The generation that will proceed ours will never know what it’s like to not have an iPhone.

Its invention in 2007 changed American culture forever.

I can hardly imagine what my life would be like without its presence.

My iPhone makes everything so easily accessible to me. The latest news, contact with my friends – whatever I need can instantaneously be found on a tiny device I carry with me everywhere.

Yet the truth is that while the almighty iPhone’s convenience has its benefits, it also has its drawbacks.

We have grown dependent on the iPhone and are training future generations to do the same. Simply put, we should not allow our iPhones to continue serving as a crutch.

Yet that is exactly what most parents do. Children receive iPhones from parents who believe it’s a necessity.

These parents might argue that children need phones so parents can contact and keep tabs on their kids. However, a flip phone does exactly that without all the extra games and access to social media.

You might think others agree with me, but what I’ve observed tells me otherwise. It seems like everywhere I go, I see children with iPhones.

I was astonished when I found out many children in elementary schools started getting iPhones.

One shock to me was when I went to my cousin’s house over winter break to learn that my seven year old cousin had received an iPhone for Christmas.

This was completely unnecessary because the only apps my cousin said she used were the games.

However, I believe the problem with children having iPhones extends far beyond it just being unnecessary.

Youth is where children are supposed to make friends and develop people skills.

Having an iPhone to hide behind prevents you from being in positions where there are awkward silences.

An iPhone will suck up all their attention so they won’t seek the companionship from others.

In future generations, the problem could be worse if its not prevented.

The age limit we set for kids with phones continues to lower, and soon, children as young as four or five will be seen with a phone.

I know it might seem ridiculous, but I remember when I thought the idea of a 10 year old with a phone was insane.

What is the ideal childhood – kids tapping away on their iPhones, communicating solely via text or children laughing and playing around? To me, the answer seems obvious.