What I tell my child when they say: “With a The Phone, I can’t…”

"Yes, but with a The Phone, I can't listen to music."

That's true, honey, you can't listen to music.
At the same time, we have a speaker at home, and we happily listen to our friend Jul as a family.

And anyway, on your journeys, decibels in your ears that prevent you from hearing cars, bikes, horns, friends calling you, or simply the world around you... let's just say that's not necessarily the idea of the century.

So no, no permanent music in your ears. But you'll see, sometimes, walking without a soundtrack isn't so bad. You can even hear the birds. Or grumble inwardly in peace. That's already something.

"Yes, but with a The Phone, I can't take photos or videos."

That's true, my little darling. You can't take photos or videos.

Sorry, but we're postponing your influencer career. The world will survive a few more years without your vlogs.

And you have that great Polaroid that grandpa gave you. You can already create really beautiful memories with your friends. Photos that we keep, that we hang up, that we find in a box a few years later. Not just 864 blurry photos gathering dust in an unorganized gallery.

"Yes, but with a The Phone, I can't play Brawl Stars or Fortnite."

Oh dear. Mom is depriving you of the most addictive games in the world.

I love you very much, but I prefer to avoid conflicts over "just five more minutes," "just one last game," "but all my friends are online." Because we know very well how it starts: a quick little game. And how it ends: a 45-minute diplomatic debate in the middle of the living room.

So yes, you won't be able to play on your phone.
But good news: we always have cards, board games, balls, books, friends, cousins, ideas, and sometimes even available parents. Come on, let's play Time's Up.

The ultimate card to soften you up: don't get caught

"But with a The Phone, I can't even access Pronote or class WhatsApp groups!"

Now, be careful here. This is often when your child tries the school responsibility card. The one that almost gives the impression that, without a smartphone, they will fail their schooling, their career path, their future, and maybe even their diploma.

Come on, Mom has everything needed. We even have a computer at home to check homework, grades, important messages, timetable changes, and everything else that really deserves to be checked together.

And for WhatsApp, I guarantee I'm doing you a favor. Because the incessant "beep beep," the endless debates about a test, the screenshots, the "are you there?", the "answer me," the "why did you see it but not reply?"... all that will quickly drive you crazy.

You'll have plenty of time to join WhatsApp groups. And frankly, there's no rush.

So yes, with a The Phone, you can't do everything

And that's precisely the idea.

With a The Phone, you can make calls and send texts. Nothing more. We're getting back to basics: contacting parents, notifying in case of need, gaining a little independence, without opening the door to the internet or social networks too early.

It's not a lack. It's a choice. The choice to offer them a first phone that reassures, without plunging them too quickly into everything that captures their attention.

Because by digitizing life with a bunch of apps to entertain, find your way, keep track of homework, check grades, or badge on public transport, we end up making daily life dependent on a single device.

And when everything goes through the smartphone, our children end up believing that, without it, they will be helpless.

With The Phone, they stay connected to their loved ones, without being disconnected from real life.

And ultimately, that might be the greatest gift we can give them: to allow them a little more time before they dive into hyperconnection.