Cell phones are a perfect tool for communication and convenience that have become part of our daily lives. We can find an overabundance of apps to make every simple aspect of your life “better”.  

These apps are so embedded in our culture, and it begs the question: Are they making life “better”.  According to NPR Digital Communications, just over half of children in the United States — 53 percent — now own a smartphone by the age of 11. And 84 percent of teenagers now have phones, immersing themselves in a rich and complex world of experiences that adults sometimes need a lot of decoding to understand.

These stats come from a new, nationally representative survey of media use among children ages 8-18, by Common Sense Media, which has been tracking this since 2003. 

When someone’s attention is divided between multiple tasks or multiple distractions, it makes focusing on a specific task very difficult. When a child’s attention is divided, focusing on schoolwork is very difficult. When Algebra has to compete with friends’ texts, Tik Tok videos, and Snapchat, Algebra rarely wins. Having a cell phone will tempt your teen to spend all day talking or texting instead of doing productive things. Studies have proven that teens who spend too much of their time with their cell phones are more prone to stress, anxiety, and depression. Research has also found that excessive use of smartphones may result in an increased risk of mental health problems.   

In a time when our children are already stressed beyond belief now more than ever it is time to set boundaries about how much time can be dedicated to the screen. One of my favorite quotes is very fitting as advice for us all “ALL things can be beneficial but in moderation.”  

For additional information on this very important topic, click HERE. 

Written By Carmen Serrano

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