Kids and Smartphones- How Much is Too Much?

Parents around the world are battling the pros and cons to their children owning and using smartphones. The idea of letting their children have unrestricted access to the Internet their phone provides sounds pretty unappealing to most parents, but the weight of the pressure of not wanting their children to be different from all the other kids also serves as a setback. 

With increasing uses of technology in our education system, it’s not a bad idea for kids and teens to be up-to-speed on all the latest gadgets and their uses- but it continues to raise the question: how much is too much? 

Back in January of 2009, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology issued a notice to schools requesting a ban on cellphones within elementary and junior high schools, as well as restrictions for high schools. Fast forward to 2014 and the problem only seems to be more of a problem with smartphones being more popular, and well, smarter, than ever. Most parents are all too familiar with the horror stories surrounding cyber bullying that seems to be the dominating form of bullying these days. 

Parents and educators aren’t the only ones interested in answering this question nowadays, the toy industry is as well. Recently MegaHouse developed Fairisia, a smartphone made just for kids that can easily be monitored and limited by parents. 

But, at the end of the day technology is only going to become more prevalent and harder to avoid, so instead of bashing it or banning it parents should become more educated about it. Knowing how smartphones work and using one yourself can help you be aware about how your child may be using their phone. It is important to know the dangers as well as the benefits of smartphones as well as techniques for monitoring their use. Issuing a curfew, limiting the number of hours they can use their phone, having them keep their phone downstairs at night are all examples of ways to monitor their use. If they have social media accounts such as Twitter or Facebook, make your own account and see what they are up to! Or if that is totally not up your alley at all and your child is still young, require them to give you their user name and passwords so you can occasionally sign on and take a peak at what they are doing online. 

The advancing technology and kids' advancing knowledge of it can seem intimidating to most parents, but being aware and checked in as well as knowledgable yourself are all ways to ease your qualms around the subject of kids and smartphones. 

Lesson Plan for Your Children or Students

The Fujimini Island Adventure Series provides fun, vibrant, Asian inspired stories for kids in pre-school up second grade.

Here is a lesson plan idea for teachers or parents for grades K-1. This lesson plan focuses on character.

Supplies: The book Red Penguin and the Missing Sushi by Eileen Wacker (order here), art supplies, character map

Objective: Learn about character traits

1. Read Red Penguin and the Missing Sushi to your child or students.
2. Discuss character traits with your child or students. Character traits are unique attributes of a person. When we describe a person or thing we usually describe its attributes. 
3. Tell your child or student that “character traits is not what a person looks like but acts like, character traits describe what is inside”. 
4. Here is a list of words that describe character traits - some of these words are too sophisticated for K-1 but many are understandable and some are perfect challenge words for kids.
5. Draw on a piece of paper or chalk board a character map. 
6. Place Red Penguin in the middle of the map. 
7. Draw extensions and write various traits that Red Penguin has on the extensions. 
8. Do this activity with your child or students.
9. Have your child or students do an art piece – a character picture - featuring Red Penguin. 
10. Encourage your child to incorporate Red Penguin’s traits in the art piece.

To learn more about Fujimini Island and the other books in the Fujimini Adventure Series, click here.