How to control mobile phone use for children

Living in the modern age of technology and devices has seen children like Noella Anthony, become experts in using mobile phones without any help.

From playing games and searching children’s programmes online, four-year-old Noella’s addiction to the cell phone has been growing each passing day.

“I love using my mother’s phone because it has so many games,” says Noella. Every day she waits eagerly for her mother to return from work so she can play games on her phone.

According to Irene Michael, Noella’s mother, her daughter’s interest in using her mobile phone started when she was two years old.

“She would wake up in the middle of the night and start looking for the phone. She would not settle until we gave it to her. She knew how to go to YouTube and would listen to children’s songs before going back to sleep,” says Irene.

Irene and her daughter are not alone as adults, teens and children have been spending hours glued on mobile phones.

“I am also somehow addicted and I think this is the reason why my children have developed an interest in the device,” admits Irene.

Clara Moses, a mother of two children thinks children should be allowed to use the phone in moderation so they can have time to engage in other activities like sports.

Charles Nduku, an educational psychologist agrees, saying children learn by seeing. If parents spend a lot of time on the phone, it’s obvious their children will do the same. He says between ages 2 and 5, children do things by emotion and that they may want to use a phone without knowing why they want to use it.

“Children need time to develop their social skills by playing, talking and even learning how to handle their emotions. They can only learn all of these if they interact with other children instead of spending time alone playing with mobile phones.”

He says parents need to be very smart when using their mobile phones in the presence of the children.