Parenting in Sussex: Should smartphones and social media be restricted for our children?


Such is the monotony of January, this column might as well be written the same as the past two weeks.
We’re STILL eating too much and longer, warmer spring days still seem a distant dream.
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Hide AdBut, in the interests of not boring you to tears, I’ll try to think of something different to write.
Erm….
Ah, I’ve got it. You might have seen on our letters page before Christmas that we received a lovely note from a reader.
Robert Spence took time out of his day to write in to us to thank the team at the Worthing Herald for our endeavours. He said he enjoyed reading our little offering each week with a cup of coffee and said ‘the Herald is like a beacon of sanity in a sometimes crazy world’.
He even called me delightful!
HAVE YOU READ? The Sussex choir where music and friendships are made
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Hide AdIn a world where people are so quick to criticise – quick to use their anonymity online to become a troll or keyboard warrior, to perpetuate hate and negativity on social media – it was such a welcome piece of correspondence.
Our little team agreed it was one of the nicest letters we’ve ever received.
Possibly it’s a little sad that a letter so full of praise stood out for its unusual nature (it seems people find it so much easier to be horrible than to be nice) but it was so much appreciated, nevertheless.
Speaking of social media, did anybody happen to see the TV programme about smartphones with Emma and Matt Willis last month?
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Hide AdThey and some year eight pupils from a secondary school agreed to take part in a smartphone ban for a month, to look at the impact of smartphones on children’s behaviour.
With a child on the cusp of going to secondary school – and who is likely going to want a smartphone to keep up with her peers when she starts – it was a sobering show.
As I mentioned earlier, most of us have experienced the wild west that is social media. Sure, it’s a nice place to pick up recipe ideas and catch up with friends, but it’s also a breeding ground for all sorts of unkindness and misinformation.
Is that a space I feel comfortable letting my child inhabit? Not really, and so it was great to see on that programme that there was a movement towards banning such sites for those under 14 (although surely under 16 would be better?!).
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Hide AdThe only issue for our family is that it’s not going to come soon enough, if at all, and so teaching my child the best way to navigate the online world seems the only logical solution.
I’m not sure, even in my 40s, it’s something I’ve fully mastered. Dealing with WhatsApp messages alone sometimes feels like a full-time job.
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Hide AdIt’s no wonder experts say excessive smartphone use on children whose brains are still developing can have such a detrimental effect on their mental health.
In my humble opinion, we definitely haven’t got this right for our younger generations at the moment. I’m sad that they covet something that’s likely to cause them more harm than good.
Here’s hoping that one day, we find a way for children to live and thrive in a technologically advanced world, while also still enjoying a stress-free childhood.
Phew, that all got a bit weighty there for a minute. Time for a little break, I think. And another chance to reduce the festive snack mountain a little more. Who’s for a mince pie? See you next week!
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