Coinciding with the advancements in technology is a puzzling reality: how do we, as a society, approach the concept of children and smart devices? They are becoming a necessity for younger kids as parents use cell phones to track their children and stay in touch with them. The problem arises when children become addicted to mindless scrolling and playing games.
One of the most staggering realities is that mobile devices can hinder a child’s brain growth. Data from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that began in 2018 indicates that children who spent more than two hours a day on screen-time activities scored lower on language and thinking tests, and some kids with more than seven hours a day of screen time experienced thinning of the brain’s cortex, the area of the brain related to critical thinking and reasoning.
So, father and entrepreneur Stephen Dalby created Gabb Wireless to offer a safer version of mobile devices that make both kids and their parents happy. Gabb Wireless provides a smartphone that allows children to make phone calls, text, take photos and calculate, but it is built to remove internet access, social media and games. This way, parents are in control of what their kids are doing on the device, giving them ultimate peace of mind.
“This may sound surprising, but the reason why kids like our phone is because they don’t spend a lot of time on it,” revealed Dalby. “Kids are happier when they are out playing with friends, developing talents, and connecting with humans, NOT sitting alone in a locked room swiping a screen.”
In addition to the smartphone, Gabb Wireless also has a stand-alone watch option that has a GPS and allows calls to 10 preset numbers. Like the smartphone, the watch comes in at $100 in price.
“The great thief of opportunity today is distraction; it’s technology and how much time these kids are spending on their screens,” said Dalby. “How many scholarships have been lost? How many friendships have been missed? How many academic achievements have been jeopardized, all because kids are glued to screens instead of becoming proficient in another area of their life. So instead of asking what this phone is trying to prevent, the real question is, what is the phone trying to enable kids to do and to become?”
To set your children up for a better future, visit their website here.