Chu 朱Jun 6

Talking to another parent yesterday and it seems we are among the last two holdouts giving our kids their own devices.

They have devices they can use but they aren't "theirs".

Some have smart phones already (age range 9-11). Many have smart watches.

When I voiced privacy concerns to other parents, I was made to feel like the bad guy for failing to protect my kids. They are the good parents for giving their kids the ability to call for help in case something happens on the way home. I live in the city and I'm pretty much at the furthest corner of our dense district at a whopping 800m from the school.

There's also the old Chinese saying, two actually I'd like to share. "Far away water can't save a near fire", and "close neighbours are better than far away relatives".

So my kids have an emergency on the walk home. What kind of community would I have to live in to feel like they can't scream for help or walk into the corner store for help?

This is all part of the erosion of society. Don't depend on your community. Give a subscription to tech bros to keep your children safe.

Friends, this is f'd. I should not need to depend on tech to guard my kids against a mythical threat when I should have neighbors and friends all around who contribute to the well being of all of us.

If your solution to safety is tech and not community building, your priorities are f'd and you're letting the tech bros eat what's left of your brain.

I hate when I'm made to feel like a bad parent for not caring about my children's safety.

Tech is not the path to child safety.

Show threadMisuse CaseJun 6
@chu @MaryAustinBooks My son has his own “device,” but it’s a tablet without a cell connection and very strict parental controls. I told him he can’t have a smartphone until he’s 13. Maybe he will get a “dumb phone” before then if he really needs something.
Show threadScary AustinJun 6
@MisuseCase @chu
I bet he finds that upsetting, but it's really for the best. It's bad enough that we're constantly on our screens. At least our brains developed before we did that to them. And of course there are all the privacy concerns that Chu brought up. The virtual "street" is arguably more dangerous than the physical street.
Show threadScary AustinJun 6

@MisuseCase @chu

Like, the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't have a single age they recommend because every family is different. Every child is different. But they certainly don't treat it as "You have to give your nine year old a smartphone or you don't care about their safety." Good Lord!

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/cell-phones-whats-the-right-age-to-start.aspx

Your Child’s First Phone: Are They Ready?

Deciding when to give your child their first phone can be tough for parents. Smartphones, in particular, offer a portal to the internet, apps and social media. You may not feel your child is ready for that much access to the digital world. Yet, you may want to get your child a phone for the basics: having a way to contact you when they’re traveling between school, after-school activities or different households. ​Here are tips to help you know if your child is ready.

HealthyChildren.org
Show threadChu 朱Jun 6

@MaryAustinBooks @MisuseCase

Our plan is a dumb phone or land line around grade 7. Haven't thought it through yet.

Maybe a family line that's a dumb phone so if they really need it, it can leave the house and isn't connected to the wall.... But it's not "their" phone, it's a family phone that both can give the number to friends etc. I will need to see what's realistic/affordable when the time comes.

I know I can't delay the smart phone thing. That'll be a university thing I hope though when they are more mature and developed.

On one hand, not sure I can hold off that long. On the other hand, there seems to be some rejection as Austin says among the younger generation.... So maybe? (As I type this on my smart phone. Lol)

Show threadThe Penguin of Evil
@chu @MaryAustinBooks @MisuseCase It needs to be a pre university thing I think. There's a common theme living in a university town that students get into messes with the stuff they weren't allowed before they arrived.
Those whose parents banned alcohol totally get drunk, those who have no experience in other things go off the deep end there whatever it is (money, food, ...) as there's nobody around to keep them on the level.
Jun 6 at 6:03pmWeb
Show threadChu 朱Jun 6

@etchedpixels @MaryAustinBooks @MisuseCase

True. We are doing things mostly balanced. We don't eat a lot of processed foods and their Halloween candy isn't "banned" but it mostly just sits there. They are allowed but now uninterested.

They are allowed sips of beer. Weed is legal now and we talked about if they wanted to try it, we could do it together kind of thing. Not trying to make things taboo and desired sins.

Tech needs to be the same. Not taboo. Monitored and respected. Helps that dad is a professor in the tech field. He literally lectures on AI and the kids hear a lot of what's happening in the industry.

We recently had to replace our stove. We got the dumbest one we could find. Anything with wifi was automatically filtered out. They understand the reasoning behind most of these decisions and get that technology is a tool for good and bad.

They are watching a science show right now that's on YouTube (on a small laptop) but they get in trouble if they follow the recommended algorithms and click through anywhere.

You're right. Sudden freedom is not good either.