Give Your Child a Cell Phone - Essay Example

Topic: Children should not be allowed to own mobile phones Modern mobile phones perform a wide range of functions ranging from voice calls, short message services, sharing multimedia files such as music, videos, and photos, accessing the internet and playing games among other functions (Bond 27). These mobile communication devices have become so popular in the recent few years, owing to the reduction in prices of mobile phones and also a drop in calling rates for most mobile phone network service providers. In the beginning, mobile phones were seen as a luxury and could only be afforded by the rich people in the society, but now even a common citizen can own a cell phone. Mobile phones have greatly changed the way people communicate and have become a necessary item. The United Nation estimates that there are about 4.7 billion active users of mobile phones. It’s also estimated that about 70% of children aged between 10 and 14 either own a mobile phone or have access to one for their own use (Bond, Emma, 33). There is a raging debate over whether children should be allowed to own mobile phones and whether they should carry them to school. Each child, especially in their teens, would want to own a mobile phone. A wide range of issues have been put forward either to support the opinion that children should be allowed to own these communication devices or against it. Given a wide range of functions that mobile phones do perform, most parents have been against the idea of letting their children own one (Bond 49). Some parents fear that children are most likely to uses these devices wrongly, leading to chaos in the family while other parents feel there is need for children to communicate with their friends regarding their school work and also to keep in touch with other members of the family when they are away. Some of the objections against children owning mobile phones are scientific, claiming that mobile phones are more sensitive devices while the immune system of children, especially below twelve years, is not that much developed to protect against such sensitivity. Such arguments give state that using mobile phones for a long period of time is likely to result in health problems. If children begin using mobile phones at an early age, they are most likely to encounter health complications early on in their life. This essay will seek to give counter arguments against the topic, by supporting the view that children should be allowed to own mobile phones. With the availability of mobile phones targeting even the children, it’s only right if they are allowed to use them. Mobile phone manufacturers have in the recent years developed simple phones with specific feature meant for children. One such mobile phone is the Firefly Mobile phone from firefly mobile phone manufacturers. The phone has limited functionality to allow children use the devices with great parental control. With such devices in the market, children should be allowed to use them since the society already realizes they need such devices (Bodnar). Children should also be allowed to own mobile phones for safety reasons (Bodnar). This is the most important reason for parents to allow their children to own cell phones. With mobile phones, children can respond to emergencies with a lot of ease by notifying either their parents or the authorities. Children encounter a lot of threats to their safety, including kidnapping, rape, and violence among others. When they are allowed to own mobile phones, they can easily report such incidences to either authorities or their parents. Prohibiting children to own mobile phones is tantamount to locking them out of the world (Bodnar). We live in a world where people are highly connected with the social media and the internet as a whole as well as mobile phones. With such kind of connection, information is passed on to the next person very fast. Disallowing children to own mobile phones amounts to locking them out of the communication channel and access to information, which is a necessity in the contemporary world. Mobile phones can also act as learning aids for students in schools (Adams). With functions such as calculators, emails and stop watches, mobile phones can help students a lot in their studies. With mobile phones, students can set reminders for their homework, record important lessons for reference later on, as well as perform laboratory experiments using stop watches. Smart phones can allow pupils to access revision websites as they prepare for their tests in school. Mobile phones can also contribute to children’s skill development (Adams). These devices will allow children to learn telephone etiquette from a very early age and also improve their communication skills. Children will learn how to communicate with their teachers, parents and peer, using their mobile phones. In conclusion, children should be allowed to own mobile phones so as to keep them connected to the rest of the world. Parents can also show they care for their children when they allow them to own mobile phones because it has become a necessity. Parents and teachers should assume the role of educating children on the proper use of these devices so as to help children develop their communication skills. Works Cited Adams, Stephen. “Children get first mobile phone at average age of eight.” The Telegraph. 18 February 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4680507/Children-get-first-mo... (Accessed June 30, 2013). Bodnar, Janet. “Give Your Child a Cell Phone?” Kiplinger. 13 December 2006. http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/drt/archive/2006/dt061213.html (accessed June 30, 2013). Bond, Emma. “Managing mobile relationships: Children's perceptions of the impact of the mobile phone on relationships in their everyday lives.” Childhood 17, no. 4: 514-529, 2010. Bond, Emma. “The mobile phone = bike shed? Children, sex and mobile phones.” New Media and Society 13, no. 4: 587-604, 2011. Read More