Should Children Have Mobile Phones?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

A recent survey suggests that 9 out of 10 children in the UK own a mobile phone. But many parents are concerned about the physical, emotional and psychological risks of regularly using mobile phones at a young age. So, should children be allowed to have their own mobile phones?

 

Yes – Fiona

My daughter is 13 and has had her own phone since she was 11. As a parent, it’s really reassuring to know that she is able to get hold of me anytime. It makes me feel confident that she’s safe when I can’t be with her such as when she’s walking to and from school or out playing with her friends. And if I’m running late to pick her up, I can let her know rather than leave her wondering where I am.

My son is 16 and likes to stay out late with his mates on an evening. Being able to send him a text to check he’s okay is great. It means I don’t have to embarrass him by phoning his friends’ mothers to track him down or drive round looking for him.

It can be annoying when the kids are attached to their phones all the time but to be honest, most adults are just as bad. Mobile phones aren’t going to go away – they are part of modern life now and so I think it’s good for children to learn how to use them from a young age. They also help my kids to have a good social life – they are never bored because they can always find a friend to talk to or meet up with using their phone.

 

 

No – Vikram

I think it’s really sad to see children as young as eight or nine using mobile phones. It’s just another way in which they are being forced to grow up too quickly. School-age children simply don’t need phones – their parents should know where they are without having to rely on a phone to track them down.

Of course, mobile phones do so much more than simply make phone calls these days which makes the problems worse. I’ve seen young children use their phone pretty much every waking hour – whether they are texting, playing games or checking social network websites for messages. This means that they are not engaging in other healthier past times such as playing outdoors or trying new hobbies.

Children have become obsessed with mobile phones and it makes it difficult to have conversations with them as they can’t focus for more than a few minutes withoutlooking at their phone. I’ve heard reports from parents who say that their children are constantly checking their phone at the dinner table or even using it to message their friends in the early hours of the morning.

There is of course also the worry of potential radiation caused by using mobile phones. Children’s and teenager’s bodies are still developing and it’s unclear what affect using mobile phones has on young bodies.

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Categories: Children, mobile, mobile phones, nbsp, phone, Phones, phones nbsp, young age

Should Children Have Mobile Phones?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

A recent survey suggests that 9 out of 10 children in the UK own a mobile phone. But many parents are concerned about the physical, emotional and psychological risks of regularly using mobile phones at a young age. So, should children be allowed to have their own mobile phones?

 

Yes – Fiona

My daughter is 13 and has had her own phone since she was 11. As a parent, it’s really reassuring to know that she is able to get hold of me anytime. It makes me feel confident that she’s safe when I can’t be with her such as when she’s walking to and from school or out playing with her friends. And if I’m running late to pick her up, I can let her know rather than leave her wondering where I am.

My son is 16 and likes to stay out late with his mates on an evening. Being able to send him a text to check he’s okay is great. It means I don’t have to embarrass him by phoning his friends’ mothers to track him down or drive round looking for him.

It can be annoying when the kids are attached to their phones all the time but to be honest, most adults are just as bad. Mobile phones aren’t going to go away – they are part of modern life now and so I think it’s good for children to learn how to use them from a young age. They also help my kids to have a good social life – they are never bored because they can always find a friend to talk to or meet up with using their phone.

 

 

No – Vikram

I think it’s really sad to see children as young as eight or nine using mobile phones. It’s just another way in which they are being forced to grow up too quickly. School-age children simply don’t need phones – their parents should know where they are without having to rely on a phone to track them down.

Of course, mobile phones do so much more than simply make phone calls these days which makes the problems worse. I’ve seen young children use their phone pretty much every waking hour – whether they are texting, playing games or checking social network websites for messages. This means that they are not engaging in other healthier past times such as playing outdoors or trying new hobbies.

Children have become obsessed with mobile phones and it makes it difficult to have conversations with them as they can’t focus for more than a few minutes withoutlooking at their phone. I’ve heard reports from parents who say that their children are constantly checking their phone at the dinner table or even using it to message their friends in the early hours of the morning.

There is of course also the worry of potential radiation caused by using mobile phones. Children’s and teenager’s bodies are still developing and it’s unclear what affect using mobile phones has on young bodies.

Categories: Children, mobile, mobile phones, phone, Phones, phones nbsp, young, young age

Four Weird and Wonderful Tips to Help You Get Lucky Tonight

What does your mobile phone have to do with your vagina? And does sex improve your cognitive wellness? We spoke to sexual health writer Tim Boyer about some weird and wonderful tips that can help you avoid problems in the bedroom as well as ensure that you will “get lucky” tonight.

 

1. Turn On the Loving By Turning Off Your Mobile Phone: According to sex and relationship expert Laura Berman, ‘Sexual inspiration does not begin between your legs. It begins between your ears.’ And Boyer certainly agrees. ‘Taking your cell phone in bed with you is a big no-no if you want to have satisfying sex,’ he says. ‘Research has shown that rather than the orgasm being the key to sexual satisfaction it’s actually the emotional connection to your sex partner. When you or your partner takes a cell phone to bed, you are connected with everyone but each other. In addition, making the bedroom off limits to your cell phone may be a good idea toward good health in another way. Some reports pose that the habit of carrying your phone in your bra may actually increase your risk of breast cancer.’

 

2. Having Sex Can Actually Make You Smarter: Boyer details, ‘Research done at Rutgers University found that when women were experiencing an orgasm while being scanned by an MRI, the entire brain was firing much more in comparison to when the women were doing brain boosting puzzles. Researchers believe that the increased firing of neurons during an orgasm brings more blood to the brain and in turn makes the brain healthier and more active.’

