Children about their phones: 'You can't stop using it, it's just a life thing'

'I've had a phone for two years. That was when my brother got a new one. I really wanted a phone, so I could text with friends. And play games and watch TikTok. Some kids had a phone before I did. The phone I got then was an iPhone 11, three months ago I got a new phone: the iPhone 12 Pro.

“I spend at least four hours a day on it, which is really long. Especially in the afternoon after school. And sometimes in the morning, when my mother's work means I get to school early and have to wait half an hour for class to start. Other than that I don't use it at school.

“My parents haven't set any rules, they just tell me not to watch strange things, so not things that my mother doesn't like. If I see a video that is not for my age, I immediately swipe it away. But that's only happened once or twice.

“I often lie in bed with my mother, and she watches along, watching videos together. The videos I watch are mainly funny, with people acting clumsily and falling, but also many videos with animals. Especially cats, they are often very nice. We also have a cat, her name is Nora. What I don't like are dirty videos with naked girls. If I ever see those, I'll swipe them away immediately, I really don't want to see them. But I have an account for my age, so that's going well.

“The apps I have are TikTok, SnapChat, Roblox, YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix. Roblox contains various games, such as Stumble Guys, that's racing. But what I enjoy most is texting with friends. We do this via SnapChat. I only use WhatsApp to make calls.

“I haven't seen any bullying, but there is something going on in the class app group, when two children have a fight, for example. But our class can solve it quickly. Then a few children tell that person to say sorry and to make it up to them, and then give them a hug the next day. The whole class then says: you shouldn't be so strange, don't argue, that's not fun.

“If I sit on my phone for too long, I notice that I get tired. Especially my eyes, and then I sometimes fall asleep. If I notice that, I turn it off immediately. But sitting on it for hours at a time is only something that happens once a week. I'm also busy with school and homework. Then I put my phone on work mode, so I won't be disturbed. And I also do other things. I like to draw and play outside, meet up with friends and play football or volleyball on a nearby square. There is no volleyball net there, but we pretend there is. And I also read books, but only in bed.

“The telephone is addictive. Can I still live without my phone? Sorry, but really not. You can't stop doing it, it's just a life thing.”