The reason a parent buys their child a mobile phone is changing, especially amid the pandemic. In the US in a survey in 2019, 40% of parents “admitted to allowing their kids to use cell phones to keep them entertained / give themselves a break!”. While slightly selfish for this minority, a majority of them, 83% of parents, stated that the main reason, and this is probably more so now, was to “allow their kids to use a phone so they can stay in contact with them…and…53% of parents allow their kids to use cell phones as they believe they are educationally beneficial”. Having a device that can be a tool to maintaining communication with their children and with benefits from an educational perspective are very positive reasons for child safety and maximising learning opportunities. But allowing their kids to be “glued to their cell phones for in some cases 30 hours a week” is not a healthy usage and needs to be managed by the parents. The new Geniora and Blabloo smartphones can help address these requirements and ensure that children learn to use technology safely and securely.
