My first recommendation to parents is to try to delay their children's first phone for as long as possible. One of the reasons is that this will give them more time to enjoy their childhood without screens, allowing them more time to engage in the real world. Of course, one must consider their social situation and try to prevent social isolation. Therefore, it's beneficial to gather the parents of their friends and agree on a time when all of you will give your children their first phone. This way, socially, the child won't feel disconnected.
On the other hand, it's essential to understand that in the digital age we live in, digital platforms are a part of our lives and our children's lives. Similar to a road we use daily, which holds many dangers, particularly for our children, we need to guide and educate our children on how to behave online. Just like the real world, the digital world is part of our lives and also holds its own risks and challenges, requiring us to guide, educate, and protect our children.
However, unlike the physical world where we can see our children and guide them, in the digital world, it's challenging to know what they are doing online. This lack of information makes it difficult for us to help and protect them.
Some parents might buy a basic phone that allows only calls as a temporary solution. Eventually, the children will need parental guidance when transitioning to using a smartphone as they take their first steps in the digital world.
Other parents mistakenly believe that giving their children an old phone will keep them safe. Yet, even with an old phone, children can access social platforms and the digital world.
Today, parents can use online child protection services that provide practical tools to cope with the challenges posed by the digital age. These tools include helping kids overcome screen addiction, tracking their screen time and app usage, and receiving alerts about events happening to children on social platforms that require parental intervention, such as cyberbullying, shaming, attempts by predators to connect with children, or exposure to inappropriate content like drugs, alcohol, or dangerous trends. One such service is #Surfie, offered by PureSight, providing tools like these for parents.
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