[Feared even by the founder of Apple] The gravitational pull of smartphones
“In our home, we strictly limit the amount of time our children spend with technology.”
Do you know who said these words? There is hardly anyone who does not know this person.
It is Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple.
Yes, the very person who created the iPhone and brought about a revolution in the world.
So why did the man who created the smartphone restrict his own children's use of it?
Overwhelmingly high addictiveness
Smartphones have become indispensable in modern society. I myself rely on them heavily for both work and my private life. I believe you are all the same.
At the same time, you are all painfully aware of the high addictiveness of smartphones. Social media, subscriptions, games. Once you open them, the devilish trap of being unable to stop takes hold, and time passes in the blink of an eye.
Steve Jobs, as the very person who created this attractive device, understood better than anyone the danger that children with weak self-control would be unable to stop once they touched it.
The human brain develops from the back of the head toward the front. The area of the brain that governs self-control is called the “prefrontal cortex” and is located in the frontal part of the brain.
In other words, a child's brain is still underdeveloped, making it extremely difficult for them to control their smartphone use by their own will. If even a fully developed adult brain cannot stop, there is no way a child can.
Children who feel uneasy without their smartphones
I sometimes talk to my cram school students about smartphones, and almost all of them say this:
“I feel uneasy without my smartphone.”
Now, it is not that the children themselves do not understand the dangers of smartphones; that is certainly not the case.
They are fully aware of the addictive nature of smartphones, and they even understand that “if I didn't have a smartphone, I could spend more time on other things.”
Even so, they still say they feel uneasy without their phones and want to keep them with them at all times. Even if they understand it in their heads, they still cannot stop. That is the true terror of the smartphone.
Concentration stolen during class
It goes without saying that the speed of brain development varies from person to person. Some children have faster brain development and can control their smartphone use to some extent on their own. On the other hand, there are children who become absent-minded during class.
When I ask, “Your pen has stopped, what are you thinking about?” they say, “I'm thinking about games.” No matter how much I encourage this child by saying, “Let's try to reach this page,” they cannot regain the concentration that has been stolen from them on their own.
However, there is one time when even they can regain their focus as if they were different people.
The only solution is "physical restriction".
That is "smartphone restriction".
When their phones are confiscated or usage is restricted, their concentration clearly improves compared to when they have their phones with them at all times. This is the effect of physically keeping the smartphone away.
Just by having a smartphone, you unconsciously think, "Did I get a notification?" or "I want to continue that game," which forces your brain to consume memory.
However, when the smartphone is physically absent, the brain energy that was being used for that is completely eliminated, and you become able to focus solely on what is in front of you.when the smartphone is physically absent, the brain energy that was being used for that is completely eliminated, and you become able to focus solely on what is in front of you.become able to focus solely on what is in front of you.
What adults can do for children
I have talked about the high level of smartphone addiction, but as mentioned earlier, it is extremely difficult for children with underdeveloped brains to control their smartphone usage on their own.
Since it is not rare for us adults to waste a day just by touching our smartphones, it is even more so for children.
So, what can adults do for children? It is undoubtedly "creating an environment that limits smartphone time."
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, was also one of those who restricted his children's smartphone use. He stated, "I did not let my children have smartphones until they were 14 years old".
In Japan, discussions about smartphone usage have been increasing little by little, but compared to other countries, the dangers are still not being questioned deeply enough.
What is important now is for each adult to correctly understand not only the "benefits" of smartphones but also the "dangers" that lie behind them.each adult to correctly understand not only the "benefits" of smartphones but also the "dangers" that lie behind them..
It is all about how you use things. Even convenient things can become dangerous if used incorrectly. I believe this is one of the important themes that we adults must think about and act upon in order to protect the future and talents of our children.