annoying when the attention of someone you’re with is constantly on the phone.
I remember being at a restaurant with my cousin several years ago where a family of four sat down for dinner beside us. They had two children under the ages of seven and each had their own Ipad they were fixated on throughout dinner. I immediately thought about my own family and how my dad would not even allow me to have my phone during dinnertime when I was 24 and I still don’t own an Ipad today at the age of 30. Parents today often struggle with the issue of what age would be appropriate to give your children a cell phone and what are the implications on development impact them by doing so?
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Researchers from the University of Maryland found that over 60% of children between the ages of 10-12 years old owned a cell phone in 2009. The numbers increased to 79% for 13-15 year olds and 84% of 16-18 year olds owned a cellular phone. Children of parents who had higher incomes, higher level of education, fewer siblings and lived in an urban areas were more likely to own or share a cellular phone.
Researchers also found that greater time spent texting was associated to higher levels of reading comprehension while talking on the cell phone was associated to lower reading proficiency. While girls spent more time texting than boys, there were no gender differences observed in terms of achievement.
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An important lesson when it comes to cell phone use is to find a balance. While technology has made communication with others more accessible, there are also some drawbacks to living off your cell phones especially when it comes to the social and cognitive development of the young minds of tomorrow.
Amy Yew is a registered clinical counselor and relationship therapist. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to [email protected]. You can also tweet your thoughts on Twitter @AmyYew.
