Do you keep your cell phone (or other electronics) in your bedroom at night? I’d love to know what works for you… and why!
As I continue to pursue a simpler life at home, technology is one topic I’ve researched and committed to monitoring for myself and my family.
Since our children are all still relatively young, we haven’t had issues with phones, tablets, or computers yet (because they don’t have access to any of them!) 😉
However, for the first time ever, Nora (3rd grade) has weekly computer homework. It’s just typing exercises, but it’s a “gateway” to more freedom on the computer.
Also, Nora knows how to work our smart TV to find the shows they want to watch on Netflix, YouTube, Disney Jr, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr.
To be perfectly honest, I really don’t think we have anything to worry about… yet. But I want to be prepared for future conversations, issues, or situations that will occur in the very near future (we’ll have a middle schooler in just a couple of years!)
I’ve read a handful of books on smarter, safer technology use in the home. I’ve also watched a couple of documentaries geared towards the effects of social media and being constantly connected to the internet via our smartphones.
Books I’ve Read:
- Digital Minimalism (Cal Newport)
- Raising a Screen Smart Kid (Julianna Miner)
- Screen Smart Parenting (Jodi Gold)
Documentaries I’ve Watched:
- Childhood 2.0 (very well-done and not totally one-sided)
- The Social Dilemma on Netflix (also well done, but slightly more “skewed” opinions)
Hot Topic = Cell Phones in the Bedrooms…
So often, a recommendation of these books and documentaries is to remove cell phones (and all electronics) from the bedroom — for both children AND adults.
As I mentioned above, our children have no access to any electronics, and Dave and I only have our phones in our bedroom.
After watching and reading, I’ve felt like we should consider leaving our phones on our desk or in the kitchen… after all, they make very valid “arguments”.
But I honestly don’t feel like this suggestion makes sense for Dave and me.
Maybe I’m missing something though?
Backstory: Why we keep our phones in our bedrooms.
#1 = No Landline: Dave and I have never had a landline, so we’ve always kept our cell phones in our bedroom (even before we had smartphones, and even before we had the internet in our home).
#2 = Our Phones are Our Alarms: We don’t have a traditional alarm clock as our phones work so well. We also use them as flashlights in the middle of the night (which has been SO handy when our kids wake up and can’t find something in their bed.)
#3= We Like to Read Before Bed: We usually read for 10-20 minutes before turning out the light. And if one of us is more tired than the other, we can still read even with the light off.
#4 = It Feels Safer for Me: Keeping our phones in our bedroom feels like a “safer” option than leaving them out in the kitchen or office. I like to know that if something happened, I could quickly grab my phone and make a necessary call.
And on the flip side, if someone NEEDED to get ahold of us in an emergency situation, I would be close enough to my phone that I’d hear the vibrating ring and be able to answer.
As I read through the list above, I can come up with reasonable workarounds for my “excuses”…
- Get a landline and keep that phone in our bedroom.
- Keep a flashlight next to our beds
- Read a book with the light on
- Use the landline to call — and hope that people remember to call our landline instead of our cell phones if there is an emergency.
However, I keep going back to my original thought that it just doesn’t feel necessary to go through the extra effort to NOT keep our phones in our bedrooms.
The phones don’t feel like an obsession or distraction for us, they don’t keep us up all night with text messages and emails, and they don’t seem to detract from our quality of sleep in any way.
So… I’m curious…
Do you keep your phones (or any other electronics in your bedroom)?
If not, why not?
If so, what devices do you keep in your room? And why?
Share your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to start a discussion!
Katie says
Cell phones are in the bedroom because I love to listen to documentaries or listen to my Calm App as I go to sleep.
Jude Ledebuhr says
My husband charges his phone at night in our bedroom, but he turns the volume off. We don’t use his phone for an alarm clock. I charge my phone in the kitchen.
Janine says
I’ve heard that it’s bad for phones to be in the bedroom too, but because of your 1st & 2nd reason, we still have them there–especially the first reason. Three of my four kids are out on their own now and if they need us in the middle of the night for an emergency, I want them to be able to reach us.
My sister who has researched this topic at length, says because of the radiation (?), can’t remember if that’s the word exactly, that you should sleep 9 feet away from your phone. I think about that every now and then, but so far, it’s still sitting right beside my bed. 🙂
Christina says
I used to keep it in the kitchen by my purse , but as my autistic son is adapting to college this semester in a Covid world I have found myself more and more keeping it on my night stand “Just in case” . I received a text at 4:56 this morning from a group text unrelated to him, ugh who texts before 5 in the morning. I read on my kindle at night with the blue shade on so it doesn’t hurt my eyes. There was an app that my daughter put on my phone once that told you how many times a day you picked up your phone and how long you spent on it. That was an eye opener for me for a while, now I watch netflix and scroll my phone at the same time. Both of my kids grew up with limited tv time and only movies on Friday night, Now one uses social media and her phone, and the other has avoided both like the plague. When my daughter got her phone she was supposed to charge it in the kitchen at night also…never got it back from her hands again. So I guess my advice is they are watching and will copy what you do.
