Parents in Maine Tort kids to dial back kids’ Smartphone Deemunds
STANDING IN THE KITCHEN OF HER SOUTH Portland Home, etht-year old Pixt Pickels UP APONE TO Call A Friend.
“Hi Carly. Watchaa doin?” Piper asks.
The two Have a lot to discuseus: SOCRER GAME Scorets, anovity bake Sale and the Latest on the SocIal Scene.
“I’lll SEE AT THE BARTY,” Piper SAYS.
The conversation May be TYPICAL FOR TYPICAL FOR A THIRD GRADER, BUT THE PHONE CONNECTION IS NOT. Piper IS CRADLing A White Plastic HANDSET TO HAR EAR. IT’S CONNECTED BY A LONG SPIRAL CUND SPIRAL CORD TO A BASE WITH A PUSH-BUTTON DIAL PAD. IT’S JUST … APON.
“I LIKE IT BECAUSE You Don’t Have to LOK ONE A SCREENS,” Piper SAYS.
In the Age of Eight, Neighbor Quarter of Volan OWN A CELL PHONE – AND MOST ARE SmartPones WITHPS APPS and Internet Access. For Many Parentts, giving a game of oWn Smartphone is a Fraugheg Milestone. BUT AME Famding Ways Pitfalls and Still Keere KeePals and Still Keerep Their Pret. They’re Getting Landlines.
Piper’S Sister Molly, WHO ’10, SAYS HE ALSO LIKEES THE LANLINE. Shees puzzled by the WAY THAY KIDS ON THE SCHOOL BULL OUT ARE PULL OUT ARE PULL OUT ARE EACHPORE EACHPORE EACHPORE EACHPORS AND IGNore Eachout Otheth.
“Because Pepplay ARE SEXT TO THE NEXT TO THEM, WHO’S THE FIRENDS AND STUFF,” Molly SAYS. “And I’m LIKE, PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN AND JUST Talk to PEOP Talk to PEPLE Next.”
And Piper ‘MOM, CARON MORSE, SAYSEST Parenting MOVAINE “IS PROBAINE” IS PROBAINE “IS PROBAINE” IS PROBAINE “IS PROBAINE” IS PROBAINE “IS PROBAINE” IS PROBLINE “IS PROBANEE” IS GETTING ARE LANDLine.
MORSE SAYS She WAS DRADING THE DAY WHEN HER HER HER HER HER DAughs Woodd Own SmartPhorthorthops. AS A Social World Worker School, Morse SayS Shees FIRSTHAND THE WAY THRAPRIFIATE CONTENTION, ONLINE Bullying, and Monopolize thete Attraction.
“There definitely is a cell phone addiction in children right now,” Morse says.
AS MORSE WOUT WHAT WATHING WHAT WATHING WHATE THE PHONE SHE USED Growing UMBRACE A LANDLINE. BUT FOR THE BUTTE TO GO ALONG WITH THE IDEA, SHHOUGHT WITH THEYEA, SHHOUGHT NEED OTHER FAMILIES TO DO THE SEAMS AND FRIENDS.
“Get a Landline WITH US,” MORSE SHE WELLD TELL THEM. “JOIN US. IT’S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. IT’S NOT’S Not Expendine.”
NOW, ASTR LATER, MORE SAYS ABOOUNTEN FAMILIES – OR INTERNNET PHONES THAT ESENTIALLY LIKE A LANDLINE. And shee’S Seen unexpectized benfits. Morse SAYS HER DAITTERS ARE BETTER AT CONVERSERATIONS. They’re noot the WEW WEN WEVE WEVO HER ARE SMARTPORT TO Call Friends.
“They took my cell PHONE PHONE AND THERE WOULD BE FILTER INTO, You KNOW,” MORSE. “I. Don’t Evenking, O know, your know? I Don’t Think Think Three WEWS HOW TO COMMUNICATE.”
