Mobile Phones Archives - AKAMom Magazine

New Report Finds Teens Feel Addicted to Their Phones, Causing Tension at Home

wmanning — Tue, 03 May 2016 12:42:23 +0000

Common Sense Report Finds Tech Use is Cause of Conflict, Concern, Controversy

San Francisco, Calif. — A new report issued today by Common Sense Media finds that 50 percent of teens “feel addicted” to mobile devices, and 59 percent of their parents agree that their kids are addicted. Additionally, parents and children are concerned about the effects mobile device use has on their daily lives—from driving to the dinner table—with over one-third of the families in the Common Sense poll arguing about it daily.

The Common Sense poll surveyed 1,240 parents and kids from the same households (620 parents, 620 kids) and accompanies a white paper that reviews the latest scientific research about problematic media use, including impacts on youths’ well-being and development. Together they offer a fresh, comprehensive review and perspective on addiction and media-use in the U.S. today. Common Sense initiated the research to better understand mobile technology’s impact on children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development and identify families’ need for support.

“Mobile devices are fundamentally changing how families go about day-to-day life, be it homework, driving or having dinner together,” said James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense. “What we’ve discovered is that kids and parents feel addicted to their mobile devices, that it is causing daily conflict in homes, and that families are concerned about the consequences. We also know that problematic media use can negatively affect children’s development and that multi-tasking can harm learning and performance. As a society we all have a responsibility to take media use and addiction seriously and make sure parents have the information to help them make smart choices for their families.”

Key Findings from the Survey of Parents and Teens Include:

Addiction: 1 out of every 2 teens feels addicted to their devices and the majority of parents (59%) feel their kids are addicted

Frequency: 72% of teens and 48% of parents feel the need to immediately respond to texts, social networking messages, and other notifications; 69% of parents and 78% of teens check their devices at least hourly

Distraction: 77% of parents feel their child gets distracted by his or her devices and doesn’t pay attention when they are together at least a few times per week

Conflict: One-third of parents and teens (36% and 32% respectively) say they argue with each other on a daily basis about device use

Risky behavior: 56% of parents admit they check their mobile devices while driving; 51% of teens see their parents checking/using their mobile devices when driving

Common Sense’s white paper, a review of existing studies and research on internet use, technology and addiction, concludes that there is cause for concern around problematic media use, which in extreme cases can have very damaging consequences. The paper finds that multitasking, toggling between multiple screens or between screens and people – which is common for kids doing homework or socializing – impairs their ability to lay down memories, to learn, and to work effectively. Additionally, problematic media use can harm face-to-face conversation, and undermine the development of empathy. Parents and teens should avoid multitasking with devices while talking to others and replacing human interactions with technology.

“Parents are right to be concerned about the impact of media on the development of their kids,” said Ellen Wartella, a leading scholar of the role of media in children’s development. “It is a good thing that parents and educators are focused on kids’ social and emotional learning and asking the right questions – many of which we don’t know the answers to yet. From attention disorders and multi-tasking to basic social interaction and interpersonal skills, we need to devote more time and research to understanding the impact of media use on our kids and then adjust our behavior accordingly.”

The Common Sense report stemmed from last November’s landmark Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens that indicated U.S. teens use an average of nine hours of media per day. The technology addiction research was initiated to spark a national discussion on media and technology use by acknowledging a pervasive feeling of addiction by American families and help them identify resources to resolve family conflicts and encourage responsible use of technology.

Resources for families who are concerned about media use are available on the Common Sense website, including “5 Simple Steps for a Healthy Media Diet,” family media agreements and video guides, 20 Q&As that include answers to questions like: Is Internet addiction real? What are the downsides to multitasking? How can I make sure my kid doesn’t become addicted to technology?

A webinar on helping families achieve media balance will be held on May 19^thand will be free to the public at www.commonsense.org. To review the white paper and Executive Summary in their entirety, visit LINK.

Survey Methodology:

The survey is based on a nationally representative survey designed and administered by Lake Research Partners and conducted by telephone using professional interviews from February 16 to March 14, 2016. A total of 1,240 interviews were conducted with parents (n=620) and their children (n=620) residing in the same household.

Respondents were screened to be parents of children between the ages of 12 and 18 living at home with them, with both parent and child using a mobile device. The data for the parent and children sample were weighed slightly by gender, region, age, and race to reflect attributes of the actual population. The margin of error for this sample is +/-4.0%.

