For Parents
We've collated some useful information and resources to help you in your decision to defer purchasing a smartphone for your primary school child.
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We've collated some useful information and resources to help you in your decision to defer purchasing a smartphone for your primary school child.
Whether you have taken the CKSF Pledge, or you already have purchased a smartphone for you primary school child, read on to learn more about the effects of smartphone ownership amongst our children, and how you can help.
The conclusions emerging from a wide collection of research and qualified expert opinion is that smartphone ownership by primary school children has a negative impact on their mental health, social skills, and academic performance.
This is not to scare-monger; as there are some benefits to smartphone ownership; but these are outweighed by the negative impacts associated with smartphone ownership.
The idea behind deferring smartphone ownership until secondary school age is to allow our children to develop their social skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience at a pace that is appropriate for their age.
Research from a variety of sources, ranging from UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report to the National Parents Council survey, to the writings of experts like Jonathan Haidt and, closer to home, Colman Noctor, point to the trend of an increase in mental health issues, anxiety, and depression among children who own smartphones at a young age.
In particular, Jonathan Haidt's book, The Anxious Generation, highlights the correlation between smartphone ownership and the rise in mental health issues among children and teenagers. The book does a good job a correlating the research and data with trends in parenting over the last number of decades, in an easy to read and understand way.
The general expert advice is to limit the use of smartphones by primary school children, and to encourage other forms of social interaction and play. We can do this by setting boundaries around smartphone use, such as limiting the amount of time spent on the device, and encouraging other forms of play and social interaction.
Where smartphones are in use, it is important to have open conversations with your child about the potential risks associated with smartphone use, and to encourage them to use the device in a safe and responsible way. This includes setting boundaries around the use of social media. As a parent, you are there to help your child navigate the online world, in an open and honest way. The alternative is to allow them to navigate it alone, which can lead to negative outcomes.
There are also a number of technical solutions available to help you manage your child's smartphone use, such as parental controls and monitoring apps. These can help you to set limits on the amount of time your child spends on their device, and to monitor their online activity. However, it is important to remember that these tools are not a substitute for open communication with your child about the use of smartphones. As a starting point, you can set up the parental controls on your child's smartphone.
As a parent, you know best. CKSF is not here to tell you what to do, but rather to provide you with the information and resources you need to make an informed decision about smartphone ownership for your primary school child. We encourage you to read the research, talk to other parents, and make the decision that is right for your family.
Q. Isn't it OK if I have monitoring software?
A. No! Technical solutions like monitoring software can help, but they are circumventable. They are no solution
to open and transparent conversations with your child about the use of smartphones. The real question is
whether those controls are as effective as you think they are, especially when you're not around. The answer
is almost invariably "no".
Q. Is this a bit ideal / "nanny state"?
A. No, we don't think so, but we're biased! The research is clear, however. This community initiative is not about
restricting your child's freedom but, rather, to help parents make an informed decision about smartphone ownership.
It is a deliberately voluntary initiative, and one that is backed by a number of local and international experts in the field of child psychology and online safety.
Q. Isn't the real issue Social Media Networks, rather than Smartphones?
A. Great question, and the answer is "yes and no". Social Media Networks are a significant part of the problem, but they are not the only part. Smartphones allow for unincumbered access to these networks, at any time. It is
that constant access, and often unrestricted access, that has led to a sharp increase in mental health issues amongst
our children.
Q. Everyone else in my child's class has a smartphone, what do I do?
A. Firstly, are you sure everyone else in the class has one? It is easy to think that everyone else has one, when in fact they don't. The reality is that many parents are concerned about the impact of smartphones on their child. The
reason CKSF has a Pledge is to demonstrate to parents that they are not alone in their classroom.
Dr. Colman Noctor said in a talk in Celbridge last year (paraphrasing) "Don't be the first, and don't be the last". If truly everyone else in the class has a smartphone, then do you risk causing episodes of isolation or anxiousness in your child by not allowing them to have one? Only you, the parent, might know for sure. We're hoping to be able to provide data to support parents in this decision; you'll know if other parents have signed the pledge in your school/class/year.
Q. Who is CKSF?
A. We are an informal grouping of representatives from each parents' representative bodies of all primary schools in Celbridge. We're not experts in child psychology or online safety, but we are parents who are concerned about the impact of smartphones on our children. We're rolling out this community initiative to help parents make an informed decision, and with the backing of Dept. of Education.