‘Distracting and disruptive:’ Parents share why teen phone use should be limited
“The day you give your kids a smartphone, you're taking away their peace of mind.”
Teens and their screens: it’s a complicated — and constant — relationship, according to a new report.
Whether it be connecting with friends and family, using their phones for entertainment, or as mood regulators, a new research report by Common Sense Media found that teens have come to rely on their smartphones for many different purposes and at many different places — at home, at school, and at night — in an almost constant cycle.
Using data collected from the smartphones of about 200 11- to 17-year-olds, the report found that teens get 237 or more notifications each day, with nearly a quarter (23%) of the notifications arriving during school hours.
Phone use policies in schools vary across the country, with states such as Utah banning the use of TikTok and Instagram for children and teens, and some schools here in Massachusetts choosing to lock up students’ phones during the school day.
These measures come as screens become an addictive force in the lives of many teens, according to the report, which found that over two-thirds of 11- to 17-year-old participants in the study said they “sometimes” or “often” find it difficult to stop using technology, and use it to get relief from negative feelings.
A 2022 study from the Pew Research Center corroborates the extent to which phones have usurped the lives of adolescents. About half of teens report that they are on the internet “almost constantly,” with girls slightly more likely to be always online than boys, and Black and Hispanic teens about 50 percent more likely than their white peers.
Among the top apps visited by teens are YouTube, followed by TikTok coming in second, and finally, Instagram, according to the study.
We asked Boston.com readers about whether or not parents should limit their teens’ phone use, and out of 19 survey responses, the majority (95%) said that parents should have restrictions for teens, 5% said ‘it depends,’ and no one voted ‘no way’ to restrictions.
Read comments from five Boston.com readers and parents on why they think teen phone use should be limited.
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
“Parents need to provide guidance and teach their children to have a healthy balance. (This means parents need to put their phones away at times, too!)”
– Anonymous reader
“[Phones are an] amazing distraction and cyber bullying is a big problem.”
Steve, Durham, N.H.
“Smartphones are extremely distracting and disruptive, not to mention addictive. As an adult I have a hard time putting my phone down and not feeling ‘on’; in so many ways being connected has made my life better, but in some ways it has ruined it. Kids need to learn how to just be, to really look at the world around them. Unfortunately phones are here to stay, so it’s of the utmost importance for parents to educate themselves on helping their kids learn to regulate themselves and use technology responsibly.”
– Erica, Foxboro
“The day you give your kids a smartphone, you’re taking away their peace of mind. Smarten up and stop trying to be the ‘cool parent’. I’ve watched friends regret over and over again giving their kids a phone just to stay ‘relevant’ amongst their friends. Adults should know better.”
– EGK, Wrentham
“My husband is a mobile software developer and we have four children and we know that the best thing for children (or anyone!) to be doing is actually living life. Our children get phones when they’re 15 and are not allowed on any social media.”
– Laura S., Belchertown
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