Let’s face it, for most Canadians their cellphone play an important function in their day-to-day lives. A cellphone can retrieves and sends emails, it can track important appointments, it can capture pictures, and most definitely it can be a lifeline to friends and family.
In many cases, cellphones are considered a necessity by many Canadian families — instead of a luxury item that it once was, when cellphones debuted into our lives. In fact, these days, cellphones have become a very popular consumer electronic product.
There are many debates to if people have become too reliant on cellphones. We question if the features of online access, text-messaging and game apps are making cellphone users less likely to socially interact with their environment.
But this editorial itself is about the responsibility that should come into effect when one has a cellphone. We all must take responsibility when using our cellphones. There are many incidents where cellphone use is inappropriate (like in a movie theatre), or it is downright dangerous and unnecessary (like when you are driving).
Especially if cellphones are provided to youth, that they truly understand those responsibilities.
A cellphone shouldn’t be just handed over by a parent like it is a gift. Instead, it would be a much better decision to look as a cellphone as an investment. To ensure that the youth in question is able to commit to the responsibility completely — even financially.
That little guidance would go a long way to educating them about many other responsibilities. In a fashion, by educating our youth about these responsibilities, we are helping them prepare for their future and their adulthood.
It is also important that every adult works to ensure that our youth truly understand the power of a cellphone. One of these vital pieces of education is to ensure that they understand that participating in negative comments on social media with their cellphone is never appropriate.
It is also very impolite to make ‘prank calls’ with a cellphone (just as it would be impolite to do so with a house phone). Take the time to remember that not all jokes are funny, nor do you truly know the situation or the challenges faced by another person, who might be the target of the prank.
One of the challenges of the popularity of cellphones, is that the issues of bullying become even more impossible to track in today’s technological world. It can occur online, through text message, or even through methods like SnapChat.
Then, when it seems like that cellphone is the only lifeline for our youth — they feel alone and vulnerable. They feel like they have no one to talk to, even though they have a resource right in their hands.
Sometimes the best way to be a good role model is just to practice these suggestions yourself. Take the time to review cellphone responsibilities with your youth, and be the person they feel comfortable talking to about any of their problems.
