To be a parent without a smartphone?

Who said phone calls are intrusive?
Better than trying to communicate by pressing buttons all the time.

It will happen. Sad but true.

I've put limits on my Internet use on my smartphone, but I fail on my screen time limit more often than not! 😫(The Internet limit is easier to stick to, because it effectively locks you out!)

I agree. There weren't even smartphones about in 2005, let alone WhatsApp.

Maybe that poster meant to say 10 years ago.......?

And re; what several people have said/asked, no you can't start a WhatsApp account without a smartphone. It has to be set up there. Same with Instagram.

I think people need to stop resisting. SO much is smartphone dependent now, that it's going to become impossible to be without one. May as well get used to it now. You can get a fairly basic one (that will do the job) for peanuts.

You can get one from £29.99.

www.argos.co.uk/product/5814136?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=mqprrlmaa&istBid=t&utm_custom6=LIA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=free_listing&utm_campaign=merchant_center&deeplink=true&gStoreCode=4480

I am now currently rethinking my smart phone addiction due to this thread😂
What would I do with all that spare time though??

Yup. And in any case I think even on other devices like iPads and PCs WhatsApp has to be associated with a mobile number, by setting up an account on a smartphone first and then scanning a QR code.

OP has a desktop PC not an ipad

Whatsapp in now on Ipads

My DC would miss out on a HUGE amount if I didn’t have a smartphone.

Including a lot of my time, because I’d have to do all the admin I currently do on the go, at home instead.

I think your approach might work for age 4 and under OP but once you get into the land of kids playdates, parties, school admin, homework, holiday clubs, you will be making life much harder for yourself and risking DC missing out on a lot.

How can you do this with a luddite phone without being able to scan the QR code?

I would say a couple more things.

Firstly I have one contact who is like this and refuses to get a smartphone or run various communication apps. This person is an absolute pain in the ass to do business with. And if it wasn't for some extremely mitigating circumstances I wouldn't be doing business with them at all because interacting with them is extremely difficult and not made easier by the fact we live in different countries so phone calls which are not only intrusive can also get very expensive.

The second is, the lack of contributors on here that seem to have managed to keep smartphones out of their family life is telling. My guess is most of the anti smartphone mob either have grown up children or no children at all. It's one thing to be a neo luddite when you are 80 years old and living in a care home, but a lot different if you are having to engage with the rest of the world on a regular basis.

as long as you have a phone number you can creat a whattsapp account on a computer. this could be a good way to stay in the loop without needing a smartphone

This is a really good point about when to introduce new technology. Most parents i know with older children gave them smartphones in Year 6, during the summer before secondary school at the latest (I plan to do the same with my DD). It meant the DC could stay in touch with friends (who might be going to different schools), and have more independence knowing their parents could contact them.

The two practical uses that immediately come to mind are apps for secondary school, and public transport apps (timetables and mobile tickets). Do you want your DC to be struggling on those first days of secondary school because as well as getting used to a new school and new routine, they are struggling to do something like ‘connect to the school WiFi and download this app for homework’ which everyone else does in 30 seconds or so? Or feeling stupid in front of new friends because they don’t know how to check bus times. Admittedly, children pick up new technology quickly, but it could put them at a disadvantage, or just make starting new school just that but more stressful.

The problem is waiting until something is "genuinely needed and useful" is rarely the correct time for introduction of a new technology. Especially if you are likely to delay introduction of it until you really do need it.

Ideally you want to be au fait with a technology before you "genuinely need it" because when you reach the point when you need it if you don't have the experience of it the learning curve becomes very steep with no get outs.

Hopefully this makes some sort of sense.

”Late secondary school”? She’ll need it from Day 1 of Year 7. All homework is submitted via the school portal. She’ll be using Sparx Maths or similar apps.

My kids do lots sports and most are run via whats app groups.
Primary and secondary school both use apps. They only issue school reports now via app and lunch money can only be done via app.
But suppose it would work on a tablet

I get texts from the NHS with a link on to read doctor's letters. I wouldn't be able to do that without a smartphone.

I also spend a lot of time outdoors not using my phone. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

@AccidentalLuddite I would say your not preparing you children for life. In 6th form and definitely university the majority of people use technology to take notes, do presentations, and write longer essays. Most need their own individual laptop, also for research projects when your children are in secondary. Will they have to all share one family laptop, with the amount of homework and projects they'll have. Also it's not just science or tech fields that use laptops, phones etc, most jobs give you a work phone now and even laptop. Again schools, corporate world, even NHS etc, technology makes things easier and will definitely by the time your children are going into work be necessary and expected of them. Also with AI, basic tech is a basic expectation; those who don't get with the times, know how to use such tools will be damaging their own careers. They'll also as others have mentioned be socially isolated when they get older, yes we need to be careful around tech, but there are negatives to being too careful.

I use my phone atleast a hundred times a day. Tbh I don’t understand how you are getting on without it.

Today I paid for childcare, paid for parking, paid for shopping, used google maps, organised a few play dates in WhatsApp, confirmed meeting mums coffee, booked a gp appointment, checked emails whilst at the park, sent a few work emails and organised a meeting. And it’s 3.30pm.

Can you use whatspp on a desktop without a smartphone?

No.

As for parties, invites etc I suppose I'm pretty relaxed about not knowing about everything and being left out sometimes? I find we've got more than enough going on to not want to be included in anything more

This is interesting. I wonder if your children will always feel as relaxed about not knowing things and being left out when they hear school friends talking about things they all did.

Can you use whatspp on a desktop without a smartphone? I use whatsapp web, but regularly have to log back in via the app by scanning the qr code as it boots me out. Otherwise my phone is off in a drawer until I need an OTP for online banking!