Smart Phones

This particular ship sailed decades ago.

I agree Marmin. That horse has definitely bolted and the genie is well and truly out of the bottle! Too late to ban, but phones should be locked away during the school day. Students of all ages should be warned of the dangers of the internet like we were warned by the local policeman of the dangers of the railway line. And parents brought up to date on the dangers as well via the schoo,l but not necessarily by school staff. If the government are supporting this or trying to enforce this, then well informed outside resources must be employed.

There will always be a hopefully minority of parents who don't care, but the majority do. And grandparents as well.

I think technology is moving faster than our laws ever can.

My adult GCs all have those Apple Watches. They sit vibrating and pinging with calls and texts coming in via those things.🙄

And they reply via them.

If the phones are banned, they will just get the watches.

I am so relieved smart phones weren't around in my DC childhoods. One daughter would have been glued to hers night and day.
I sympathize with some of today's parents. Their lives are a lot harder than my life was for many reasons. Smart phones one of many problems.

I remember reading once that Steve Jobs was so concerned about access to the internet for children that he denied access to his daughter.
I can’t remember how old she was at the time, but he wrote a very compelling piece about the potential harm to children.

He probably let his child use a computer instead.

Smartphone’s particularly iPhones do not remain smart forever.

To have the latest apps you need an up to date phone, once past a certain age/model they will not be compatible with the latest updates, so become unattractive to the young (and old🙋‍♀️)

Yes, mine now won't work with some newer apps and things.

I think banning them for under 11's is a good idea. It's awful when 8 year olds get them. But banning them for under 16's I think just isn't realistic. There'd be a civil war! For teenagers, it's their social life - with their friends. Their phones are so important to them. Doesn't mean they don't have other activities and sports etc as well. I think that comes down to parenting.

DiamondLily

I think technology is moving faster than our laws ever can.

My adult GCs all have those Apple Watches. They sit vibrating and pinging with calls and texts coming in via those things.🙄

And they reply via them.

If the phones are banned, they will just get the watches.

It’s not just younger people who have Apple Watches. My 75 yr old partner wears one. Two daughters in their 50s have them.

GrannyGravy13

Smartphone’s particularly iPhones do not remain smart forever.

To have the latest apps you need an up to date phone, once past a certain age/model they will not be compatible with the latest updates, so become unattractive to the young (and old🙋‍♀️)

No.

I was trying to access an NHS app I was sent by a new, young, enthusiastic Consultant but alas, my poor old devices are just not up to it.

Actually, they are not that old.
Updating every couple of years seems to be the norm now.
So what about the environment?

GrannyGravy13
And there you have it , why on earth do children need to be face timing friends that they have just spent the school day with ?
What happened to
1 - Speaking on the phone
2- Going out to meet said friends- having play dates or whatever the terminology & set up is for what our children did ie “ playing out” !!!!

Petra

If the phones are banned, they will just get the watches

But to use the watch you need the phone & one usually has to be near to the other to receive the call , I must say I think this is the case , before I get called out on yet something else I’ve said wrong 😑

I used to complain bitterly thar my daughter came home from school and straight away used the house phone to have a long, long chat with the people she'd just been at school with. 1

gentleshores
I totally agree that under 8yrs old should have no need for a mobile phone , especially as they will already have access to other devices .
Also where would an under 8 yr old be that they would need to be using a mobile phone for the purpose of a phone call , surely they don’t need these .
It is truly a parenting issue .
I have an almost 18 yrs old GD who totally by passed the advent of mobile phone usage pre 10- 12 yrs old .
She obviously now has one but is not addicted to it .
Unlike her sisters aged 10 & 13 whom have both phones & tablets . The younger one also pesters her DM for her phone & looks at texts etc reading all manner of things . I have seen her pester for the use of it after her own battery has been run down she will then do the same on DM phone .
In fact all 4 of my younger GC aged 10-12:13/15 all have the latest phones which are stuck to their hands .
I can remember when that eldest gd was aged 5 & we played Candycrush on my then old Samsung phone , my DS was amazed & not in a good way that I was doing so with her !

Not all families have other tech available.

MissAdventure
😂 oh I remember those days & the running up of phone bills !

Oh it used to infuriate me!
"What you doing?"

"Nothing. Just got in"

"Me too"

Thank I'll have a sandwich"

"Yeah, me too"

"What you doing?"

"Looking in the fridge"

"Yeah, me too"

Arggghhhhh!!!!

Petra
I forgot to say that I also have an Apple Watch at aged 71 as does my daughter aged 51 .
They are handy for when you are driving - hands free access you can just use Siri .
They also have an emergency 🆘 that will be activated if you have a fall - it will call ☎️ emergency services & also contact your emergency contacts .
I can say it works very well as yesterday I was reaching to a particularly high shelf & it actually activated itself thinking I had had a fall oddly enough . Once I had advised 999 that it was an error I then had my 2 DC & DH all call me as they had simultaneously received a message .
So it does work , I just had to ask my 13year old gd how I stopped it sending the messages , as everyone received a constant flow until I switched it off 🤔

They are very useful in solving crimes, too.

Glorianny

But if parents don't know about the phone how will they be paying the bill? And before anyone says the cost would be too much my current phone deal costs £6 a month, for texts, calls and 4G. Well within most 15 year old's budget.

that sounds reasonable.
maybe i should reconsider.
which company is that?
would i be able to keep my number from vodafone ?

Phones are banned at the high school my grandchildren go to which is actually a nuisance when we try to let them know where the car is parked at pick up time. New head teacher,new rules.

The rule at my boys school is "Don't let us see you using your phone, or we'll confiscate it".

It’s true that many packages are within the reach of children. Our package is calls, texts and 32G of data for £8 pm, but it benefits my DGS to be paid for as part of a family group, and of course there are many places where wifi can be accessed for free. Once again it will be the less well off children who would suffer with this ban.