How do you, as a parent, deal with the fact that mobile phones have become a major part of children and young people’s lives?

by Rune H. Rasmussen

Several surveys carried out during recent years leave no doubt that mobile phones are vastly important in young people’s culture and social life. The increasing prevalence of smartphones has reinforced this development further, as the opportunity to access the Internet through mobile phones has caused a significant change in how young people use technology and access different media.

Mobiles are taking over

Young people go online on mobile phones

- My phone is my life

As well as this, the intuitive interface of smartphones, coupled with the wide variety of child friendly apps, has made mobile phones (and tablet computers) very popular among the very youngest children.

Increasing use of mobile devices among children under 10

A parental dilemma
This poses some difficult questions for parents. How do you deal with the fact that children are introduced to mobile devices at a very early age, and, that from that point on, those electronic devices will play an ever-increasingly integral part of their lives? Further, how do you facilitate that children and young people may enjoy the positive aspects of mobiles, while ensuring that they aren’t exposed to potentially damaging content or abuse their mobile privileges?

Now, there are several issues to consider, and, in the following section, we will point to some of them:

An honest and open dialogue: First and foremost, talk to your children regularly about mobile use and attitudes towards digital media in general. An honest dialogue will probably get you a lot further than playing detective. The best way to prevent problems is to make the children understand that it is perfectly fine to come to you with any questions or problems. Agreeing on a set of rules and limits on use are other constructive measures parents can take, and explaining why such measures are important and allowing the children or teenagers to air their views, is the best way to ensure that the agreed rules are followed.

At which age is it appropriate to give my child its first mobile phone? Kids and Media generally recommends that children should be about ten years old before having their own phones. However, there might be good reasons why a younger child should have one. Only parents can decide whether their child is mature enough to handle a mobile phone responsibly.

Mobile phone for my child?

On the other hand, allowing younger children to use their parents’ smartphone or tablet computer to play a fun and/or educational app involves a number of positive opportunies. Still, before allowing children access to such powerful devices, it might be a good idea to spend some time getting to know the possibilities and potential dangers that come with the technology.

Children, young people, and a world of apps

Advice on children and smartphones

Have some screen free time. Digital media occupy increasingly more of children and young people’s lives. Several surveys confirm that it’s quite common for young people to take the phone to bed and keep texting or playing a game past their bedtime, resulting in less quality sleep.

Kids and Medias advisor, Kjellaug Tonnesen, recommends that children and young people have some screen free time each day, especially before bedtime:

“Many teenagers feel that they are missing out socially if they aren’t ‘on’ or available at all times, and keep texting and stay logged in on social networks past their bedtime. In addition, games are often engaging and evoke excitement, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

Last year, a poll performed by the National Sleep Foundation in the US found that “light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep”. Add to this, as many as 43 per cent of Americans aged 13 to 64 said they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep during the week. One in 10 teenagers reported being awakened every night or nearly every night by a call, text or e-mail.

Conclusion? Keep the mobile phones turned off at night.

Have some screen free time each day

Cyber bullying. Every day, thousands of children get bullied through digital media. Parents have a unique opportunity to prevent that their children bully others, or to prepare them that they might encounter challenges online. Raising awareness on the issue of digital bullying and spreading knowledge to children at an early age has proven to be the best way to prevent bullying:

• Talk to children about responsible and respectful use of the Internet, and make sure they are aware of the possible effects of cyberbullying.
• Children who have knowledge about cyberbullying are less likely to bully others, and more likely to report to someone that they have witnessed bullying.
• Talking about bullying and providing children with a positive self-esteem will improve children’s resistance to negative effects of bullying.
• Make sure that children know the limits of the law regarding cyber bullying. Threats, harassment, identity theft (posing as someone else) and posting personal photos – certain behaviours perpetrated by bullies may constitute a crime.

Mobile phone radiaton. There have been several studies on mobile radiation during recent years, but it seems that the experts are yet to conclude firmly whether mobile phone use increases risk of cancer or not.

Either way, Kids and Media recommends that you take some precautions, especially for children, as there is no doubt that children and young people’s brains, which are not fully developed until late adolescence, are more at risk:

• Limit the number of calls and duration. Send text messages (SMS) rather than making calls. Use hands-free kits or speakerphone.

• Keep the phone away from your body while talking. If you manage to keep some distance between the phone and your head, you’ll reduce exposure with up to 99 per cent.
• Do not keep the phone under the pillow or near your body at night. Ideally, turn it off.
• Choose a phone with a low level of radiation. For this reason, check the SAR value of your mobile phone. The SAR value varies from 0,1 to 2,0 W/kg. The higher the SAR the more radiation is absorbed. (SAR (specific absorption rate) is a measurement of how much electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by body tissue whilst using a mobile phone)
• Make sure you have good coverage while making calls. In poor mobile phone reception areas, exposure values increase significantly. In fact, radiation may be a thousand times worse!

WHO: Mobile phone use causes an increased risk of cancer

"Mobile phone use does not increase risk of cancer"