My stepchildren are 10 years old. This summer we gave them a phone that was lying around the house, a used one, because they're not a Silicon Valley family. The idea was simple: when they are with the author, they would have their own number to call their mother. Nothing particularly revolutionary.
Of course they installed WhatsApp. Of course they quickly became active members of the family groups. The article explores the question of whether or not to give a mobile phone to children this age.
Shortly after being in the family group, the inevitable question arose: "Can we make a group with our classmates?" This question raises the debate about parental control and the limits to be imposed on children.
The article's title, "Controlar" ajuda ou atrapalha?, suggests that the central question is whether controlling children's phone use is beneficial or harmful to their development.
