Children Should not be Allowed to Own Smart Phones Until They are in Their Mid Teens (15-16 y/o)

"Smart phones have these options, correct. But there are no better substitutes? WRONG. " A smartphone will not intervene with a child playing a sport, a child will still go outside with his or her friends. As I said before, there are many applications that will help brain development, a special needs kid that has used these applications has shown major improvement in comparison to kids that don't. From personal experience I can conclude that a phone if used properly can actually help a child drastically. "Kids aged 5-10 don't need calculators. Using the brain to calculate is good for mental development. Calculators, not quite so." So if a child had a mental disability or dyslexia where they couldn't see the equations properly, you're saying that they shouldn't have additional tools available for them? Or a kid struggling, a calculator is a strong mathematical tool that gives every a broader range of what they're doing. If a kid is struggling a math the calculator is a vital tool for understanding. "Harm from radiation directly relates to time of exposure and distance from body." This radiation argument is completely untrue, as phones do emit radiation the power of the sun can burn the skin to the point where you do develop cancer. "Study guides. - Laptops exist for that," Which is contradictory, you're saying that phones are addicting, perhaps you should look at another addicting thing that correlates to laptops. Video games, how can you say a phone is addicting and ruins relationships when video games are considered to be a further concern. On a laptop you can access pornography as well, you say that kids shouldn't have phones and use laptops instead. When a laptop can literally do the same exact thing a phone could and also has a few more implements that are considered addictive, a kid going to school would also have the burden of carrying the laptop in there bag. Can you tell me something the phone can do that the laptop can't? If the answer strays away from "calling" and "texting" i'd be impressed. "That would be far better done if these kids were made to meet each other, and know each other by spending time in the real (NOT THE VIRTUAL) world." Most of the time calling and texting and communication through social media groups are a primary source for party invitations and event notification. I know when something is going on through a notified instagram group chat or a face book group message. Phones are generally used to allow a gateway for these social events, and allows a great way to communicate. Based on personal experience, I have had a friend who didn't have a smart phone, and we'd organize things through a group chat on a social media app. These made it so he wasn't notified and it only made him less open to future social organizations because he couldn't get to us. I could easily argue that I have been even more social because things that go on are more prevalent to me. "How does concentrating on the fun with friends during an outing, instead of constantly gazing into the screen make you introvert? Its the opposite for sure though. " However most of the time people go through there phone when they are in a bus or car, or in an environment when they are bored. In a date they may do it on occasion, but introversion is on the basis of not wanting to talk to people. Smart phones notify people of what is going on. In a study conducted it actually stated that extroverts are more likely to become addicted to there smart phones. http://www.rawstory.com... It's due to them actually being socially active, a student who is introverted cannot nor do they want to communicate with a broad group of people. You may be misinformed as well, it's nice to concentrate on friends during an outing, but most people don't whip out there phones and just browse through it when they are with a group of friends. Unless they are sitting down, but they may also be posting something on snapchat or instagram where they can share there experience with everyone else. And if someone wants to browse there phone and be an introvert, so what? It may give them a release from the real world and get there minds off of things. "Invitations don't inculcate social skills. Most of these kids won't even go due to the fear of being judged for what they are outside the online world. Even if they go, they are most likely to take the phone with them and spend more time on it." If they spend time on there phone then that is entirely okay, as its a good way to escape from an awkward situation. But as I said many times before, it's a way to open gateways to be more social. Most kids who are extroverted WILL pick up to social invitations. In conclusion, kids who do not have phones will be more secluded. It's healthy to develop social skills but phones won't intervene with that. Group chats will notify gateways, where kids can be more social and happy.