Andrea says
Yes, I used a similar app to track my phone usage for a few weeks and I was shocked how often i picked it up (mostly just to check the time). That’s when I bought a watch so I could stop looking at my phone so much!
Debbie says
Andrea, you make some valid points on why you do keep your cell phones in your room. My husband and I decided early on NOT to keep our phones in our room. We keep them in a central area in the kitchen because we would get distracted by texts or scrolling through to check something “one last time” before bed. I prefer to read a physical book before bed anyways, and know that reading on a glowing screen would make it harder for me to fall asleep. But the primary reason why we would not keep a phone in our room is to set an example for our kids not to have devices readily accessible in our room at all times. If we keep our phones in our room, then how can we tell our kids they cannot? My son is 12 and will likely be getting his own phone soon (we’d prefer later, but he is almost to the point of needing one for all the things he does electronically at school) and know that it is not a good idea to let kids have a device in their room where they could potentially be on it all night. Right now we have him keep his tablet in the kitchen with our phones so that at least we know when he is using it to text friends or play games. However, I do move my phone to the room if my husband is out of town.
Andrea says
“But the primary reason why we would not keep a phone in our room is to set an example for our kids not to have devices readily accessible in our room at all times. If we keep our phones in our room, then how can we tell our kids they cannot?”
YES, that’s what I’ve been thinking too!
I truly don’t feel like it affects our sleep at all (we sleep amazingly well) and we have blue light protectors so the light does affect our eyes either. But I just can see the day when we say “no devices in your room” and they say “but you keep yours in your room”.
JoDi says
It’s very simple to explain to a child that rules for adults and children differ for valid reasons. If you think about it another way, I doubt you’d have trouble responding if you told your teen they can’t drive your car alone or your young children they can’t swim in your pool without adult supervision and they said “but you do.” Certain things carry risks or require a level of self-regulation that children are not developmentally prepared to handle on their own, and as their parents we have a responsibility to set those limits for them. We don’t set the example by living by the same limits that we place on our children in everything, we do it by modeling responsible use so that when they are older and entrusted with more responsibility, they have a model to follow.
The very simple response to a child who asks why you get to keep your phone in your room when they can’t is that as the adult, you are responsible to handle emergencies so you need your phone nearby at all times. Since they won’t have that responsibility until they have their own home, they will NEVER need to have their phone in their room at night as long as they live in your home if that’s what you choose. Because I work in IT in a high school, I see firsthand the danger these devices pose to the mental health and social development of young people, and I believe it’s critically important for parents to limit access to these devices and supervise their use. No matter how much they may complain about it, it is actually a relief to young people to have reasonable limits imposed on them by their parents because they are not developmentally ready to consistently impose those limits on themselves even when they know they need them.
Andrea says
Great advice JoDi! Thanks for this!
Tara says
Yes we keep our phones in the bedroom for most of these same reasons. At one point we tried having a landline and what we got were constant spam calls that we couldn’t silence or screen without having to listen to it ring. Honestly, we’ve gotten the calls that my dad had a stroke, my husband’s mom passed away etc. etc. all in the middle of the night on our cell phones which were quiet enough not to awaken our sleeping babies. It’s hard enough to field those calls in the middle of the night. I imagine it’s even harder to do if phones throughout the house ring and wake up your young children when you get the news.
I agree with the having a flashlight too. It’s been so handy in power outages to always know exactly where a light is. I agree so many alternative arrangements could be made, but I’m just not willing to jump through all of those hoops right now.
Andrea says
Yes, I absolutely HATE the loud ringing of landlines throughout the entire house! I think that’s one reason I’ve never wanted one. I remember getting woken up so often growing up by early morning or late-night phone calls for my parents!
Anne says
We do a combination. My husband leaves his phone charging in the tv room. I have two phones – one for business which I silence and leave in our home office (somehow if I’m restless I can hear even the lowest tone!), and my personal phone which uses the do not disturb feature from 9pm – 7pm. I feel more comfortable knowing someone could reach me in an emergency, even though our children are adults, and use this for an alarm when necessary.
I have recently changed how I use my personal phone and ipad – uninstalling most social media (so that if I want to check I need to use the computer in the office). That seemed to eliminate what I felt was a bit of mindless scrolling which was creating a bit of irritation and anxiety for me. Much better now. I also have started reading either my old school kindle (no backlight) or a physical book before bedtime, eliminating any potential impact from the screen lights. This works for me/us.
I do appreciate, Andrea, your prompt on this and a chance to deliberately consider our current approach. I think that there’s no one right answer, but if you’ve made a considered decision and feel you are managing the devices (vs. the reverse!), that makes most sense to me. Sounds as if you and your husband are there. Happy weekending!
