Kids and Mobile phones and cell phones

Are we encouraging small children to become adults to quickly by giving them cell phones and dressing them up to look like twenty year olds.

I see so many kids these days using their cell phones when they are walking down the street with their friends. They do not seem to be able to put them down for 1 second. I have especially noticed this with school kids in the 12+ age range.

I am questioning whether children should be encouraged to have mobile phones. Some would say that is good idea for an emergency situation and other say no, not until they are in the late teens. Give them money or a phone card so they can use a public phone if they need to. Spend time with them showing them how to use it.

I am also concerned about the effects of MP3 players attached to cell phones. The music could not only affect a child’s hearing but many children are using these devices without regard for others. I was on a train the other day with some school kids who had their music turned up as high as it could go, totally oblivious to the other passengers on the train. When I politely asked them to turn it down I was totally ignored and stared at blankly. Do not get me wrong, I love listening to music but surely it is a matter of being respectful in public places to people around you who may not like your type of music or who just want peace and quiet.

Cell phones have a time and place and are an excellent invention.  But these days’ people seem to get in touch with others 24 hours a day. They may be out with friends and rudely spend a lot of time talking to other friends on their cell phone. Kids text their friends constantly and because of space constraints and time they abbreviate so much that the English language is becoming a thing of the past. People are beginning to spell as if they are texting. 
 
What is the world coming to? I agree with technology and text messaging although I strongly dislike abbreviated messages. It annoys the socks off me.

What do you think?

Helen

Qualified Child Care Worker

Childlearningsupport.com

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