I saw an article by a well meaning rabbi. He told parents that now that your kids are on summer vacation you should make sure that their smartphones have a filter and to monitor the amount of time they spend using them.
This is interesting. In my neighborhood there are thousands of kids. Not ONE has a smartphone [although many are smart and also have a phone at home]. Not one [at least not that anyone can see]. Why? Maybe - because kids don't need smartphones. The families in my community follow the same G-d and the same Torah as the parents in this rabbi's community. So why do none of their kids have smartphones while most of the kids in his community do?
It is not the kids fault. If I was an 11 year old and my friends had that fun toy I would want one too. But why do the parents give it to them?? I am not being critical. I just DONT GET IT!
FILTERS?? Filters are good for your water but a] kids can get around them and b] even what gets through the filter is not healthy for the psyche and soul of a child [or adult].
Take PRIME TIME TV. I don't know what is on these days. I have been out of the loop since the late 1980's. But I know that much of what they were showing back in the innocent 80's was VERY inappropriate for children. Take movies: "R" rated movies meant really foul language and sexually explicit scenes. But even PG was faaaar from what any Orthodox parent should want his kids to see. The "PG [Parental Guidance] doesn't change things. TV is no better. I remember watching a show and the discussion revolved somehow around something arayos'dik and my little, little sister was watching and I was EMBARRASSED.
So sweet friends!!! If you have children DON'T MONITOR how they are using their phones. DON'T get them a filter.
Say "Mommy [or Daddy] and I love you and it is bad for you to have a smartphone". Period. You can use the money you save to buy a raffle ticket for your local yeshiva that you won't win but at least you donated to the yeshiva.
You need your child to be able to call you?
Worry not. I grew up when cell phones didn't exist and we did JUST GREAT!!! My parents needed a break from me when I left home and THEY GOT IT!!:-)
Or he/she can borrow from someone else. Everybody else has one. [That is what I do:-)].
Or you can buy him or her an OLD FASHIONED, late 1990's model kosher phone that has NO internet and just makes calls and texts.
#phonesareaddictive
