Anonymous wrote:1. Kids can get a basic phone

2. Your child is eventually going to be on social media, so does waiting for a smartphone really matter?

3. You can put parental controls on the smart phone

4. Many kids play with tablets that have the same apps as a smartphone

5. Kids have many priorities that teens do. This belief that kids just go to school and come straight is not true at all.

If I had kid, I would personally give them either basic phone or older iphone with parental controls. Done.

Nobody cares. Do your HW and go to bed early.

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Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

Yes they are. Just google it. It has been climbing dramatically apparently in lock step with the growth in percentage of children who have smart phones and use social media.

Social media is not to blame. Lack of parenting is a huge part of the social media issues. You need to monitor your kids online and teach them how to use it. Holding off isn't going to help.

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Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

If you don't want to believe science, I cannot help you.

Peace.

A study only looks at a specific population. Its not that inclusive. Its not going up. Its always been there.

1. Kids can get a basic phone

2. Your child is eventually going to be on social media, so does waiting for a smartphone really matter?

3. You can put parental controls on the smart phone

4. Many kids play with tablets that have the same apps as a smartphone

5. Kids have many priorities that teens do. This belief that kids just go to school and come straight is not true at all.

If I had kid, I would personally give them either basic phone or older iphone with parental controls. Done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

If you don't want to believe science, I cannot help you.

Peace.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

Yes they are. Just google it. It has been climbing dramatically apparently in lock step with the growth in percentage of children who have smart phones and use social media.

Between 2010 and 2016, the number of adolescents who experienced at least one major depressive episode leapt by 60%, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 2016 survey of 17,000 kids found that about 13% of them had a major depressive episode, compared to 8% of the kids surveyed in 2010. Suicide deaths among people age 10 to 19 have also risen sharply, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Young women are suffering most; a CDC report released earlier this year showed suicide among teen girls has reached 40-year highs. All this followed a period during the late-1990s and early 2000s when rates of adolescent depression and suicide mostly held steady or declined.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

THIS

This is why it's a big deal. A decade ago nobody would think of getting an 8 year old a smart phone. Now it's somewhat common.

At this rate, many 6 year olds will have phones by 2025. And that's f-cked.

Well, before 2009 there were no "common people" smartphones. With iPhone 3 coming out in 2009 it all changed. My kids got it right away, replacing their simple phones.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

Yes they are. Just google it. It has been climbing dramatically apparently in lock step with the growth in percentage of children who have smart phones and use social media.

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Anonymous wrote:I think we are getting my 8 year old one for camp. Why is it such a big deal?

Why does he need one? Genuinely curious. Not being snarky.

1. poster said their child was a boy, so why assume that?

2. can't speak for them but i was coming home alone at 8 years old. i think a phone is good just in case. what if the kid can't get inside or is staying after school?

Its a boy. I would never leave him home alone nor does he want to stay along. We are traveling and together during the day. We keep a home phone but if child was alone at all, I would absolutely give them a phone. For the little cost, it gives me peace of mind. The phone isn't the issue. Its how they use the phone that is.

then get him a basic phone, not a smartphone

I don't have an issue getting him a smart phone. He doesn't have access to downloading apps so its not a big deal.

Will you somehow restrict his Safari use?

Safari wouldn't be on the phone. Simple. We don't have it on his iPad either. We also heavily monitor what he's doing. He doesn't have the password for the app store.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

No they aren't. Its just more talked about and more diagnosed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

THIS

This is why it's a big deal. A decade ago nobody would think of getting an 8 year old a smart phone. Now it's somewhat common.

At this rate, many 6 year olds will have phones by 2025. And that's f-cked.

How is this even a comment. A decade ago they were costly, now they are not. If they made a phone easy to attach to my kid, he would have had one at age 5 to track him but most don't work well. We tried one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

The rates of suicide and depression are higher now. Fact.

Anonymous wrote:I can understand the rationale behind giving an 8 year old a basic phone...kind of...but I will never ever understand the smart phone thing.

Because we have old ones that we finally upgraded after many years and they are free. A basic phone costs money. What is the big deal if you control what is on there?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart phone = social media. Social media = pressure to keep up. Pressure to keep up = increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicide in teens. So in our house, we are delaying the phones as long as we can.

this. Because science.

Teens have always had depression, anxiety and higher suicide risks. Parents just ignored it or quietly got help. That is nothing new. Pressure to keep up has been around generations.

I can understand the rationale behind giving an 8 year old a basic phone...kind of...but I will never ever understand the smart phone thing.