“Kids these days” is an all too common refrain from the older generation (ie my generation now). Often said in exasperation and while shaking one’s fist in the air.
But shouldn’t it really be “kids these days!” said with praise in your voice and arms stretched out in triumph!
Sales of “dumb” phones are up thanks to Gen Z who are taking charge of their screen time and buying phones with the features they need and not access to the millions of time-killing social media and gaming apps they don’t. They are also taking control of what they see online which in turn has a beneficial impact on their mental health and self-esteem.
Bravo. Kids these days, indeed.
What Are “Dumb” Phones?
Dumb phones aren’t your mom’s first phone. The one that was the size of a telephone book (“wait a second…what’s a telephone book” says anyone younger than me. Probably.) and took 20 minutes to write a one sentence note. Today’s dumb phones allow users to customize what they need and what they don’t. And more and more kids are choosing to move away from unlimited gaming and social media apps, but keep things like GPS and communication apps. It helps them control their screen time and make their interactions with their phone and the digital world as positive for their life as possible.
Questions to explore to see if a Dumb phone might be a good option for your kids
-Have you ever spent a lot of time on social media or gaming on your phone and regretted it afterward?
-How much time on your phone is too much?
-Would limiting your access to certain apps and tools on your phone help you feel better about the time you spend on your phone?
-Do you think you would feel better if you spent less time on your phone? Why or why not?
Dive Deeper
Here are a few articles with more information that will help you dive deeper into this issue.
Contact Kermode Today
Contact the Kermode Education team today to see how our eLearning platform can help your kids or your students improve their digital literacy skills.
#dumbphones #digcit #medialiteracy #digitalliteracy #socialmedia
