Are mobile phones really suitable for children?

A problem which is often discussed today is if mobile phones are really suitable for children. Giving children a phone is a very difficult matter that parents have to deal with. But is this good at all? It is said that letting a baby play on an Ipad might lead to speech delays. Actually it could be a big problem if babies spend more than thirty minutes a day in front of screens. What should parents do?

Firstly, parents have to know if their children are ready to have a phone, that is to say, if children are mature or not. Besides, they have to teach them about things such as bullying, the permanence of what they post and stranger danger online. Another piece of advice is not to punish them by taking the phone away. It’s because that might make teens less likely to open up about a problem they are dealing with online.

Secondly, it is a well-known fact that no parents want their children to eat junk food all the time, so they shouldn’t do the same with their online time. Teenagers’ screentime has become an emotive issue. If they see that someone has something new, they immediately want it too; but sometimes they can’t get it. This causes them such a discomfort. Additionally, they always want to show others what they have or what they are doing every time.

In conclusion, if I was mother I wouldn’t give my children a mobile phone till they were mature enough. I prefer that children live their childhood freely. What’s more, I would give them a book as a Christmas present instead of any electronic devices. Despite, I think that mobiles are extremely important in our real life since we are able to do nothing without them. Moreover, if I didn’t use my computer, I couldn’t do my English homework or have a look at my History notes.

IS INTERNET ADDICTION REALLY A PROBLEM?

One of the issues which the public is particularly concerned about is the internet addiction, but is it really a problem? Well, it is impossible to deny the incredible significance of the internet and the effects its development has had on the world. Today the internet touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives.

First of all, we shop online, we keep in touch with friends and family, we read news from all over the world since planet is connected thanks to internet. Actually, we would be able to do nothing without it. Teenagers, including me, usually use it to search for further information, to do homework or projects or simply to listen to music. They usually spend more than an hour a day surfing on the Internet.

However, more and more people overuse the internet, and they feel a compulsive need to be connected, so some scientists have considered it an addiction, which can be harmful for our mental health. When we talk about internet addiction disorder we refer to excessive internet use that interferes with a daily life. Those who suffer from this addiction can be carefree because there are plenty of solutions.

Personally, I have messaged people who live in other countries. It’s because I have some friends who live overseas; one of them lives in the USA and the other one in India. Furthermore, I have my own blog, which I created three years ago. I generally use it almost every week to write some articles in English. As I see it, I don’t consider myself an internet addict.

What's about cyberbullying?

The topic I am going to deal with in this composition is cyberbullying, so it is important to define it. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Currently, more and more people, especially teenagers, are suffering this problem. In schools, teens usually upset other because they don’t like what they are like, if they are shy or not talkative, or even their style of dress. This later becomes in rumours, teasing, lies, and harassment every day and in some of the cases this situation brings the victim to the grave.

According to a report, education is the key to fight any type of bullying to children. It is said that unless we teach children about cyberbullying and its consequences, it will be more difficult to combat it in the future. Today, there are a lot of campaigns against this issue, so many famous people are eager to help victims, as well.

On the whole, I think that it is very important to make people aware of cyberbullying, how we can prevent it and also how we can help the victims. In all schools there should be specialists who would offer their support and with whom to speak clearly about the problem.