As we start a new norm of waiting high school (or later) to hand over a smartphone, it’s important that we make sure our tweens and teens have other ways to stay in contact with friends and family.
Fortunately, there are so many great options available! For kids who just need to call and text (or just call!), without the distraction of gaming and social media, here are some options we love:
1. Old-fashioned landline
2. Wi-Fi Powered Landline Alternatives (Ooma, Tin Can)
3. Smart Watches (Gabb, Gizmo, Bark)
Beware, these can be very distracting! A good compromise is to have kids only wear them when they leave the house and might need to contact you, and keep them in a drawer the rest of the time. They can also be distracting in school, so be sure to set it on “focus mode” during school, or leave it home entirely. If you choose to send it to school, we also recommend checking with your child’s school to see if they have any policies around smart watches in school.
4. Minimal Phones (Gabb phone 4, Bark Phone (starter plan), Light Phone, Wisephone)
5. Safe Phones with more options: (Pinwheel, Troomi, Gabb Phone 4, Bark)
6. iPhone set to only call and text (using Assistive Access)
