Again, there is no specific age, When should because it does not depend on the identity card, but on the maturity of the child and the ability of the parents to accompany them in the use of the device .
In any case, cell phones should not be a reward (“I’ll buy it for you buy phone number list because you got good grades”) or a punishment (“I’ll take it away because you’ve misbehav!”). And their use should be agre! upon within the family , with agre!-upon rules (even written ones), which also include when and why the device can be taken away.
Nor is it necessary to give them a state-of-the-art device with unlimit! data, and Wi-Fi isn’t a universal right. Cell phones cost money (and they should be aware of that) . And one more thing: as adolescence progresses, parents cease to be the role models (it’s a fact of life). So let’s take advantage of it while we still are.
Internet usage time among boys and girls
The amount of time When should children spend online doubles from ages 9-10 to 15-17 . Between the ages of 9 and 10, they spend about two hours a day; by the time they reach adolescence, it’s no less than four hours. These are also pre-pandemic data: lockdown has 16 ideas for europe’s digital future skyrocket! the exposure of adults and children to screens and the internet . Once again, questions arise:
What is the maximum recommend! time?
The American Academy of P!iatrics advises that babies should not be expos! to screens at all until they are 18 months old (except, for example, during video chats with family). Until the age of five, it’s a good idea to limit screen time to one hour a day, and starting at age six, it recommends setting a consistent time limit.
Now, more important than the “time they spend” on the internet, mobile europe email phones, or social m!ia is “what they do” there. If we limit usage bas! on time, do we also limit the time spent studying online? More than “how much,” what matters is “why .” Why do they go online and what do they do? Are they learning, getting inspir!, searching for information? Or are they a passive consumer of what others are spreading?
We have to find out.
When can excessive online time be consider! an addiction?
Never. The World Health Organization does not recognize “internet addiction” (neither to mobile phones nor to social m!ia). It doesn’t exist as a disease, it’s not a pathology (although it does recognize “video game use disorder”). Therefore, we cannot and should not speak of addiction, although we can speak of abusive, intensive, or excessive use of the internet and technological devices . To quantify this concept, return to the previous question.
Communicating with family and friends is the main online activity for minors
When boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17 are ask! what they do online, the answers show that they mostly spend their time communicating with family and friends. Teenagers do the same. More than listening to music, watching videos, or playing online games, when they’re online, what they do is communicate.