MORSE SAYS She and OTHER Parentts Were Landlines, WITS WITSITE KIDS WebSite Kids WebSite Kids WebSite Kids WebSite Kidss WebSite to Encourate Others.
“Hello?” Eleven-YEAR-OLD ASHTON LADD OF SCARBOROUOUOUOUT SAYS AS HIS FRIEND PARKER.
“I WONDERING IF YOU WANTED TO Go Fishing,” Ashton ASKS. He’S BEEN BEEN USINGING A LANDLINE S SPRING.
“Oncere We GET OFF OFF THE BUS FROM OFF THE BULS FROOL, WE Were Kind of JUST ISOLDS,” He sies. “But NOW ‘THATE WE HAVE THIS, WE’re Not Not Not Not Meat Really Antally Annally Annally Annally Annally Annally Anited
HIS MOM Jen Ladd SAYS She and Her Husband Wanton and HIS 9-YEAR FRDER Claire ASHTON AND HIS 9-YEAR FRDER CLAire AS HIS 9-YEAR OLD SETER AND WEEE HOME FROME ALONE FRNETS TO TIME. Sheeped The Landline Option Because Its FOCUS IS OUTDS AND MAKING PLALS.
“AS OPPOSED TO JUST SESTING ONE THEMSELVES AND DONOW, WHO KNOWS WHATES WHAT WATS WHATES WHAT WATS THATHER OF OTHER THE’S LATTLE BIT MECDED.”
Digital WELLNCTHER AT THE DIGITAL WELLNESS LASPITIVES HOSPITFULS HOSPITFULS HOSPITFULS HOSPITPEN CHILDINES HOSPITOPMS HOSPITOPMES HOSPITAL DEPEN CHILDINES HOSPITAL DEPEN CHILDINES HOSPITAL DEPEN CHILDON CHONEFULS HOSPITPOL THAT ARE BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE. “
SmartPhones Can Foster Connection, He SAYS. Buty can also Contribute to LONELINES AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSSUSEES. The Key, Bickkham SAYS IS, To Be Yougheghethetful and Intentional abuest thecent
“WHAT’S REALY CHALLENGING IT IS IS ISS, HOW DO I SET IT IT UP SO THET IT IT UP SO THAT’S NOTS UP SO THAT IT UP SO THAT ITS UP SO THIE IT’S OUT OF THIS’S,” HAYS.
Bickham Recompates Parentts To Use Settings this will Encoratage Healthy USE. TURN OFF Notifications. Require Permission to Download APP. EXPLAIN WHE THESE CONTROLS ARPORTANT.
THREE’S NO ONE IDEAL AGEE TO GET A Smartphone, He sies, whites POSSIBLE, IT ITS PRBABAly Fairly Use for KIDs, “Bickham SAYS.
In the MEANTIME, He SAYS, A Landline is A Viaboard Option.
Jen Ladd SAYS HER KIDS HAVE LARENED SKILLS FROM LANDNINE THAT HE HADNE’t Expected.
“IT’S FUN,” She SAYS. “IT’S ANPEEPENEEPEEPENEED FOR THE FOREONEE, REACH OUT TO SORTEEONES AND PAKE A PLANS HERTES AND THE TELLS TO EACH OTHER JOKES.”
Sitting in a living rom, Claire Ladd Dibd Diasts Her Frieller Ellie to Share Her Latest Jokie.
“What is the ice Paper Paper AFRAID TO CRAD?” SAYS CLAire.
“What?” Asks elfie.
“Because he was Afd Get Stuck in the Clacks,” Claire Answers, as theyi erupt introts.
Whats an easy way to DELAY GETTING A Smartphone? Form Parents, the AnSwer to THAT RIDDLE IS: GET A LANDLINE
THIS IS PRODUCTION OF THE NEW ENGLAND NEWS COLLABORRATIVE. IT WAS ORIGINLALLALLY PUBLISHED BY Maine Public.