Giving a child a smartphone is a tough decision for any parent.
Keeping in contact with your child is great, but smartphones carry risks of cyber bullying, opening kids up to inappropriate content, unwanted contact and endless distractions.
That’s where something like a Spacetalk smartwatch comes in handy- it has all the benefits of a regular smartphone, a whole heap of safety features and none of the unnecessary extras, like social media.
Besides these benefits, a smartphone watch can teach kids a lot about responsible phone usage, helping to set the foundation for smartphone ownership when they get a bit older.
Let’s have a look at how a smartphone watch can help prepare kids for smartphone ownership when they’re older.
How smartphone watches can teach responsible phone ownership
A smartphone watch can help instil the below good phone habits in your child:
Looking after it: We’ve all heard horror stories of a child who has been given an iPhone only to drop it and smash the screen almost instantly.
With a rugged design and gorilla glass screen, Spacetalk Adventurer carries much less risk in terms of damage compared to a regular phone.
It is also a good tool to teach kids how to care for a phone, such as making sure it doesn’t get wet and being sure to clean off any dirt and grime at the end of a busy day of play.
Not losing it: It’s an unavoidable fact that kids lose things. Teaching them to put their watch in a safe place every night before they go to bed can go a long way in making sure they’re not running around trying to find it in the morning.
Keeping it charged: This is an important habit to get kids into early. There’s no use having a phone if you can’t use it! By encouraging kids to put their watch on the charger before bed, or as soon as they get home, it will become part of their routine.
For kids who have a bit of trouble remembering things, you can always set a reminder alarm on their watch to help them remember.
Taking it with them: Getting kids in the habit of remembering to take their phone with them is essential. Thankfully, smartphone watches go around their wrist, so putting it on each day can easily become part of their morning routine.
How smartphone watches teach kids phone etiquette
There always seems to be that one person on a crowded train or quiet café talking obnoxiously loud on the phone.
Smartphone watches are a helpful tool for teaching kids proper phone etiquette at a young age, so they don’t become “that person” later on.
These simple tips will go a long way in making sure kids are not only respecting themselves and the person they’re talking to, but those around them.
• Not yelling on the phone: We all know kids can get their inside voice and outside voice the wrong way around now and then. Helping kids find the right voice volume for a phone call is a good habit to get into. Sometimes the other person might have trouble hearing, so remind kids to step outside if they need to talk a little louder.
• Don’t spam people: Kids can sometimes be a little impatient when waiting for a reply and send text after text until the other person responds. Remind kids that people have their own lives going on and won’t always reply when you want them too.
• Answer a call nicely: Teaching kids to answer the phone politely will help them form this essential skill early. Let them practice with you a few times until they get just right.
• No phubbing: Phubbing, or looking at your phone and ignoring the person talking to you, is incredibly rude and can make people feel like they’re not worth listening to. Make sure kids know how this can make people feel and teach them to be in the moment and focus on the person talking to them.
• Keep it nice: No one wants to think their child could be a cyber bully, but chances are most kids might accidentally upset someone over a text message. Remind kids to be kind over text, just like they would be when taking face to face with a friend.
Kids smartphone watches are a fantastic way to teach kids how to be responsible for a phone and lay down the ground rules for good phone etiquette.
With a little patience, some reminders and a little practice, your child will be well equipped to look after a smartphone of their very own when they’re a bit older.