One day—on a plane, in a car, at the hospital, or in a restaurant—you will need to entertain your child, and you will give them your smartphone or tablet. From that moment on, your child will love this new toy and won’t be willing to part with it. From that moment on, your life could change. Perhaps it will be of help to you. The child will spend all the time with the smartphone or tablet and will not bother you. But now you will hardly be able to take your device back. Your child will never give it back to you.
So, should you give your child your smartphone? I think you know the answer. This is a personal, private item, and only you should use it.
It will be difficult to explain that to a child of one or two years old. But if no is always no, your child will eventually get used to it. Never give your smartphone to your child.
However, if you have no objection to giving your child a smartphone at an early age, you are better off buying one for them before your child deletes important information or sends a silly message or photo to someone from your phone! You can install educational applications, shows for kids, and cartoons on your child’s smartphone. That way you will be reassured that your one- or two-year-old child does not waste time and will use their device to learn letters, numbers, vegetables and fruits, and how to behave . . . At the same time, you can focus on yourself and on your needs, sit in a comfortable armchair, and like your child, be immersed in your smartphone.
Sad picture, isn’t it? But this is exactly what we all do. You can say that sooner or later your child will begin to immerse themselves more and more into the virtual world anyway. Of course. But let them learn about this world as late as possible, when they can start to use gadgets consciously.
You probably think that I am exaggerating. All children spend a lot of time with gadgets and nothing bad happens to them. Once upon a time, it was forbidden for kids to read books. Now that sounds like nonsense. Modern children want to spend lots of time with gadgets, and this is part of their life. Fine, let it become a part of their life but as late as possible. Little kids should get the feel of the real world, not the virtual one. Let this fact at least be the reason for this taboo.
It is better for your child to see you with a phone and tablet as little as possible. Your child should take your phone only as a phone and not as an interesting toy. If you need to work with a computer, try to do it when your child is sleeping or when someone else is playing with them in another room. Never give your smartphone to your child, and over time, they will stop asking you for it. I doubt that you give your child a hot kettle, cup, or iron, even if they insistently ask for it and fight in hysterics. You should make the same decision about the smartphone.
Hide your phone when you don’t use it. Get a flat box large enough to fit your phone in it. An empty chocolate box would be perfect. Put your phone in the larger part—the lid. Then insert the smaller main part of the box, bottom down, into the larger part. When your child looks into the box, they will see that it is empty.
You could also use a shoebox cover. Put your phone in there and cover it with a notebook or magazine. Place the box on a dresser, shelf, or high table so that it is convenient for you to use it and so that your child does not see what you are doing. Place books, organizers, and magazines around the box. Every time you need to use your smartphone to find the information you need or to check your messages and emails, move the notebook and use the phone without taking it out of the box. When your child suspects that you are using the phone and begins asking for it, cover the phone again, take the child in your arms, and show them that there is no phone in the box. This deception works for quite a long time.
