Should parents restrict their children’s technology use?

Guest Columnist Romi Nachman and Features Editor Izzy Friedland.

photos by Gabe Krantz

Guest Columnist Romi Nachman and Features Editor Izzy Friedland.

Izzy Friedland and Romi Nachman

Below are two responses to parental restrictions on child technology use. Guest Columnist Romi Nachman believes that parental restrictions are beneficial. Her opinion is located on the top of the page. Features Editor Izzy Friedland argues that these restrictions are harmful for children. His opinion is located on the bottom of the page.

Yes, screen time should be limited

As teens, it is typical for us to want independence and to do what we think is best for ourselves. While we are growing and it is important for us to make our own decisions, we are still kids, and our parents are there to teach and guide us to become the best people we can be. Sometimes, this guidance can mean the unfortunate process of setting limits, specifically on technology.

Technology is an incredible resource, something that we use every day to work, communicate with others and stream shows and movies.

While all the information available to us through technology can be a great tool, it becomes very distracting. According to Common Sense Media, on average, teens in the U.S. spend around nine hours on entertainment media (games, videos and social media) every day. I admit that I often find myself watching shows or being on social media when I should be more productive.

I used to spend around an hour on my phone or computer before starting my homework, which was a problem because I didn’t get home until 7 p.m. after all my extracurriculars. When I finally finished my work, it would be very late and I wouldn’t be able to get enough sleep, let alone spend time with my family. Since I stayed up late, the next day I would be very tired and would have trouble focusing throughout the school day.

My parents, who did not approve of this behavior, decided to to limit the amount of time my sister and I use technology every day. My parents wanted to remove all technology from my room, except for my computer to do homework.

In addition to this ban, my parents found a parental control device and app called Circle with Disney. The program helps to balance technology and family time by allowing parents to limit the amount of time their kids spend on technology.

The app allows my parents to see the websites I use and the amount of time I spend on technology in general. They have the option to block specific websites and apps at certain times, and to shut down the Wi-Fi when they think I should be going to sleep.

At first, I thought this decision was really annoying. I didn’t like my personal freedom being restricted, especially when it was something as simple as using technology.

But as time went on, I realized the change positively impacted my life. I am able to plan my day wisely, make goals and work on time management. Since the Internet gets turned off at 11 p.m., I know that I am on a time crunch to finish work. When I get home from school, instead of getting on my phone, I remove it from my room so I won’t get distracted.

Because of this simple change in my routine, I am able to get work done earlier and more efficiently, leading me to get better grades and have more free time to exercise, read or even be on my phone or computer before bed.

Overuse of technology restricts us from doing so many other valuable things like spending time with people in person, finding a new hobby and so much more.

These limits gave me a perspective on my goals and the way I spend my time. Instead of binge watching a show, I study, catch up on sleep and spend time with family and friends. I may not be able to stay up late to Snapchat my friends or finish “Stranger Things,” but I have learned to set my priorities straight and not let technology control my life.

No, screen time should not be limited

While I’ll be the first to agree that people, especially teens, don’t always handle our screen time well, I think the answer is not parental control, but self-control.

I’ve never been a paragon of personal responsibility. I’ve turned in numerous assignments late. Like many teens, I often lose myself in my phone. I’m not a big social media guy, but you couldn’t drag me away from messing with my friends online if my life (or, more likely, grade) depended on it.

Nevertheless, I still rely on myself more than my parents to keep myself steady. I do this not because I’m scared of life without my phone, but because I’m scared of life with it.

Cell phones are becoming increasingly necessary and common in the workplace, as well as in school. Parental supervision and control may suffice for middle school and high school students, but these students will not remain middle-schoolers and high-schoolers forever.

According to a Pearson study, more than four-fifths of college students use a smartphone regularly. It is safe to assume that most of those students don’t have parents ensuring they don’t abuse their technology twenty-four hours a day.

When those college students start working in offices and going to meetings, their parents will not be able to tell them to stop playing Candy Crush and listen to their boss.

If the only thing stopping a teen from wasting their time online is their parents, then they will likely find themselves ill-equipped to handle independent responsibilities like college and the workplace.

If a teen learns from a failed assignment that they aren’t using their time well, they have the opportunity to make a healthier choice in the future. Parents may be able to help with that decision, but ultimately the choice must come from the student if anything is really going to change.

There’s a case to be made for parents stepping in when teens misuse their technology, but I think that any support they provide has to be wanted by their child— otherwise, the support feels like an attack.

People learn by making their own mistakes. If we aren’t given the chance to see why our choices are poor ones, we will never learn to stop making them.

Many are the assignments and deadlines I have missed, but not so many are the ones I’ve missed after deciding I need to make better choices about how I spend my time. I still mess up sometimes, but at least the decision was my own. Because I made that decision, even fewer will be the assignments I miss in the future.

Our world is constantly evolving in new, sometimes terrifying ways. We can’t always control things like our Twitter feeds or the need for our technology in everyday life. Similarly, our parents can’t always control what we’re exposed to, and that’s not always a bad thing.

Ultimately, the only thing we can really try to control is ourselves. The only way to learn from our mistakes is to have the ability to make mistakes. It might be too early to tell, but I think that ability has done more for my life than any control exerted by my parents.