Usefulness of Mobile in Teenagers!
Teenage is that phase of a person’s life which is the most troublesome, not for the teenage kid but for his parents! We all know it is so tough to handle teenagers, especially in the modern age where their demands are ever increasing.
Peer pressure and competition has fueled their demands even more. In the race of staying ahead teenagers are not teenagers any more, they want to be treated like grown ups and how! These days since most of the kids are tech-savvy, they want latest gizmos too. And one gizmo that is right up on their priority list is that latest mobile phone which is better than their friend’s. And the parents of these kids are definitely is a fix, as to whether buy them a mobile phone or not.
What parents feel: Seeing the recent MMS cases of school kids the parents certainly feel that getting their young one a mobile phone is going to spoil them. But the teenagers feel that having a mobile phone in today’s age is a must. Some parents do feel that mobile phones are essential for kids, as they can stay connected all the time. In today’s time the parents themselves are so busy that they can’t be with their children 24X7. So in such a situation a mobile phone is a useful gadget to know what their kids are doing and to keep a check on them. But what is to be done when the mobile which helps them to stay connected with their kids itself is spoiling their kids? The features like video recording, camera, Bluetooth, and MMS can be easily misused by the kids. That is what holds back a parent from buying a mobile phone to his kid. Also, a mobile phone doesn’t connect a child to his parents, but also to his friends. So most kids end up chatting with their friends all the time. There have recent cases where students have been caught using mobile phones in the schools. Such usage of mobile phone certainly hampers their education and studies. But obviously a mobile phone is useful for the kids if it’s used properly.
What teenagers feel: Young teenagers have another story to tell. For them mobile phone is something which is part of their life and they can’t do without it. It helps them stay connected to the global world which is very important in today’s competitive world. When parents themselves want their kids to be ahead in every field then why not to buy them a mobile phone when their friends have one. It is so demoralizing for a child when his friend is flashing his latest phone and the child doesn’t have one of his own. It makes the child feel discouraged and low on self esteem.
Use of mobile phones for teenagers: This is a communication age and a mobile phone is the ultimate tool for communication. With mobile phones having new and enhanced features like internet and blogging, it gives a child to express and display his creativity too. Also they want mobile phones have their own private space. Also teenage is such an age when a child trusts and shares with his friends than his family. So obviously they need the mobile phone to talk to their friends whenever they want to, whether at midnight or early morning. Apart from all this mobiles these days have various features like radio, video recording, and mp3 players which are entertainment sources for teenagers. So whenever they are getting bored they have their entertainment in their hands if they have a mobile phone.
To do or not to do: Well, having a mobile phone for teenagers is not that bad idea after all. But see to it your child is not misusing it. It’s very important for the teenagers to understand themselves that having a mobile phone is utility, not facility. They have to understand that teenage is such a naïve phase of life and they should not take such a step which can ruin their future. Also parents can keep a check to give their teenaged kids such phones which do not have features like camera and video recording, so that the phone can’t be misused by them.
Great article. I often write about teens and cell phones myself. The world is going mobile and parents must understand that.