Many tech advocates and secular experts believe and promote the idea that children should have their own smartphones. They tout the benefits of self-expression (Ep. 212), education, and outdoor safety. Are these benefits really beneficial? Or, are they just convenient? Because Brave Parenting recommends delaying smartphones until age 16, there’s a full decade gap between their recommendations and ours.
This episode is the INTRODUCTION to a series of 10 podcasts evaluating whether the claimed benefits are beneficial from a biblical and discipleship standpoint. While there are many voices promoting that kids have their own smartphones, Kelly will evaluate the list published by Dr. Peter Gray in his Play Makes Us Human Substack titled “Helping Kids (and Ourselves) Use Smartphones Safely.” In this article, he lists “9 Benefits for Kids of Smartphone Ownership.”
Today, we’ll cover how the secular world aims to desensitize kids to online content, the background and beliefs of Dr. Peter Gray, and his views on the potential risks or harms of smartphone ownership. Kelly evaluates each potential harm so that we can all begin to think biblically (rather than “scientifically”) about what smartphones do to children. Ultimately, it is about understanding that what “experts” and “scientists” conclude will always be skewed because they do not see humans as Image-bearers who are with sinful hearts.
Articles referenced:
Helping Kids (and Ourselves) Use Smartphones Safely
Children Should be Outside for 4-6 Hours Every Day
Scripture referenced:
Psalm 19:1-3
Galatians 5:16-17
James 1:14-15, 12
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