Smartphones — The new Gameboy for kids
Childhood: One of the most precious times in growing up. The days of being a child were filled with wonderful carefree hours like watching Saturday morning cartoons, climbing up a tree, playing on the jungle gym, pretending to be in an imaginary world and enjoying a midsummer sunset with friends that you truly cared for.
These days were from good times. Better times, when children had no worries. All was well.
So please explain to me, at what point in life did children start to worry about their social status by not having a damn Smartphone?!
In the recent years, Smartphone’s have become more popular then the pope itself and nearly everyone is able to afford it. It’s quick, practical and takes up everyone’s needs. However, it baffles me nowadays to see a 9 year old playing Angry Birds on his 600 euro expensive iPhone 5. Why does a child need such an exquisite device? Just for the social status, to know that they’re the most important person in their friend’s circle, just to expand furthermore the idea of superficiality? I mean, it’s beneficiary nowadays for a kid to have a mobile phone so that you can contact them about their whereabouts or just send a quick message, but to give him or her something that normally an adult only has, is just over the top. And I fail to believe that a child of such age is capable of buying such an exclusive device. So how do they get this? How do they come across such fine technique?
Well, they were either REALLY good, so that Santa Clause brought them from his sadistic sweatshop … I mean workshop or the parents were gullible enough to give into their demands. And it’s rest to assure which case is more likely. And if you haven’t figured it out yet, it’s the latter.
Now don’t get me wrong: introducing your child to computer/the internet is an important step to help children understand the world better. That way you can spend quality time with them and tell them what is right and wrong. However, if they’re alone with these devil devices, they’re destined to be exposed to harmful sites.
I remember as a kid, that I would have never gotten such presents because my parents told me the lessons of virtue e.g. if I wanted something, then I had to work for it. Otherwise it didn't feel that I deserved it and I’m destined to become a selfish brat. Today’s parents express their love by giving them expensive gifts instead of spending the necessary time a child craves for. That can’t be good parenting. Or did I miss out on something of what good parenting is in the recent years? But hey, because nothing says “I love you” then buying a mobile phone.
I know, that most parents haven’t got the time for their kids, they’re busy working to support themselves and their families but it’s just ridiculous by showing your affection with overprized gimmicks.
So instead of wasting your money on a soon to be obsolete electronic, invest your money on a good education for your child, spend some quality time with each other and show them that there is more to life then wasting your eyesight on a metal compound composed of glass and lithium.
