One thing that is difficult to understand about modern society is why people hate smartphones, especially when children and teenagers are involved. It seems to be common knowledge that being too attached to one’s phone is bad for mental and physical health, and the dangers may be greater for the younger generation. What is challenging to comprehend is why, for instance, at family gatherings, all grandparents, aunts, and uncles get practically enraged when they see a child with a phone. Regardless of whether the kid is playing a game, watching YouTube, or checking the time, the grown-ups will ALWAYS begin saying that children are not interested in anything but their phones. Yet, when youths ask for attention, their parents often simply hand them a phone or a tablet for distraction! However, more adults ignore kids because the former cannot let go of their phones, whether at home, at the store, or on a playground. Society needs to stop constantly criticizing children for using their phones because such behavior is a result of adults’ obsession with the device.
Some problems that continue to rage due to society condemning minors for spending time on the phone revolve around the increased gap between people from distinct eras. The youths are attached to their phones because there is nothing wrong with the younger generation but because grown-ups are teaching kids to use the phone in any situation. Parents give children their smartphones so that the latter would stop crying or disturbing the former. Adults use the phone to take photos of kids or call and text while interacting with youths. Consequently, minors learn that the phone is quite important for a person’s everyday life and are likely to associate using the device with adulthood. Accordingly, children may become discreet due to not understanding why they are being criticized for something their role models, grown-ups, regularly do. Relationships between different generations may improve if adults spent more quality time with kids and provided them with emotional support instead of blaming new technologies.
Considering that children adopt the behavior of their parents, babysitters, and other caregivers, one should examine why people use their phones in front of minors. For example, Ashley Jones, a lifestyle blogger on Romper, shares that she used to give her sons her phone so they would not scream in her face. Moreover, she writes that babies and toddlers learn about the importance of the device by viewing grown-ups (Jones). It is crucial for children to be able to entertain themselves, yet one can argue that giving minors the phone from an early age teaches them that the device can and should replace human relations. Furthermore, in a recent discussion regarding parental use of the phone, user @delavenue, a stay-at-home mother, wrote that the gadget is her only source of socialization and mental stimulation. Accordingly, adults need new technologies and show their children the gadget’s significance.
Many individuals may disagree with the above debate and say that youths use the phone more often than other generations. Due to various reasons, such as provoking titles of news articles, society, especially older people, is used to thinking that children are addicted to their gadgets (Wilson). Nonetheless, Baby Boomers spend almost as much time as Millennials utilizing the phone, and the representatives of both eras employ the device mostly to scroll on Facebook and Instagram (Roberts). While the public seems to enjoy criticizing kids for being attached to their smartphones, people tend to overlook the issue among grown-ups.
Although some people may agree that everyone spends considerable time on the phone, many may argue that the influence of the gadget is more important. For instance, I have questioned my parents and grandparents about why they disliked seeing minors using their smartphones. My family members practically unanimously said that they were concerned with how the phone affects one’s health, specific eyesight and mental soundness. Notably, my grandfather was upset that children nowadays rarely play outside and do not have sufficient human interactions because of new technologies. I then asked my relatives whether they thought that kids’ attachment to their phones was related to seeing their parents use the device, and I did not receive a precise answer. My grandparents did not quite understand the connection I had made. My parents stated that adults cannot avoid utilizing the phone because they need to call and text someone or need to do something while the children are playing. Overall, I have determined that my family believes that youths are vulnerable to the negative effects of the phone but is not certain about the causes of phone addiction.
Society tends to condemn children for spending time on their phones, yet the older population overlooks their own obsession with the gadget, which may result in the growth of the generation gap. Despite presenting some harm to one’s well-being, the smartphone is useful in the modern world. Therefore, the public needs to reflect on the outcomes of continuously criticizing minors and concentrate on more healthy ways to control phone use.
Works Cited
@delavenue. “What is Your Opinion on Using Your Phone When Your Kid is Awake?”Reddit, 2020.
Jones, Ashley. “It’s Not Just the Bright Lights That Make Your Baby Want to Snatch Your Cell Phone.”Romper, 2019.
Roberts, Nicole. “Forget Generational Stereotypes, Baby Boomers Are Just as Addicted to Smart Phones as Millennials.” Forbes, 2019. Web.
Wilson, Claire. “Teens Aren’t Addicted to Their Phones – But We Like to Think They Are.”New Scientist, 2019.