this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2025

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269

Parents turn to smartwatches for their children amid global phone screen-time pushback (www.straitstimes.com)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

Why are parents so desperate to track their kids? Don't they trust them?

We had a problem with our oldest not coming home on time. So we asked them, and they didn't have a way to keep track of time. So we got them a cheap Casio and the problem is solved. They love the watch, and independence, and trust.

When we give our kids a phone, it won't have any restrictions, because it means we trust them. We don't, so we're holding off. I'm unwilling to spy on them, so they'll get a phone when I trust them without filters.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 53 minutes ago (1 children)

You seem like a great parent! I'm personally leaning towards giving them dumb phones once they have to take public transport to school, for the convenience of them being able to inform me when they miss the bus or want to have lunch at a friend's. But who knows if or when I'll even have kids, lol. Maybe things will change in that time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 40 minutes ago

Yeah, that's my take as well. When they need one, we'll start simple. If they do well with that, we'll expand to a smartphone, again, when they need it (maps and whatnot).

Right now, my kids don't need it since we take them to/from school (charter school), but the oldest will be changing schools soon to the local public school, so they may need one for after school activities. I'm not giving them something because their friends have it (theirs do), I'll give them something because they need/earned it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago

Good god, that makes too much sense! Away with you, we need to implant tracking devices in our offspring and I'll hear nothing else on the matter

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

In five years: "After global ban of smart watches in schools, parents are increasingly turning to bodyguards and private chaperones".

[–] [email protected] 64 points 1 day ago (14 children)

This has been so good for me and my kid. If they are out and feel like they need adult help, we are a watch tap away. If they want to come home early from a friend's house, send me a code and I'm there. If they want to go to their friend's house after school, I'm a text away.

We have a no phone until you're 13 rule so while the watch is a stripped down phone, it's not a phone so easy for us all to understand, plus it's already stripped down, no hassle no fuss.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Parents turn to smart watches? Not in my household! Not one more fucking non Linux piece of shit spying screen more.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 day ago (2 children)

A modern day equivalent of "we don't own a tv"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago

I guess? I think it's more like "we don't have cable/satellite TV." My kids have watches, they just don't connect to the internet. And why should they?

I have a smart watch, but I only use it to buy stuff, and I don't wear it everywhere either. It's not even really connected to my phone (I have to switch profiles to connect it).

[–] [email protected] 7 points 16 hours ago

I still say this to cable companies and other tv providers, is awesome and hilarious how they can't continue their phone sale.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can I interest you in an IBM WatchPad? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_WatchPad

[–] [email protected] 4 points 19 hours ago

Yes, sign me up.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

I stopped smoking cigarettes. I’ve moved on to cigars.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I mean you say that as a joke but cigars you don’t usually inhale into your lungs. Like you’re still at risk of mouth cancer, but if you switched from Cigarettes to cigars, you wouldn’t suffer the myriad of negative health effects that comes with being a cigarette smoker which would objectively be a huge improvement.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

Moving to cigars first actually helped my father quit smoking completely

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Wait you're not supposed to inhale cigar smoke into your lungs? How do you get high from those then?