@breakthrough great post and suggestion. You have asked very good questions, and there is no black and white answer. For one, technology can benefit children because they are able to decipher something that's a mystery to our parents or grandparents. But I do believe that parents expose technology to children to soon and too often. For example, there's nothing wrong a child from 5 years old using an iPad or laptop to learn how to type or use educational apps to discover. But in my opinion, this can't be more than 15-20 minutes a day, maximum. And the older they get, the more their allowance should increase, but by minutes, and not hours. For example, a 10 year old can use a device for 30 mins to an hour a day, maximum. And when this happens, parents should be near their children to keep an eye. I believe children in the future will not be smarter through technology unless their use is controlled at a young age, and their exposure monitored. If parents give children free rein, then technology will take over and raise the child on behalf of the parents. You'd be amazed at how parents allow TV, laptop, iPad or phone to babysit their children while they get on with things in the house. This makes children irresponsive, less in-tune with reality and less likely to listen to parents. And then there's the health factor. Children are getting bigger, and even if they are not big, lack of physical and mental activities have turned many into zombies. So in my view, technology can only benefit children if parents are educated about the dangers of technology. If not, the future doesn't look bright for future generations.

As for cell phones, they can own it and from 10- 16, it should be the old style phones, only for dialling parents or contacting emergency services!