Mobile Phones, Laptops, Digital Cameras, IPods - Primary School Children Are Spoiled Rotten

Mobile Phones, Laptops, Digital Cameras, IPods - Primary School Children Are Spoiled Rotten

Most children under the age of 10 own mobile phones, new research has revealed.

In fact, kids these days have gadgets coming out of their ears. Quite literally. Are they just spoiled rotten or is this actually necessary?

The survey, carried out by Prezzybox.com, found that three in five children under the age of 10 have mobile phones and three-quarters own PCs or laptops.

Many more have digital cameras, handheld consoles, iPods or MP3 players and a TV in their room.

Just over half of parents said they had bought their child a mobile phone having given in to constant pressure. Oh dear.

And more than half said they didn't monitor usage in any way. Which is rather worrying.

Many parents said they let their children have a television in their bedroom because it cut out arguments with other siblings over the remote control.

There's a pattern here, isn't there? The path of least resistance. When did parents stop saying "no" to their children?

Zak Edwards, Managing Director of Prezzybox.com said: "I don't think that the worry is that so many children have and use mobile phones, but that so many parents are unaware of exactly what it is their children are using them for.

"I do see the safety issue with mobile phones and the need to have them in times of need. Whilst I think laptops and computers are important for education, internet access should either be restricted or at the very least, monitored, again for the safety of the child.

"The easiest way to do this is with limited access whilst they are online, and by monitoring the number of calls and text messages that they make."

But it's not all bad news - another story this week claimed that "textspeak" actually helps kids' literacy skills.

Surprisingly, research carried out by the British Academy found that children who texted regularly often had sophisticated literacy skills.

Right. They just choose to ignore them.

At what age would you allow your child to have a mobile phone?

Source: www.prezzybox.com

Source: Daily Mail

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