A mobile in the letter of the Magi, should they bring it?
The camels of the Magi are filling their saddlebags with gifts for children all over the world. Presents that usually leave the letter that the smallest write to their Majesties of the East and where their desires are reflected. Some petitions among which more and more appear smartphones, which means granting the child a device with an internet connection.
Should your Majesties of the East bring this gift to the children? How should parents react if their children's letter shows a smartphone between the desires of these? From the NGO Educo a series of tips are offered to decide if the next morning of January 6 should appear one of these devices among the gifts that arrive in the saddlebags of the kings.
A smartphone for children, yes or no?
These are the points that should be consider before deciding if the wish of a smartphone written in the letter of the kings is fulfilled:
- Do you really need it? A smartphone is a communication tool with an internet connection. Necessary? Can you contact your loved ones through other means such as landlines? Is it possible to get the information online that you need through the home computer?
- The four NO. If you finally decide to offer a smartphone to your children, you should make clear several rules regarding privacy: Do not talk to strangers, Do not share private details such as address, Do not use the smartphone in areas such as family reunions, Not used the mobile to share photos of symptoms.
- Parent-child contract. When a smartphone is given to the child, he not only receives a device of these characteristics, he also assumes a contract where the father must leave several clear rules such as the possibility of periodic and random reviews to verify that he is making good use of the same.
- Installation of parental control applications. Children's smartphones must include some tools that deprive them of access to certain websites and content.
- Does your son use it properly? Not only do you have to take into account the child's attitude before buying a smartphone, also after giving it to him. If the parents notice a bad use of these terminals, they should remove it from the smallest ones as an indication that these behaviors will not be allowed.
The norm of the 4 gifts
Parents should not only pay attention when buying a smartphone to their children by kings. The acquisition of any present must be subject to a series of rules, such as the rule of the 4 gifts which aims to avoid the following problems, as Sara Tarrés explains from her blog:
- Low tolerance to frustration for not receiving what you want.
- Little imagination, the child has everything given, does not dream or is deluded by anything.
- Inability to assess what they have or what things cost because having everything, does not understand the effort of achieving what is sought.
- Children become capricious and selfish.
To avoid these situations, it is proposed to parents to be guided by the rule of the 4 gifts:
- A useful gift to wear like a new coat, a shirt, sneakers, etc.
- An educational gift that stimulates their abilities. A book is a good example of what it means.
- A gift they wish. The shirt of his favorite team, that figure of his favorite hero, the best thing to achieve this is to review his letter to the kings.
- A gift they need. A new backpack, some shoes to practice your favorite sport, etc.
Damián Montero
