Page 81 - iPhone Life Magazine - Spring 2020
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fi ve years. I knew there had been school shootings before, I was a kid. Computers became more common to have in
but this was an elementary school. It is a horrible tragedy that homes. We had one. I played Oregon Trail and Jeopardy. I
continues to play out each year. Just like we run fi re drills, watched a ton of TV. I played video games, and I would like to
now we run school shooting drills. I hate to even think of it, believe that I am a pretty functional human being. Many people
but in the event of an active shooter threat, I want my son in my generation turned our screen time into careers, working
to be able to call 911. I want to know his location. I want his in the tech industry or related fi elds. Our kids are continuing to
teacher to have another phone in the room in case it is closer evolve and adjust to the current social-tech landscape and will
by than hers. I want him to have options. Again, he is seven, be the next innovators. However, it all starts with teaching them
and this is something we both have to consider. to operate these devices, so they can create new ways to use
them and turn these experiences into employable skillsets. I am
giving my son a head start in an industry he will almost certainly
need to be profi cient in in order to make money as an adult.
“MANY PEOPLE IN
MY GENERATION
TURNED OUR
SCREEN TIME INTO
CAREERS.”
While we are on the topic of safety, I think it is important
to mention that phones are a danger in and of themselves.
They give kids pocket access to the internet. The internet is a
terrifying place. It is important to be aware of that danger and A WORD FROM MY SON
to adjust accordingly. I am not going to spend much time on
safety features (check out the iPhone Life Podcast episode
When writing this article, I decided to interview my son,
121 to learn about the iPhone’s parental controls), but one of
considering he is the one using the phone and living with all
the reasons the iPhone is a wise decision is because of the
our restrictions. When asked what he would change, while
safety features it offers. On top of that, different carriers have
mid-bite of a doughnut, he said, “The half hour of video
additional options. Verizon has particularly useful options in its
games— delete, and the age stuff.” So, he isn’t a huge fan
app Verizon Smart Family.
of our parental controls, but he likes that he can contact his
family members who aren’t with him at that moment. I asked
REASON 3: SCREEN TIME IS him if he thought his life had gotten better since getting an
iPhone, to which he responded, “Maybe.” There you have it,
GOOD FOR KIDS folks. Don’t let anyone guilt you for decisions you feel are best
for your child. If that means they get no screen time ever, go
for it. If that means they have their own phone at the age of
Okay, now the fi nal reason I decided it was a good idea to get seven, cheers to constantly checking their location. Ѷ
my son a phone is that screen time is actually good for kids. Yup,
it’s true. A 2019 study by Oxford, Cardiff, and Cambridge Univer- Hannah Nichols is a freelance marketing consultant and writer. She is obsessed with
sities and published in the Journal of the American Academy of audiobooks and podcasts and always asks people for recommendations. Hannah
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has found that one to two hours loves going to the gym and taking really long walks with friends. She enjoys travel-
ing with her partner and seven-year-old son.
of daily screen time corresponded to better social and emotional
well-being. This makes sense. The internet was invented when
iPhone Life Spring 2020 79
