Magie Vargas

Professor Bowers
English 1101
Final Draft Argument
May -13-2016

Lets Get Rid of Cellphones!

When I was in child, I remember running and dancing at the dozens of parties my family
and I attended. I would get together with other children and run around the dance floor singing
and laughing without a care. If you compare my childhood to children today you will quickly see
the difference between the two. Many kids under the age of 12 now have phones or use the
phones of their parents and are constantly using it throughout the day playing games, using social
media, and watching videos, this mixed in with the constant use of other handheld devices such
as tablets, computers, and music players is having many affects on the next generation of
individuals. For this reason, I believe that children under 12 should not be allowed to own or use
handheld devices for an extended amount of time as technology is only detrimental before the
age of 12 (Rowan).
The use of handheld devices is steadily taking over the childhoods of kids, they have
become so dependent that they rely on it for everything. They use their devices when they go to
the bathroom, when they are eating, and every other instance they have a chance. This is a huge
concern, because the use of technology in individuals under the age of 12 can be detrimental to
child development and learning(Rowant). In order for children under the age of 12 to not be so
overrun by technology, the parents should also be responsible enough to show them that

technology is not always needed. According to a research article that was posted in USA Today,
parents need to be good role models, they need to show their children that social media is not an
essential activity and need to be role models for their children to follow. This will result in less
use of technology by the children and will eventually allow them to truly discover that there are
more things to life that being online throughout the day.
Another reason technology should not be used so heavily by kids is that it distracts from
learning, they use social media and affects everything: personality, interactions, views of others,
depression, and ultimately leads to addiction of technology(Rowan).We should also make sure
children do not take advantage of using their cellphones to play violent games. Gentile states that
violent media content can cause child aggression (Gentile) and it is something which we should
be fully aware of. Also, if parents allow their children to take their cellphone to school and use it
during classes they are not educating their children appropriately, children are supposed to go to
school to learn not to be distracted with their cellphones. The use of social media is another
problem that comes with the use of cellphones, children are getting addicted to websites such as
facebook, twitter, snapchat, instagram, etc. and it is affecting their daily activities with peers,
family, and even with themselves causing depression anxiety and obesity. It was stated that
Children who are allowed a device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of
obesity(Feng). If technology is taking over education our future generations are going to be
miserable. The ways in which children are raised and educated with technology are no longer
sustainable. Children are our future, but there is no future for children who overuse
technology(Rowan).
Even though cell phones have many drawbacks, they also have many benefits. Cell
phones have allowed us to communicate with each other in a matter of seconds, they have

allowed us to gain access to millions of articles, books, and other material in a matter of seconds.
Even though they provide these benefits, these kinds of resources are not necessarily needed by a
twelve year old. Children should skip using the cellphone until they are older and enjoy their
childhood while they can through exploring the outdoors, playing with friends, and participating
in activities that do not require technology. It is stated by a professor at Harvard Medical School,
John Ratey, who argues that exercise makes the brain function at its best and he claims that
the point of exercise is to build and condition the brain(Ratey). This should encourage kids to
go outside, exercise, and do fun activities with friends and family.
Although cell phones help with communication and help with other things, children
under 12 should not use them. We as a adults should know that children should not be allowed to
own a cell phone and have it all the time, if we give them this privilege, it should be just for short
period of time and only when we are watching them. Since childrens brains are barely
developing before the age of 12, we should limit their usage and the exposure they receive. The
use of this technology can lead to health problems and mental problems, which can be very
harmful for children of that age, these include depression, addiction to technology and changes in
personality. We should be role models for our children and give them the attention they need so
they can live a better life in the long run.

WorkCited

Gentile,D.,Saleem,M.,&Anderson,C.(2007).Publicpolicyandtheeffectsofmediaviolenceon
children.SocialIssuesandPolicyReview,1(1),1561.

Feng, D., Reed, D. B., Esperat, M. C., Uchida, M. (2011). Effects of TV in the bedroom on
young Hispanic children. American Journal of Health Promotion, 25, 310-318.

Jun, Sangmin. "The Reciprocal Longitudinal Relationships Between Mobile Phone Addiction
And Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Adolescents." Computers In Human Behavior 58.
(2016): 179-186. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

"Parents must model proper social media use." USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Complete.
Web. 2 Apr. 2016.

Ratey, John J. & Hagerman, E. (2010) Spark! How exercise will improve the performance of
your brain. London: Quercus.

Rowan, Cris. "10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should Be Banned for Children Under the
Age of 12." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06 Mar. 2014. Web. 26
Apr.2016.<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/10-reasons-why-handheld-devicesshould-be-banned_b_4899218.html>.