If your child has reached middle school, the odds are they’ve already asked for a cellphone. Today, it’s hard for kids to feel included or liked without constant texting or feedback on social media. It’s a battle for parents because, on one hand, they want their kids to be involved with their friends and classmates, but on the other hand, there are dangers with minors and screen time.
Luckily, there has been a resurgence of early ’90s and 2000s memorabilia, including landlines. For the younger audience, landlines are phones that are plugged into the wall and connected by physical wires that run along telephone poles.
Eventually, the landline (or “house phone,” as I grew up calling it) became mobile inside the home and transitioned into a handset. Regardless of modern updates, it was a phone with a single-core processor that didn’t work outside your home.
Today, some brands have honed in on the niche of kids who want to be like those in the early ’90s or 2000s, and created unique landlines that are both old-school yet modern.
The Issues With Cell Phones & Kids
Research has shown how detrimental cell phones, blue light, and social media can be for kids. A study by the National Library of Medicine found that 83% of children aged 12-15 in the UK had a cell phone, and almost 60% owned a tablet.
The study identified problematic numbers related to youth and cell phones, especially those connected to the internet.
“Increases in digital device usage have been hypothesized to be responsible for the secular trend of increasing internalizing symptoms, poorer well-being, and suicidal behaviors in adolescent populations.”
The connection between cell phones, tablets, and everything that comes with them has been correlated with mental health disorders.
Likewise, the blue light that phones emit suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin, tricking kids into staying up longer instead of resting, as reported by The Sleep Foundation.
There is an increase in concerns about youth, but the understanding of kids’ desire to talk to their friends at home is high, which is why many are talking about implementing landlines again.
Pros Of A Landline
Those who have grown up with a landline understand the positives and nostalgia.
Safety: One of the biggest positives of a landline is safety. Because the home phone is wall-mounted, parents can place it wherever they need it. This means that children are less likely to engage in scandalous or dangerous conversations because landlines are typically located in a public area of the home. Landlines can be added to bedrooms, but if safety and well-being are a concern, it’s best to keep the home phone on the main floor.
Lower Screentime: Without a cell phone, there’s less screentime to affect your child’s vision, mental health, and sleep. There’s no social media or texting attached, allowing kids to talk and respond without distractions or the stressful blue light. Kids are already getting screen time from TVs, computers, and tablets, and lessening the amount from a landline can add to the pros of owning one.
Social Skills: Using a landline can improve social skills. Kids don’t have the same distractions as they do with social media or overstimulating games. Using a landline allows kids to fully engage in the art of conversation: asking questions, listening intentionally, and appropriately responding. Kids can also learn patience through landlines. Waiting is sometimes involved when someone is on the other line or when interruptions arise.
Ease: Landlines are straightforward. No facial recognition or password is required to use a landline. All you need to do is press the number you’re trying to reach. If there’s an emergency and a child doesn’t have a cell phone nearby (or can’t access their parent’s cell phone without the passcode), all they’ll need to do is press 9-1-1 on the landline and wait for assistance.
Landlines are straightforward, teach social skills and memory, and enhance your child’s safety. While landlines are borderline obsolete in a wire-free world, they’re making a comeback as adults miss the ease and safety of yesteryear.
Cons Of A Landline
As amazing as landlines are, there are some obvious drawbacks in today’s advanced, modern world. As adults, it’s one thing to have both a landline and a cell phone, but relying solely on a landline can be challenging in a fast-paced world.
Inconvenience: The amazing thing about cell phones is that they’re mobile. They’re small and can travel wherever you go. Because they’re wired, landlines make it hard to contact others if you leave your home without a cell phone. While cordless landlines remain in your home, wired ones are even more inconvenient (albeit safer for kids).
Maintenance: Unfortunately, if there’s a bad storm and the telephone lines go down, you won’t be able to use your landline until they’re fixed. While the same could be said for technologies that use WiFi, it’s a small con for landline users.
Additional Costs: If you already pay for your home’s cell phones, adding a landline is an additional cost, which can be a con if money is already tight.
The bottom line is that landlines can be inconvenient, but the pros can outweigh the cons. Even cooler, brands are stepping up to the plate to make landlines popular again, while giving them a modern feel.
Landline Brands Making A Difference
If families are hoping to bring landlines back into their households, there are countless trusted brands. However, a few brands are doing a fabulous job of combining the nostalgia of landlines with today’s sense of style.
Tin Can: Tin Can is one of the most popular modern landline brands for kids. Tin Can allows kids to chat without screens, is WiFi-enabled, and has no surprises to disrupt your child’s development. Kids can call other Tin Can users for free or call approved friends and family members for under $10 a month. Parents can add approved numbers for their kids to call, improving safe communication and independence. (There’s even a secret app for parents that allows them to approve who their child communicates with.)
Ooma: Ooma is a telecommunications company that released a landline with children in mind: MyPhone for Kids. MyPhone is screen-free, has scheduled quiet areas, and blocks calls from numbers outside the approved list. Even cooler, Ooma’s MyPhone supports voicemails and “party lines,” letting multiple people on the line at once. The phone runs on WiFi but has a base station for optimal phone service. The phone supports emergency calling, but only allows calls to approved numbers. Parents also get access to the call log to track which numbers are being called or calling in. The subscription fee is just under $8 a month.
Pinwheel Home: Another WiFi-powered landline for kids. Pinwheel allows kids to have real-life conversations without screens, while giving parents some relief. Users can select which numbers are in their inner circle, parents can control which numbers are approved through a parenting portal, and emergency calls are free. It’s free for Pinwheel users to call other Pinwheel users, but a low monthly fee to call non-Pinwheel numbers. Parents can also monitor call histories to keep an eye on their little one.
The three things these brands have in common are a desire to keep kids present, safe, and connected. There’s an easy way to contact a professional in an emergency, and it’s easier than ever to connect with friends safely and in a fun way.