 

3. Sync Your Sexy Time with Your Sleep Cycle: Researcher Jeanne Duffy, PhD, asserts that avoiding sex at night because you are too tired, ‘…may not just be an excuse.’ But why? Boyer explains, ‘Women as it turns out have a sleep cycle that signals their body that it is time for bed (for sleep) a good hour earlier than in men. Therefore, feigning off sex from your partner at night may be more of a biological issue than an emotional one. Interestingly, however, some men have sex even while asleep in a condition known as “sexsomnia.” One solution offered by the director of female sexual medicine at the Academic Urology’s Centre for Pelvic Medicine in Rosemont, PA is if you find it difficult to have satisfying sex at night because you feel too tired to enjoy it, set your clock to wake you up a little earlier in the morning. However, if that is not possible, then make the effort to sneak in some spontaneous daytime sex while the kids are at school, during their nap or during their TV time.’

 

4. Coffee Can Kick-Start Your Sex Drive: ‘While hormonal research has determined when women are most likely to want to have sex, having a cup of coffee can be all that is needed to get someone in the mood,’ Boyer comments. ‘Studies have shown that when a woman’s “fight or flight” behavioural stimulus is triggered either with a heart-pumping scary movie or exercise, that it is also priming the body for sexual arousal. Caffeine may make a woman feel hotter from the increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and increased blood flow to the genitals that caffeine provides. Furthermore, animal studies demonstrated that giving caffeine to female rats may increase sexual desire as the caffeinated female rats apparently sought out males for some increased copulatory activity. The tip here is to be sure to time your coffee with your aspirations. Caffeine takes about 15 minutes to kick in, and wears off within two to three hours. But don’t overdo the caffeine as too much can suppress your libido as well.’

Categories: caffeine, cell phone, female rats, increased blood, lucky tonight, mobile phone, phone, satisfying sex, sleep cycle, wonderful tips

Runners - Safety Tips to Always Keep in Mind

Running is a great form of exercise but with the number of hazards on the roads, it can also be dangerous if you happen to run in a busy area. There are so many mistakes that we make on a regular basis that could result in injury or worse if we aren’t more careful. You need to be safer when you hit the roads, but how do you know what to look out for? Here are some of the more common mistakes you could be making when you go running.

Map Your Route in Advance

You may know the route you take like the back of your hand, but do your nearest and dearest know where you go? In other words, if anything happened to you, would they know where to begin looking for you? There are online fitness map devices which can help you mpa out your route in advance and leave a copy with your partner or a friend so that someone knows where you are – this is especially the case if you run in the evenings. And if you don’t have time to map out your entire route beforehand, it’s a wise decision to tell someone briefly where you intend to be, even if it’s a note or a text message with the details in. That way, if you’re longer than planned, they have a starting point.

Bring a Cell Phone

It’s a rare occurrence these days that people will leave the house without a mobile phone, but when you’re running it may just seem like another thing you have to hang onto while you’re on your route. It’s a wise choice to take it with you though, so that you have a way of contacting a friend or family member if something goes wrong, or if you need to contact the emergency services for any reason. This is especially the case if you’re in a rural setting.

Carry Identification

You should always carry some form of ID, whether it’s a drivers license or a Road ID bracelet. This is so you can be identified if you’re injured or rendered unconscious. Your ID needs to include your name, emergency contact details and any other important information someone helping you should know, such as drug allergies or medical conditions.

Run Against the Flow of Traffic

Facing traffic can help you see when cars are coming, so you can get out of the way if they’ve not seen you. People aren’t always keeping an eye on the road, and in the even that they’re talking on the phone or trying to change the radio station, you need to be able to see what’s coming at you to avoid an injury. (When you’re cycling though, the rule is the opposite – you need to go with the flow of traffic, not against it.)

Wear Reflective Gear

You need to be easily visible to people driving or cycling in your chosen route, so it’s important that you wear reflective gear – whether that’s a hat, jacket, shirt or button. This is especially the case at dusk and dawn, as well as during the night. This allows for better safety – at the very least, you should avoid wearing dark coloured clothes, such as black or blue, as these cause you to blend in and could mean you aren’t seen by people. The brighter you are, the safer you’ll be on the roads.

Categories: fitness, people, phone, reflective gear, roads, route, Running, Safety, traffic, wear reflective

New Phone? How to Get Rid of Your Old Device

With Earth Day not long gone, now is the perfect time to remember the simple values of environmental wellness. Whether you need to work on turning things off when you don’t need to use them, or simply just remembering to make sure your crisp packet ends up in the bin when you’re finished with it, there’s always something you can do to make a positive impact on the planet’s wellbeing. A great place to start is with your mobile phone.

The proper disposal of mobile phones is important to the environment, and throwing them into the bin should never be an option. You can sell your phone, donate it or even trade it in and get money off your new one, but if these options run out, you should always recycle your electronics. If your phone is busted and no one will be able to get any use out of it, recycling is a great way to go – but that doesn’t mean you have a long way to go before you reach your local recycling.

These days, a lot of shops and carriers will recycle your phone for you. Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, exPhone, your carrier’s shop or your manufacturer’s website may be good places to take your phone off your hands. You won’t get much more than a “thank you” going down this route, but you’ll at least be secure in the knowledge that your device will go through the proper channels of disposal or reuse instead of ending up in a landfill somewhere. If you send in your device to Envirophone, you could even get some money out of it.

If you want more than a pat on the head when you get rid of your old devices, selling them will help you do your bit for the planet, and your bank balance! Presumably, if you’re getting rid of your old phone, you’re going to need a new one and so selling your old devices can help you to get the money you need towards it. Many users sell their devices on online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay or Gumtree. However, if you have an Android device, Swappa is your best bet as this site is used exclusively for trading and selling Android phones.

New Phone? How to Get Rid of Your Old Device

Categories: Device, devices, money, phone, Phones, recycling, Selling