About Common Sense:

Common Sense is the nation’s leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a powerful voice for kids and families in the 21st century. Millions of families, educators, and policymakers turn to Common Sense every day to access our independent rating systems, unbiased research, and trusted tools and advice that help them navigate a rapidly changing digital landscape at home and at school. Learn more at commonsense.org

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When Is the Right Time to Get Your Child a Cellphone?

wmanning — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 02:26:39 +0000

By Daddy Nickell

Technology is important; it allows us the opportunity to stay connected, learn new things and more. Nobody needs a constant link to technology at their fingertips 24/7, but with smartphones becoming so, let’s face it – smart and easily accessible – we have settled into just that. But do you want that for your kids? It can be difficult to decide the right time to get your child a cellphone; there are many factors to consider before giving in and getting that Family Plan.

Want or Need? With seven kids of my own I’ve experienced both sides of this coin. Some of my kids expressed a strong desire or “want” for a cellphone because all of their friends have cellphones while others of my children have expressed a “need” for one as they are involved in extra-curricular activities and events and need the easily accessible communication. A child who needs a cellphone more than wants a cellphone will be less likely to abuse their cellphone privileges. Establishing what end of the spectrum your child is on is the first step to figuring out if they’re ready for a cellphone.

Boundaries: Giving your child a cellphone is a big responsibility as a cellphone allows your child more freedom and space. Think about other aspects of technology first. Does your child respect the boundaries or rules you set around watching TV after school, playing video games, talking on the phone, etc.? You’ll want boundaries surrounding your child’s cellphone, too. You’ll have to establish when the appropriate times to use a cellphone are, what types of apps are acceptable for download, how many texts they’re allowed to send in a day and to whom; many factors come into play when a child gets a cellphone. You’ll need to establish rules and boundaries that are clearly understood before your child even gets a cellphone.

Options are Available: Contrary to what your child is likely telling you, they don’t really have to have the latest iPhone or smartphone device. There are plenty of other options available to them, and that’s important for parents to remember. Think back to the day of the original cellphone. It just made calls. Then texting was added. These two things might be all your child needs in a cellphone. I suggest starting with the most basic cellphone device then as your child shows responsibility and independence they can earn an upgrade and so on and so forth.

Children generally love technology, and cellphones are an important means of communication. Make sure your child is ready for the responsibility and make sure you build boundaries around this new device prior to bringing one home.

Happy parenting!

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Parenting Expert and father of 7, Robert Nickell (aka Daddy Nickell) offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddy & Co., delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel for every stage of fatherhood, and the Daily Daddy Blog. He is also the creator and producer of “My Life as a Dad,” the groundbreaking new web series that showcases celebrity fathers offering their personal experiences and parenting tips.

The post When Is the Right Time to Get Your Child a Cellphone? appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Generation Mobile: Setting Limits and Keeping Kids Safe

wmanning — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:21:05 +0000

Today, a majority of kids in the US have mobile phones, and while the devices can help families stay in touch, the proliferation of mobile phones among the school-age set poses new challenges for busy moms and dads. It’s tough for parents to keep tabs on who their kids are calling and texting now that children have their own phones – gone are the days when mom could keep track of kids’ contacts by simply answering a central family phone.

And with hundreds of thousands of apps out there and more being launched every day, parents also have to worry about kids downloading unsuitable or unsafe apps. Another dilemma is how to monitor phone usage. Kids tend to carry their mobile phones everywhere they go, and it can be difficult to make sure they don’t use them at all hours. Data usage is another issue: Failure to keep track can result in an unpleasant surprise when the monthly phone bill arrives.

So how can busy moms keep tabs on kids’ mobile phone activities, short of reading through texts, listening in on calls and conducting daily app inspections? Now there’s a new option: the MobileKids app from Bipper. Available in Android and iPhone versions, MobileKids lets parents monitor their children’s mobile phone activities, set limits on cell phone usage, restrict data consumption and keep kids safer with GPS tracking features and an SOS button.

Installed on both the parents’ and children’s mobile phones, the MobileKids app has filtering features that allow parents to review and approve or block downloads and new contacts. The MobileKids app provides parents with daily and weekly reports on phone usage and activities. Children can also view the settings, which helps them understand their parents’ expectations.

MobileKids has time control features that allow moms to restrict mobile phone usage – at bedtime or during homework time, for example – as well as usage controls that enable parents to place limits on minutes, texts, Wi-Fi, MMS and data consumption to control phone bills.

The app also provides GPS tracking and safety features that give peace of mind to moms and kids alike: Children can use the SOS button to alert parents with a single click if they are lost or feel unsafe. Moms and dads can then use the app’s real-time tracking capabilities to locate their children. The GPS tracking feature can also be used by parents who want to make sure kids are where they are supposed to be at any given time.

mobile communications revolution provides unprecedented capabilities and opportunities for keeping in touch, but it can also make a mom’s job a lot tougher. MobileKids can help with tools that allow busy parents to conveniently monitor and control usage and keep kids safe. Find out more at www.mobilekids.com.

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