6 Minute English Keeping kids off smartphones
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Sep 12, 2024 A mother grapples with whether to give her nine-year-old daughter a smartphone amidst social pressure and concerns about harmful content. The discussion highlights a growing trend in the UK promoting a smartphone-free childhood until age 14. It dives into fears of addiction and mental health issues connected to social media use. The benefits of face-to-face interactions are emphasized, encouraging families to engage in more active, screen-free activities, while alarming statistics about teens' screen time are revealed.
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Smartphone Concerns
- Growing concerns exist about smartphones' negative effects on adults and children.
- Studies link increased social media use in girls to higher anxiety and depression, delayed brain development, and poor sleep.
Myra Anubi's Dilemma
- BBC journalist Myra Anubi's nine-year-old daughter wants a smartphone.
- Anubi worries about screen time, harmful content, and social media addiction but also her daughter feeling left out.
Smartphone-Free Childhood Movement
- Mums Daisy Greenwell and Claire Ferniehoe started a WhatsApp group encouraging phone-free childhoods until age 14.
- The group quickly grew into a movement called "smartphone-free childhood" with over 100,000 UK members.