VINTON, Va. (WDBJ) – “Smart Phones should not be in the hands of, I’m going to give you ages 0 to 14. This is about protecting little brains.”
Parents often look for physical threats to their children, so phones often don’t make their lists.
But according to Roanoke County Schools they should be at the top of the threat list.
“Brain is not fully developed till 25. All the teenagers know that. And parents, we need to dial this back. We need to slow it down a little bit,” executive director for the partnership for community wellness Nancy Hans said. “We need to watch how much we’re on our phones and let’s protect these brains.”
The school system brought several child development experts to William Byrd High school to send the message: Phones too soon will impact your child’s development.
Giving your child a Smart Phone gives them access to information at the touch of a button, Information they may not be ready to handle. And that could have deadly consequences.
“We’re seeing deaths from this stuff. We are seeing suicides. We are seeing young kids who are taking their own life because of what they’ve been exposed to and experienced online. And that needs to be something that we all collectively step up and go no more.”
During the presentation a Consultant for Kids and digital Content Emily Harrison gave parents advice on how you can protect your child from the dangers Smart phones bring.
“If your kids have devices, 100% get them out of the bedrooms. Kids need sleep, but just getting good sleep is going to help for a healthier childhood,” Harrison said.
“If you haven’t given these devices yet, don’t. You have a choice. These things are not required for childhood. We are seeing over and over again how damaging they are.”
The county plans to host several more presentations for parents in the future the next one being October 16 at Hidden Valley Middle School.
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