In the traditional approach to digital literacy and internet safety, experts in our field, including ourselves, have emphasized the importance of restricting phone access in the bedrooms of youth and teenagers. However, in today’s onlife world, we believe it’s time to initiate an important discussion about reevaluating this rule when it comes to grade 12 students.
On one side of the debate, we acknowledge the valid concerns regarding the adverse effects on sleep and the potential for problematic usage that we will speak to in this posting. However, we also believe that there’s a pressing necessity to equip older teens for the digital environment they’ll encounter when they leave home for college, university, or even job opportunities.
The impact of smartphones on sleep quality for some has been well-documented and beyond dispute. When phones are kept in the bedroom, it’s tempting for teens to use them late at night, resulting in insufficient sleep, which can negatively affect their overall well-being, academic performance, and mood.
Having a cell phone in the bedroom can also create an opportunity for youth and teens to engage in less-than-desirable behavior, such as sexting, cyberbullying, or accessing inappropriate content such as pornography. While most teens will not misuse their phone in this way, the possibility remains, and something that parents must be alive to.
Although we continue to believe that students from grades K – 11 should NOT be allowed to have technology in their bedrooms except in exigent circumstance, as parents, we may want to reconsider allowing grade 12 students who are on the cusp of independence to have access, especially with teens who will likely be moving onto college or university.
Many educational institutions permit students to have smartphones and other tech devices in their dorms, making it essential for teens to develop responsible digital habits before they head off to college. It’s our suggestion that allowing older teens to have phones in their bedrooms can be a valuable step toward teaching them self-regulation and responsibility specific to technology in their bedrooms – proper preplanning prevent poor performance both inside and outside the home.
However, before allowing the privilege of having a phone in the bedroom (yes it’s a privilege and one that can be revoked), parents should assess their child’s level of digital literacy and maturity first. These are the key qualities that will determine whether a teenager, no matter what their age or grade, can handle the needed responsibility of having technology in their bedroom. Are they aware of the potential dangers? Do they understand the importance of time management and setting boundaries with technology?
In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, the debate surrounding whether grade 12 students should have cellphones in their bedrooms is an important one to have in our opinion. While concerns about sleep disruption and inappropriate usage behavior are real, valid, and should not be overlooked, it is equally important that we consider the pressing need to equip our older teens for the tech ubiquitous onlife world they are about to encounter in their college or university endeavors.
As stated earlier, our stance is that students in grades K-11 should not have technology in their bedrooms except in exigent circumstances. However, with grade 12 students who are moving towards independence and college life, it may be time to reconsider the traditional position on no phones in the bedroom for this specific group of teens. Many educational institutions permit tech devices in dorms, necessitating that our teens develop responsible digital habits. Allowing older teens to have phones in their bedrooms can be an important step towards teaching them self-regulation and responsibility in their use of technology in the bedroom.
However, before granting this privilege, it remains our responsibility as parents to evaluate our child’s digital literacy and maturity first. Are they equipped to navigate the potential pitfalls? Do they grasp the importance of time management and setting boundaries with technology? If the answer is no, then no matter what their age they should not be allowed to have access to a cellphone in their bedroom while they are still at home.
The decision to allow cell phones in the bedrooms of grade 12 students may be complex and even contentious within the field of digital literacy education, but it demands a thoughtful and balanced discussion between addressing the potential pitfalls and benefits when it comes to preparing our teens for life post-high school.
As parents, our responsibility is to foster our child’s digital literacy and maturity by offering guidance and support, ensuring responsible tech use. Our aim is to empower our teens to not only thrive in today’s onlife world of technology within the home, but also to prepare them as they step into the wider onlife world outside the home.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
