The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Parents
Knowing when to introduce a smartphone isn’t easy for parents; it’s a life-altering choice and one that brings up anxiety and uncertainty among parents and caregivers who are worried about social pressures, mental health issues, brain rot, and losing their kids to the all-consuming desire to scroll.
Instead of a smartphone or even a flip phone, some parents are opting for a third choice that maintains connection and allows for socializing, while still limiting kids’ access to digital spaces: the good old-fashioned landline.
“Many parents are reactivating their long-dormant landlines for one primary reason: They’re 99% safer than most smartphones,” explains Jordan. “Landlines don’t have apps, texting, web browsers, or social media, and they can only be used in the house.”
Jordan notes that having a landline, without relenting on their issues with smartphones, solves several issues: It lets parents check in on kids who are home by themselves and allows kids to connect with grandparents and family friends without borrowing a parent’s phone. And, since these landlines are often in a shared space, like a family room or kitchen, it allows for some level of parental oversight. Plus, a predatory stranger lurking on Roblox can’t DM their child on a landline.