For Families, Dumb Phones Might Be the Smart Choice

From playgrounds chats among parents to morning news shows, we can’t seem to escape pontificating on how to get a better handle on kids’ screen time. It seems like almost every week there’s new research on the dangers posed by internet-connected devices for children. This is why many families, mine included, have decided to go dumb. More and more families are turning to landlines and non-internet connected phones (also called dumb phones) as the safer alternative for minors.

Given all of the research, the choice to go dumb might just be the wave of the future. Not only does this choice protect minors from the most extreme online dangers, which have led to what Jonathan Haidt calls “the anxious generation” but it also allows kids and teens the opportunity to slowly improve their communication skills as they grow and mature.

So much of the screen time conversation has been around total time spent online, but recently released research from the NIH’s Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study shows that "addictive use trajectories” may be more important than the total amount of time a child or teen is spending online. In the report, “Almost 1 in 2 youths had a high addictive use trajectory for mobile phones” which led to greater risks of suicidal behaviors and suicidal ideation. Knowing which children will or will not fall into a pattern of addictive use will require far more study, but for kids who are growing up today, we can’t afford to wait for the answers. By delaying a personal smart device as long as possible (ideally until after high school graduation), parents can protect their child from unnecessary harm—all while encouraging independence and autonomy.

For families who want to “go dumb,” here are a three tips:

1. Install a landline phone when your children are in elementary and middle school.

This allows children the ability to call a classmate and check on a homework assignment, make plans for the weekend, or touch base with grandma. It will also help provide peace of mind for parents as children start to spend small amounts of time home alone. Landline phones will protect your child from unwanted pornography exposure and addictive algorithms. Keeping up with parental controls and filters is a full-time job these days, and even the most active parent is no match against again BigTech with its constant changing settings on each device and app. 

Requiring your children to learn how to speak over the phone will also improve their communication skills, setting them up for a lifetime of success in both their private and professional worlds. Unlike a tablet which only allows kids to contact users who are on the same iOS, a landline phone can call any wired or cellular phone number. My children often use our landline to call the cell phone of their friends’ moms. This has forced my children to speak with adults and to be thoughtful about time management as our landline is shared among all members of our household. 

Keeping up with parental controls and filters is a full-time job these days, and even the most active parent is no match against again BigTech.

A landline also affords families the opportunity to ask a teenage babysitter to leave her smartphone at home as there is a phone readily available should an emergency occur. If you live in a newer home without a phone jack, a landline can be connected through your internet provider. Some families have chosen to purchase talk/text-only dumb phones that lives in the kitchen and is treated as a landline. There are even entire companies now devoted to making dumb phones cool again like the Tincan Phone whose slogan is, “All Talk, No Smarts.”

2. Delay the mobile phone as long as you can.

As your child enters late middle school or early high school, a mobile device may help with communication as your child gains more independence. In our house, we have decided that our oldest child will receive his first mobile device once he gets a job at age 15. We’ve settled on a basic talk/text only dumb phone. Again, there is no addictive algorithm, access to pornographic material, or time-consuming online games. When sharing with his buddies that he wasn’t going to be getting a smartphone, one 16-year-old quipped, “Yeah, that’s good. There’s a lot of bad stuff online.”

Instead of asking a teenager to carry around a portal to danger, a basic dumb phone will give your child a growing sense of independence in an age-appropriate fashion. Dumb phones aren’t always on display in the storefront of your local cell phone provider, but I have found that asking for such a device will turn one up quickly enough. These phones are far less expensive (typically around $100 for the phone and $5-10 for the monthly service plan) than their “smart” alternative.

Similar phones to a dumb phone such as the Wisephone, the Gabb phone with a starter plan, a Pinwheelphone, or Bark phone are also options worth exploring for teenagers.

3. Walk through the FOMO—others may follow your lead!

The hardest part about giving your child a landline or dumb phone may just be their desire to fit in. In speaking with other families, what I’ve seen firsthand is that these struggles are typically overcome within a few weeks, if not a few days. For the younger child who has access to a landline, they feel more grown up than their classmates, yet remain appropriately protected. As other families have heard about our use of a landline, more of them have installed one in their own home. A similar group in Maine has also found dozens of families who are reaping the benefits of landlines. Who knew that being dumb could be so cool? 

The amount of research on the dangers of smartphones and tablets for minors is only growing, so taking the time to educate our children on these dangers, while giving them the freedom to communicate with their friends and family, will equip them in healthy, safe, and age-appropriate ways. As it turns out, it’s really smart to be dumb.

Emily Harrison is a writer, advocate, and speaker on digital media and family. She is a Fellow with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Ambassador for the Phone Free Schools Movement, and ScreenStrong, and member of Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network. She blogs weekly at DearChristianParent.Substack.com.

*Photo credit: Shutterstock