Technology has become an integral part of society, and while there are many benefits to the increase of technology, there are several drawbacks as well. Not only has technology been incorporated in almost every job, but it has squeezed its way into the lives of children. Many parents have controversial opinions on when a child should receive a phone, or any type of technology for that matter.

The actual device itself is not the problem, though. The true danger of technology lies in social media. Social media can be highly addictive and consequently, brings self-destruction. For these reasons, many parents choose to shelter their children from technology as a whole.

“I have a son who is almost two years old, and my wife and I have already talked about what we will and will not let him have when it comes to technology. I think we want to wait to give Parker, our son, a phone until the age of 16. I don’t know though because we live in different times than when I was growing up. I got mine when I was 16, right when I got my car. In all honesty, it’s up to my wife because she is in charge, and I am ok with that,” Mr. Small, St. Dominic director of technology and father said.

In today’s day and age, children rely heavily on technology and the opportunity to play online games for their individual happiness. Back when there was no access to phones, kids were able to make memories outside with their peers. By spending time in nature, it opened up a whole new world of creativity and activity. Kids enjoyed the company of friends and looked forward to face-to-face, rather than screen-to-screen interactions. Many adults and teachers have noticed a change in the new generation who have access to technology when it comes to social skills.

“Most kids that I have taught constantly complain about being bored. They have the inability to entertain themselves without technology. Go outside, ride a bike, go on a walk, kick some rocks,” Mrs. Schuler, vice principal of student life said.

Technology does not have to be a scary thing for parents to consider as there are many things that have been invented in order to keep kids away from the dangers of technology such as screen time limits and age restrictions. However, children will always be wanting more from technology. Many students at St. Dominic had different experiences relating to their first time receiving technology.

“I got my phone during the summer after I graduated 8th grade (going into high school). My parents waited to give me a phone, because there was no essential reason for me to have one, and they did not place any limits on my phone, because I think they trusted me enough to use it correctly. My parents did not really restrict me from much, so I allowed myself to text, call, facetime, and have a few games on my first phone. I have only downloaded Instagram the whole time I have had a phone. I did, however, have an iPad in fifth grade, but the only things that I used on it were Hay Day and YouTube,” senior Malachi Gnade said.

Another thing to consider is the responsibility a child needs to have in order to use technology and social media appropriately. Gnade was responsible enough to only download Instagram instead of all of the other popular and addictive social media apps like Snapchat, Tik Tok, Twitter and Facebook. Gnade was also presented with a phone at the end of 8th grade, which was much later than some students received one.

“I got my first phone in 4th grade because my parents did not set an age limit for any of my siblings. However, they did set some limits on my very first phone. Since calls and texts were prevented on my first phone, I could only play games on it. I got Instagram in 5th grade, but was not allowed to get Snapchat until much later. Before I received a phone, I had a kindle and an iPod which allowed me to experience technology before the iPhone,” junior Marykate Mulvaney said.

Gnade and Mulvaney were introduced to technology at two completely different stages in life. It is difficult to say when the correct age for a child to have a phone is, especially when there are so many different rules and regulations based on different families.

One thing that can be gathered from accessible technology in new generations is that most children who grow up with phones or tablets are less likely to have the same social skills as children who grew up before the turn of the century. Phones were not available for anyone who grew up before the 2000s, so they sought out other ways to play and interact. Kids today, however, would much rather talk to their friends over text or FaceTime instead of engaging in conversations in real life.

From other studies and personal experiences, one could say waiting longer to give phones to children has a more positive effect on them in the future. As technology continues to expand, it is becoming more common to see phones in childrens’ hands. Technology will only become more prevalent, so it is extremely important to educate parents and children on how to be responsible and safe with technology.