He is back to school and for some parents, the opportunity to offer a first phone or smartphone to his son. A choice that is not easy since there are models in the market. To this is added fears around the dangers that these devices can allow, like cyberbullying.
When to go to the first smartphone? What model choose? How to ensure the use of this device by your child? There are some tips here.
From the first mobile phone to the first smartphone, when should you give in?
There is no phone before 11 years. This is what Emmanuel Macron recommends, and above all a group of experts whose report aims to better supervise the exposure of young people to screens. According to them, you must equip your child with a phone function (or a silly phone, a stupid phone, instead of smartphones, smartphones, internet and applications) until your 13 years and then offer your first smartphone.
They are not the only ones that are of this opinion, and for a good reason. Giving a telephone function as the first phone for your child is a way to “delay the registration and use of social networks”, such as Justine Atlan, director of the E-Enfance Association, in Tech & CO, in September 2024.
If these platforms are supposed to be prohibited for children under 13, many of them are recorded much earlier. But it is not possible to access him with a “basic” phone.
Is it worth smartphones for children/adolescents?
A smartphone designed specifically for children or adolescents? The idea may seem good, but the medal has many setbacks. On the positive side, these devices, such as the phone, smarteen or NEOW, of Konrow, are deprived of the Internet and social networks, or allow Internet access, but with limits. In general, for very young adolescents, we prefer to recommend the phone, which is cut for the minimum (call and send messages) and do it well.
Most of the devices for young users are trapped in a little flattering material reality, which inevitably limits their uses. Its very small prices, some models, for example, marketed to 100 euros, de facto involve a configuration that is generally exhausted.
For reasons of economic equation, its components are economic and, therefore, they are not very successful, not to mention their sustainability. In other words, if you offer this type of device to your child when you enter the sixth place, the smartphone will be difficult to celebrate the road more than a year or two. To this is added the fact that these smartphones are often executed under an old version of Android. Android 11, for example, in the case of the phone, or this version has not been updated since February 2024.
In addition, the overlap implemented by certain manufacturers is not always successful. Sometimes, by blocking certain users of adolescent users sometimes complicate the task of parents who want to activate parents’ control functions or applications.
Can the second hand or the classic entry level be good solutions?
What is the first intelligent phone for your child? If everyone provides their response, it seems to us that the second -hand market or the entry level models are good solutions, which meet quality, safety and sustainability requirements. Reconditioned, a smart phone used includes many advantages, including a lower price compared to the new and the durability of the generally good components. Whenever he chooses it well.
The latter are also very good options, being sober and affordable, so much that some can be cheaper than smartphones designed for children/adolescents. This is the case of the Samsung Galaxy A17 (199 euros for version 4G and 229 euros for version 5G), where the smarteen costs 289 euros (+ the price of the subscription at 9.99 euros per month).
The performance and ergonomics part is guaranteed in both cases, but what about the control of parents, the safety of children in their daily uses? This is where parents control tools enter, which are available to protect them and define limits.
What tools use to ensure and limit use? Applications or services on the board on Android/ios?
The tools offer is overwhelming to help parents support their children in the use of their first smartphone. Starting with parental control. Apple, like Google, offers one on its devices, which allows the screen time, the applications that can download or locate it. Third -part applications are also available, usually subject to a subscription, such as Questiodio.
Smart telephone manufacturers also make other tools available, such as Samsung. In November 2022, he joined the creators of digital educational resources for children and their mediators of Trallere to launch Monpremielephone.fr.
This platform was designed to provide parents with parents while helping them to adopt good reflexes with their first smartphone through questions and challenges.
Because, ultimately, whether you opt for a second -hand phone or a dedicated device, even an old mobile phone, it is essential to accompany this child’s entry into digital life. You have to establish rules and explain them. So that they understand and do not suffer. You can even define the configuration in your company and define the steps that will accompany your digital adolescence, towards more responsibility and freedom, but always under your benevolent leadership. Once again, parents are there to educate and explain, the rest, regardless of the device, it is a contract to define and go with the child, a commitment and a confidence to establish.
Source: BFM TV
