The Price Of Premature Freedom: When Kids Get Phones Too Early.

There are times I sit and wonder what would have become of me if I had had access to a smartphone when I was still way young. Would I still have developed this same sense of responsibility.

I came from a home where smartphones were a privilege, my dad is a very disciplined man, you must earn it. In my house, until you finish your secondary school with a good result, you can't be given nor trusted with a phone. You must have developed t+o a certain extent before that, eeven if you go your way to get one for yourself, my dad will beat and seize it from you.

Not to talk of social media, even though then, social media wasn't so off like now, that every single thing, detailed life, daily routines and all are on the media. But now, I look around and I see 8years kid with the latest iPhones, kids who doesn't even know what's wrong from right they now have unrestricted access to the internet. It's heartbreaking.

Personally, I do not support children owning smartphones or social media accounts at a young age. I saw how I grow up and how it helped me, even though nowadays, the pressure on parents is different, some kids feel inferior to their mates who own phones, some claim its for doing their homework, and a whole kot of excuses, traps and pressures, parent shouldn't fall for this, we shouldn't be introducing this kids to a different world they’re not emotionally or mentally prepared for.

The internet is not a playground and it is not really a safe pace, you have to be matured to some extent to be able to handle, navigate and not get swayed by it, as it is full of information, trends, harmful content, peer pressure, and fake realities, so giving a child unrestricted access to all of that is what I won't be supporting

Waiting did help me, but as at then, I saw it as punishment, my dad is just to strict and all. Thinking back now, it helped me, it gave me time to know myself, it gave me time to be prepared well, it helped me do and accomplish a lot of things on my own and not waiting for Internet opinions and all. And sincerely, that late exposure helped me, when I finally got a smartphone, I know what I want already, I don't just sit out chasing clout, just surfing the internet for irrelevant things, no, I was out there chasing purpose, looking out for things that will help me, better my life, make me grow and also influence/affect my world positively direction.

Delaying smartphone usage for kids can definitely work, I am a proof of that, that doesn't turn us into being iilliterates, old school, or unintelligent. We still got all those things, we still learn all those things..digital skills, social media accounts, and we are still way smarter because we arrived and started prepared. Todays kids just go about posting all sort of content's without understanding the consequence, they compare themselves to others, some are even very addicted to the screen already. This children are those who can't speak up but can swipe up, they can post but can't process, they lack understanding, they lose respect and all...

I am not shaming or talking down on any parent, we craved it while we were young too, we later got to a certain age that my dad bought us a small button phone, just meant for calls, incase he travels and mum is not around and they needed to reach us at home, that's just what's it for. The thing is, let's allow this kids still be kids, smartphones are for adults who can think, process and reason. The right time will still come, the phone will come with it, social media will be there too. They shouldn't see it as punishment, but as a way of we preparing/cautioning them ahead.

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