Smart phones are really not so clever for the development of kids

PESTER power can wear down parents, who, despite their child-rearing principles, often give into their kids’ demands for a bit of peace and quiet.

Being constantly nagged at for a smart phone can see tired, put-upon parents giving in. But really, you should resist until kids are in their teens.

More and more evidence shows that constant smart phone use is bad for attention spans and can be the conduit for cyber bullying. A recent Department of Education action plan on bullying identified cyber bullying as the biggest concern for parents of young people.

Also, being constantly on their phones makes children sedentary (which can lead to obesity), not to mention being exposed to inappropriate content that they are far too young to deal with.

Anxiety is another issue that concerns children as a result of constant exposure to social media. It’s not something they should have to deal with.

Whatever happened to childhood innocence, playing outside with friends and using the imagination to amuse themselves?

With the new school year kicking off, it’s time for schools and parents to take a stance on smart phones. They can follow the example of primary schools across Waterford that are appealing to parents not to buy a smart phone for a child who is at primary school. They are not allowing them onto social media.

This initiative, in conjunction with the children’s charity, Barnardos, is also asking that parents respect the age ratings on video games.

While the Waterford schools are not the first to seek a voluntary code among parents not to purchase smart phones for primary school pupils, it’s the first such initiative being undertaken on a countywide basis.

Even though most primary school pupils are below the age limit required for social media platforms, there is growing concern around children accessing them.

From third class on, children exert pressure on their parents to buy them a smart phone. By sixth class, almost four in ten primary school pupils have a smart phone. That’s far too young.

And now, UNESCO, the United Nation’s education, science and culture agency, says there is evidence that excessive mobile phone use is linked to reduced educational performance, and that high levels of screen time have a negative effect on children’s emotional stability.

It has to be said that technology can potentially open up learning opportunities for millions. But the benefits are unequally spread, with poorer people from around the world being effectively excluded.

UNESCO says that countries are “waking up to the importance of putting learners first” when it comes to digital technology. It cites China, which limits the use of digital devices as teaching tools to 30% of all teaching time.

Based on its analysis of 200 education systems around the world, UNESCO estimated that one in four countries has banned smart phones in schools, either through law or guidance. This includes France. Next year, the Netherlands will introduce restrictions.

As the Dutch education minister, Robbert Dijkgraaf says: “Students need to be able to concentrate and need to be given the opportunity to study well. Mobile phones are a disturbance, scientific research shows. We need to protect students against this.”

And protecting kids from the more negative effects of screen time should start in the cradle. It’s all too common to see harassed parents shove their phone into a screaming toddler’s hands on the bus to shut them up. But this easy way out of distracting very young children is inadvisable.

Too much screen time for babies and toddlers result in shorter attention spans and lower empathy.

Granted, screens captivate children’s attention instantaneously and are seen as a salve for harassed parents. But scientists say that children learn best from off-screen experiences. Only through these will they improve their cognitive and social skills – and be healthier and happier in the future.

A leading brain scientist, Patricia Kuhl, runs experiments with more than 4,000 babies a year.

“What we’ve discovered is that little babies, under a year old, do not learn from a machine,” she says. “Even if you show them captivating videos, the difference in learning is extraordinary. You get genius learning from a live human being, and you get zero learning from a machine.”

The World Health Organisation recommends no screen time for babies under two and no more than one hour of screen time a day for those aged two to four years.

Children’s attention spans are stymied by screens. They need to learn how to concentrate. That ability starts to develop during their earliest years when their brains are particularly sensitive to the environments around them.

In order for a brain to develop, it needs essential stimuli from the outside world. Reading story books out loud to children is hugely beneficial. Don’t take the lazy option of giving them your phone.