Smartphone, how to educate for responsible use
Contrary to what you might think, children use the smartphone for many things far from the utility with which their possession is usually justified: call if necessary. Only one in three children usually receive calls, or two out of three make calls. However, three out of four send SMS's and use WhatsApp to talk with their friends.
Other uses of mass-use smartphone are to take photos and videos, listen to music, use it as an alarm clock, use it to play video games, surf the web, watch television or movies, etc. Therefore, the mobile phone or smartphone is something more than a device for communication, currently all, including children also use it for creation (photographs, videos) and for leisure that have consequences in the family.
Urbanity rules to use the smartphone
Before giving a smartphone to children, it is convenient to create a culture of smartphone use, a protocol and, in education, parents should go ahead, giving example and establishing a series of guidelines and criteria for how to educate for responsible use of the mobile phone. Some examples could be the following:
- The smartphone should be turned off, not only silenced and with the activated vibration mode, but completely disconnected in some places like in the school, in the cinema, in the church, in a meeting ... And always, at night, when the child must be sleeping without anything or anyone disturbing their dreams. In this sense, it should be noted that two out of three children receive or send messages or calls when they are already in bed.
- Avoid answering a call while talking to another person. In general, you should not answer and if it is done, you should ask the person with whom we are: "Excuse me, do you mind if I answer?", Because we may be waiting for a call. If it is not urgent, when answering it is better to say: "I'll call you later" and apologize to the person we were talking to.
- Talking in public places is in poor taste, with everyone listening to what is said, especially if they are very personal things. You have to retire to a more reserved place and talk quietly. Nobody is interested in what is said and nobody should be disturbed by these calls.
Guidelines for teaching children how to use the smartphone
1. Before buying a mobile phone from our son, Think if you require it at all hours or only sometimes. Make a list of those situations in which it would be convenient for our son to have the smartphone. It is not a bad idea to agree on this list with the child himself.
2. Choose the type of phone to cover those needs. If it is to communicate with him at certain times - for example, when he goes on a field trip - perhaps a basic model is enough, which is used on the days when it is needed, so we should not provide him with a high-end one, with everything type of technology included.
3. The mobile must be used at specific times, when it really is essential. The appliance must be appropriate to the age and needs of use.
4. It is important to promote the binomial responsibility-privilege. In this sense, the cost of the mobile must be borne by the child, or the smartphone will be used while making good use of it, if it is used improperly it will be confiscated for a certain time.
5. It establishes norms to educate its use. Our children are digital natives, but as they grow up, these norms change, because they acquire independence and freedom in their actions.
6. Decide an equal age for all children in which you can have your mobile. Of course, we must wait for the Kings or the birthday, not give it away without any justification. Thus, when the son in his "profession" asks to insist that he "needs" the mobile phone, we will remind him that the established age in our family has not reached and we will settle the discussion without displeasure.
Marinsoll Nuevo Espín
Advice: Marianela Jáudenes. Author of How to use new technologies in the family. Editorial Word
