Growing Up Tethered

To what extent are children and teenagers on their phones and expected to answer the phone as soon as someone calls? Sherry Turkle states in “Growing Up Tethered” that “today’s young people have grown up with robot pets and on the network in a fully tethered life” (430). This essay explains why teenagers in today’s world are hidden behind their phones and don’t have enough space from their parents. Compare teenagers now and teenagers from 30 years ago, they both are in the same situation. Teenagers now and teenagers from 30 years ago have the same responsibilities. Neither one has more to think about than what the other one had in the past/future. Children don’t have enough down/alone time and their parents expect them to answer their phones right away. The children need to have time for themselves and be able to stay away from their phones. Children are expected to be in contact with their parents at all times while they are not together. When children don’t answer their phones, parents start

Getting a phone means that adolescents don’t have to face being as independent as they had to in the past. Taking care of and keeping track of a phone is yet another responsibility for kids. Some parents never give the children complete independence to grow up into being a young adult. Turkle says “parents want their children to answer their phones, but adolescents need separation” (431). Adolescents and parents need to make an agreement when the adolescents get a phone for the first time. The parent cannot expect the adolescents to answer their phones, 100% of the time. Adolescents also don’t need to be held to that standard. If adults are not going to be held to that standard, then adolescents shouldn’t be held to that standard. Parents and adolescents should be able to talk things out about how much space, and when they need space from either their phones or each other just like friends need time