5 Reasons I Refuse to Buy My Kids Smart Phones

My kids are in elementary school and they are already asking for smart phones. A few years ago I would have thought they were crazy – no one gives their school-aged kids smart phones! Boy was I wrong. Apparently it is quite common for kids to have their own phone, as evidenced by the amount of students on their school bus with one!

Every family is different, and has to decide what works best for them. Many families have great reasons for giving their kids smart phones. For our family, my husband and I have decided not to allow our kids to have smart phones until they are at least 16 years old.

Here are the most common reasons parents give for providing their kids with smart phones. I’ve added my thoughts about why we chose differently.

Five Reasons Parents Buy Kids Smart Phones

1. My Child Will Feel Left Out

You know what, they very well might be. In fact I’m almost positive your child will tell you that they “are the only kid without a phone”. Whether that is actually true or not, it probably seems that way to them. This is where our job as a parent gets tough. We have to make a decision that they probably won’t like. We have to be the bad guys. My kids are unable to see how smart phones affect their behavior and development. They don’t know how social media can drag them into a world of self-image struggles. But I do. I would rather raise strong, independent thinkers who sometimes feel left out, than introduce them to the comparison battle that will leave them never feeling good enough.

2. I Need to Communicate with My Kids

Communication with our kids is important – especially as they enter the middle school years and start to gain a little independence. I want my kids to be able to call me when they get somewhere, if they need to get picked up early, or really for any reason at all. Enter… drum roll please… the flip phone! If communication is your main purpose for providing your child with a smart phone, there are plenty of other ways to accomplish that goal.

Here are several options you can explore for your child:

• Gizmo Gadget Watch
• Republic Wireless Relay
• Prepaid cell phones through your wireless carrier

3. I Want to Teach My Child How to Use Social Media Safely

Me too! But I don’t think my kids need to learn that at the age of 8, or 10, or even 12. I am happy to tackle that beast with them when their brains are mature enough to handle it. There are plenty of articles about social media and brain development that speak to this topic, and they say it much better than I could!

• Your Child’s Brain on Technology: Social Media
• The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families
• How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers
• 5 Ways Social Media Affects Teen Mental Health
• 10 Weird Negative Effects of Social Media on Your Brain

4. Smart Phones Teach Responsibility

I want my kids to grow up to be responsible, independent adults. Let’s face it – there are going to be a lot of missteps along the way, and I would much rather my kids break, lose, or damage things that don’t cost me a huge chunk of change to replace. I learned how to be responsible without a smart phone, so I’m pretty sure they can too!

5. They Need a Smart Phone for School

Yes it’s true, many schools are integrating more and more technology into education. Middle school students in our area use Google classroom to receive homework assignments, grades, and study guides. Do they need access to technology? Yes. Do they need a smart phone? Nope. Anything that needs to be done for school can also be done on a computer or tablet.

In my opinion, deciding to buy your child a smart phone does not determine your effectiveness as a parent. There are plenty of responsible kids with smart phones. There are also plenty of kids without smart phones making poor choices. Saying no to smart phones is the decision we feel is best for our family. Read about how to get your kids to stop asking for a smart phone here.