Wait Until 8th: Here’s 3 Reasons Your Child Should Wait on a Cell Phone [VIDEO]

Cell phones can be used for so much good in the right hands.  Over the past several years it seems the age of kids getting them keeps getting younger and younger.

WHAT IS WAIT UNTIL 8TH?

As parents, we do our best to protect and shield our children from the dangerous parts of the world.  One of the ways we do that is by keeping them from being exposed to those things that could harm them.

The Wait Until 8th Pledge is helping parents with this;

The Wait Until 8th pledge empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least 8th grade.  By banding together, this will decrease the pressure felt by kids and parents alike over the kids having a smartphone.

WHY KIDS SHOULD WAIT?

Angel here and I am a mother of five.  I believe every single child matures differently but the world seems to be moving along in just the same pattern. Making the decision collectively to wait until your child is at the end of their middle school years could help them avoid unnecessary drama and trouble.

1.  Phones are taking away from kids being kids.  They get a phone and suddenly they withdraw from the world.  They don't want to play outside or hang out with friends or family.   They become less active.

2.  Phones open kids up to a world far outside of their front porch.  When a kid gets a phone, especially one with access to the internet they are vulnerable to predators.  Even when a parent takes the steps to restrict access to a phone if someone wants to get to them bad enough they will find a way.  Social Media sites allow for easy access to kids' information.

3.  Phones are pulling kids away from the basic life skills they need and should have in order to walk through life.  Kids communicate less when they have phones.  They choose to text over calling and keep their noses buried in their phones around others.  It has become a norm everywhere for kids and even their parents to pull out a phone to avoid having to have a conversation.  Most kids these days aren't even able to hold a decent conversation in a job interview or with another person because phones have alienated them from doing so.

ONE PARENTS OPINION

My oldest two children both waited until they were 12 and 14 to get phones.  One did relatively well with his and the other one had his taken away (can you guess which one?)  If you guessed the younger one you would be right.  He wasn't responsible enough.

We also have six and eight year-olds and they are begging for phones.  We have given them phones they can play games on that stay here at home that we can monitor.  They do not have access to social media and have kid's youtube to watch shows.

My kid's will not get their own phone until they are older.  We take them everywhere. If we aren't with them they are with someone who does have access to a phone.  There is no direct need for them to have a working phone to call us.  If they do for some reason as they get older need one they will be given one that can call and text and that will be it.

I was having a conversation with another mother last week and she told me about the girl's her daughter was friends with and how they bully each other on social media.  She said it was awful.  The girls are in 8th grade.  Even with her monitoring it is happening.

If you are going to get your child a phone be aware and be present in all they are doing to help prevent anything that could harm them.