I don’t have much in common with Cristiano Ronaldo.
He’s a multimillionaire footballer with luxurious homes across the world and an army of fans and followers on social media. I’m a mum working from a wobbly table in the kitchen.
So I was surprised to find out there is one thing we agree on: our attitude towards children and gadgets.
Earlier this week the Manchester United star revealed his 11-year-old son Cristiano Jnr – who presumably could have anything money can buy – isn’t allowed a phone, despite constantly pestering him for one.
Ronaldo warned of the dangers of being “obsessed” with technology and shared a story that most parents with young children will know only too well – little ones demanding phones.
Speaking about tech, Ronaldo said: “Definitely it helps a lot. It helped me and the people here, all the world, and I think we have to take advantage of that but we shouldn’t be obsessed with it.”
He went on: “My oldest child is going to be 12 years old soon and he asks me every time, ‘Daddy, can I have a phone, can I have a phone, can I have a phone?’ I say to him, ‘Cristiano, you have time.’”
I can’t believe he’s been able to hold out for so long.
My six-year-old asks, on an almost daily basis, if he can have a phone, insisting all his friends have one.
The answer is obviously no – he’s far too young and I know most of his friends don’t own one – but nonetheless it is a source of contention. The few times I’ve given him my smartphone to play games or watch a show on, there’s a full-blown meltdown when it comes to getting it back.
When I think about children and gadgets, I often recall the words of Steve Jobs, when he was asked if his kids loved one of his greatest inventions: the iPad.
He said: “They haven’t used it. We limit the amount of technology our children use at home.” See, even the great Jobs didn’t let his kids loose on gadgets.
Technology is important but it’s far better for kids to be creative, make up their own games and, where possible, play outside. That’s what childhood should be about, not being glued to a screen.
So now when my son whines, I have the perfect reply. If it’s good enough for Ronaldo’s son not to have a phone, then it’s good enough for you.
