Why Do Kids Get Their Phones Taken Away by Parents?

The way parents discipline children has changed over time with the evolution of technology. In fact, 62 percent of parents polled in a Pew Research Center study reported taking away a teen̵7;s phone for disciplinary purposes. Parents have a variety of reasons for taking away cellphones.

  1. Misuse

    • With the freedoms available to kids, it̵7;s possible for them to misuse cellphones. Sexting involves inappropriate use of text messaging to send sexual messages or photos. Kids with smartphones also have access to the Internet, through which they can access potentially harmful websites concerning pornography or gambling, for example. Kids might also exceed usage limits for texting, incurring expensive overage charges. Kids may also misuse a cellphone by engaging in cyberbullying behavior that involves texting others in a disrespectful or intimidating way. Parents may decide to discipline the child for doing such things by taking away their cellphone privileges.

    Overuse

    • Kids can develop habits of overuse and dependency on cellphones, which could lead to a compulsive habit, according to the CommonSense Media website. If you discern that your child is using her cellphone too much or at the wrong times of the day or night, institute firm limits to control the use. You might insist that your child give you her phone during homework time in the evening or at bedtime to ensure that she abides by these limits. You could also purchase a time-blocking service for your child̵7;s cellphone to make it inoperable during certain times of the day and night.

    School Issues

    • If children experience academic or disciplinary problems at school, parents might respond by taking away a cellphone. Sometimes a child may use the cellphone too much and get distracted, which can cause grades to drop. Restricting the cellphone for a period of time can be one way to show the child that his behavior is unacceptable.

    Irresponsibility/Rule Breaking

    • Parents might establish loss of cellphone use as one consequence of infractions, states the University of Louisville Counseling Center. For example, if a youngster violates curfew, doesn̵7;t perform assigned chores or talks on the phone when he should be studying, parents might take away his cellphone for a certain period of time.

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