Children are turning to screens to beat boredom, and it’s killing their imaginations and love of toys

Lizzie Smith, a parent of three children living in England, says she has found a compromise after years of struggling with the challenges of managing her children's smartphone usage. The mother of an 11-year-old girl recently purchased a specialized phone known as the OtherPhone with SafetyMode, a product developed in collaboration with the parenting website Mumsnet. Priced at £279, this device aims to provide the benefits of a smartphone while allowing parents to maintain strict control over internet access and app usage. Smith recalls the difficulties she faced four years ago when her eldest child began secondary school. At the time, she sought a phone that would allow her son to take photographs and use approved applications, while still enabling her to track his location during his commute to school. However, her attempts to implement parental control apps on a regular smartphone proved ineffective, as her son quickly found ways around the restrictions. Eventually, she settled on a basic phone marketed toward elderly users, which offered minimal technological features but ensured a level of safety. Now, as her younger daughter prepares to enter secondary school, Smith faces similar concerns about providing connectivity without risking excessive screen time or exposure to social media dangers. After researching available options, she discovered the OtherPhone, which offers a tailored approach to smartphone management. Unlike conventional parental control systems that often rely on blocking specific apps or filtering keywords, SafetyMode uses contextual understanding to differentiate between harmless content and potentially harmful interactions. This feature allows the system to detect signs of bullying, grooming, explicit language, and nudity, thereby minimizing false alarms while ensuring appropriate safeguards. The OtherPhone includes a limited selection of pre-installed applications, which parents can customize according to their preferences. Smith installed additional educational tools such as Duolingo, along with child-friendly versions of Audible and Spotify. Through a user-friendly, password-protected interface accessible on her personal phone, she maintains oversight of her daughter’s device usage. This setup enables her to monitor activity effectively while granting her child the ability to engage in activities like recording cat videos, video calling relatives, and listening to audiobooks. Parents seeking a balanced approach to smartphone use for their children increasingly face complex decisions regarding digital engagement. Traditional dumbphones offer limited functionality but lack the versatility of smartphones, whereas unrestricted devices pose risks related to online safety and screen addiction. The emergence of products like the OtherPhone reflects a growing demand among caregivers for solutions that blend convenience with security. These devices aim to address the evolving needs of families navigating the transition into adolescence, offering a structured yet flexible framework for responsible technology use. The development of targeted smartphone models underscores a broader societal shift towards recognizing the importance of digital literacy and parental guidance in shaping young users' experiences. As more parents explore alternatives to conventional smartphones, manufacturers continue refining technologies that support both connectivity and protection. This ongoing innovation highlights the need for adaptable strategies in managing children's access to digital platforms, ensuring that they benefit from technological advancements without compromising their well-being.