LIVING - LIFESTYLE
2009.06.24
Manufacturers have designed a mobile phone specially for children as young as four, and is expected to hit stores in Britain, and parents aren't happy about it.
The brightly coloured Firefly cell phone has only five buttons, among which are two buttons to call Mum and Dad directly.
It has emerged that more than half of children under ten own a mobile, and some concerned parents fear, would boosting the business of the Firefly once it hits the market. So far, more than 7,000 of the £85 Firefly hand phone have been sold in Ireland. The firm is planning to launch their product in UK towards the end of the year.
However, some parents are worried about what the popularity of mobiles might be harmful to children's health, as well as "eroding childhood".
Margret Morrissey of the lobby group Parents Outloud said: "We are continually eroding childhood and making children miniature adults." She added, "The excuse will be that it is for the sake of safety, but in fact it's for the sake of the mobile phone company's bank balance."
Professor Lawrie Challis, who led the Government's research on mobile phone safety, also added that primary school students shouldn't have phones at all. He said that parents should encourage older children to text instead of call, as texting doesn't expose them to as much radiation.
This concern arised as MobileYouth found in a research that 52 percent of children in UK between the age of five to nine have a phone. Among ten to 14-year-olds, usage is about 85 percent.
Annie Lynch, chief executive of Ireland's National Parents Council said: "Targeting a phone at a four-year-old causes us concern. It gives rise to questions as to where parental responsibility is going." She adds: "Why would kids need to be contacted by mobile phone? Why are they not in the care of their parents, teachers or supervisors?"
However, what these outraged parents don't seem to realise is that kids want to BE like their parents. As anyone who has encountered young children might know, it makes them feel important to have a mobile phone of their own. As for "eroding childhood", it's doubtful that owning a mobile phone will make a child any less childish.
Perhaps some parents who both hold jobs have to leave their kids at a nursery, or in the care of a nanny - that's where the direct contact to mum and dad comes in handy. It is indeed useful for the safety of the child. The child would probably feel more secure anyway, with direct access to communicate with his or her parents should the child feel uncomfortable or distressed.
On the other hand, there's the concern about the child's health, which cannot be taken lightly. As well as the concerns of the child being distracted from his or her studies because of the mobile phone - which, these outraged parents, don't seem to note. Maybe they just don't like the idea of their kids "growing up too fast", with a mobile phone.
On sale soon [DailyMail]
The brightly coloured Firefly cell phone has only five buttons, among which are two buttons to call Mum and Dad directly.
It has emerged that more than half of children under ten own a mobile, and some concerned parents fear, would boosting the business of the Firefly once it hits the market. So far, more than 7,000 of the £85 Firefly hand phone have been sold in Ireland. The firm is planning to launch their product in UK towards the end of the year.
However, some parents are worried about what the popularity of mobiles might be harmful to children's health, as well as "eroding childhood".
Margret Morrissey of the lobby group Parents Outloud said: "We are continually eroding childhood and making children miniature adults." She added, "The excuse will be that it is for the sake of safety, but in fact it's for the sake of the mobile phone company's bank balance."
Professor Lawrie Challis, who led the Government's research on mobile phone safety, also added that primary school students shouldn't have phones at all. He said that parents should encourage older children to text instead of call, as texting doesn't expose them to as much radiation.
This concern arised as MobileYouth found in a research that 52 percent of children in UK between the age of five to nine have a phone. Among ten to 14-year-olds, usage is about 85 percent.
Annie Lynch, chief executive of Ireland's National Parents Council said: "Targeting a phone at a four-year-old causes us concern. It gives rise to questions as to where parental responsibility is going." She adds: "Why would kids need to be contacted by mobile phone? Why are they not in the care of their parents, teachers or supervisors?"
However, what these outraged parents don't seem to realise is that kids want to BE like their parents. As anyone who has encountered young children might know, it makes them feel important to have a mobile phone of their own. As for "eroding childhood", it's doubtful that owning a mobile phone will make a child any less childish.
Perhaps some parents who both hold jobs have to leave their kids at a nursery, or in the care of a nanny - that's where the direct contact to mum and dad comes in handy. It is indeed useful for the safety of the child. The child would probably feel more secure anyway, with direct access to communicate with his or her parents should the child feel uncomfortable or distressed.
On the other hand, there's the concern about the child's health, which cannot be taken lightly. As well as the concerns of the child being distracted from his or her studies because of the mobile phone - which, these outraged parents, don't seem to note. Maybe they just don't like the idea of their kids "growing up too fast", with a mobile phone.
On sale soon [DailyMail]