Andrea says
Thanks Anne,
I agree, there is no “one right answer” but it IS something we should all think about from time to time!
I’ve also uninstalled MANY apps from my phone — if I want to use those services, I do it from my computer during the day. It has cut back on my mindless scrolling almost 100%! I’m thrilled!
Holly S says
I do keep my cell phone in my room, next to my bed. I have a son with diabetes who has his own apartment and another son that is a frat boy living 100 miles away at college so I want to be reachable at all times. It’s also my back up alarm in the morning.
Lana says
We keep our phones in our bedroom for the same reasons you listed above. I am also on a call rotation (2-3 nights per month), that work may call for urgent needs. I feel that it’s easier to keep it in my room if I were to get a call. For us it isn’t an issue of being on our phones in the middle of the night or keeping us up late. I keep my phone on vibrate and my notifications turned off, so the only thing that would come through are phone calls. My husband puts his phone on airplane mode at night, so nothing comes through except his alarm in the morning.
Andrea says
Yes, we don’t have the issues of looking at our phones in the middle of the night – but I often wonder if keeping electronics in our room is “bad” for our health
Chris says
I keep my phone in my bedroom and I spend way too much time on it. However, I do like to keep a flashlight by my bed. My husband doesn’t have a smart phone and he uses a regular alarm clock to get up. He gets up extremely early and I usually never hear the alarm. I feel like reading a book helps me to get sleepy but if I read on my phone, it tends to keep me up. I no longer have small children, but things change so much, I feel it is a good idea to keep up with the current trends like TikTok (and I am sure there are things I don’t even know about), on a regular basis, for when children are old enough to use phones.
Julia Irvin says
I like to keep my phone plugged in in our kitchen area, which is across the house from our bedroom. I use a headlamp on the red light setting to read after my husband is ready to sleep, or to get up in the night for any reason. I use a very old iPhone that doesn’t have a sim card as my alarm because I like the gentle harm sound it makes vs another alarm sound. I also sleep better if I’m not on my phone right before bed. My husband has his own computer business, so he does keep his phone in our room in case he gets an emergency call, but he prefers to plug it in away from our bed for the cell phone radiation reasons. If there were to be a family emergency, we could hear the call on my husband’s phone in our room, but honestly, I’d prefer a land line. But since he has to be able to hear if his phone rings, we keep his phone in our bedroom.
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing what works for you — Dave and I have joked about bringing our headlamps to bed (we use them for running — so they are a little sweaty!)
Jean says
I like my cell phone in the bedroom, but I don’t use it for anything after 9 pm and the phone doesn’t ring unless someone knows to call twice in a row from 9 pm – 7 am. It’s there if I need/want it, but it doesn’t disrupt my pre-bed routine. My children grew up before cell phones, but I would say no cell phones for kids in the bedroom.
Andrea says
oh wow, that’s cool. So they’d need to call you twice in a row to ring — I should see if my phone has a setting like that!
Jean says
On the iPhone, it is a setting called Do Not Disturb,
Tara says
Is this a setting on your phone? Someone calling twice in a row makes the phone ring? My phone is often on silent throughout our homeschooling day so I glance at it often to make sure I haven’t missed an important call. A two call setting would make me rest easier and leave it alone more.
Jean says
Yes, I have an iPhone — the setting is Do Not Disturb.
Cheryl Wetherington says
Good morning Andrea,
We keep our phones on our bedside tables on their chargers.
My husband owns a business and has to be accessible 24/7.
We care for 3 elderly relatives in independent and assisted living facilities and I can’t tell you how many emergencies happen in the middle of the night! ( We also do not have a land line)
It doesn’t align with simple living to add the expense and upkeep of a landline, flash light and alarm clock when you already have all of those things plus more in one small device!
Just my opinion
Andrea says
“It doesn’t align with simple living to add the expense and upkeep of a landline, flash light and alarm clock when you already have all of those things plus more in one small device!”
yes, this was my thought too! I love being able to do everything with a device I can fit in my pocket — but as with all things in life, there are pros and cons to both sides!
Thanks for sharing your input!
Lindsey says
Great post! I think there are two sides to this – I 100% agree with all of the reasons you keep a phone in your room. Think about replacing that one device with a flashlight, landline, clock, book, etc. when one device can do all of those! I will say – we need to shift from having phones on our bedside tables for health reasons – the phones are too close to our heads and it’s direct radiation to our bodies! I think there’s a happy medium of phone in the room, but not left on bedside tables. I’ll add – that I’m guilty and working on this – it’s hard to get out of my warm bed to put the phone farther away!
Jutta says
What is the proper distance?
Janine says
I’ve read 9 ft.
Andrea says
thanks for this tip — that’s one thing I’ve wondered about too. If we should just keep the phone further away from our bed (that would force us to get up and turn the alarm off too!)
I appreciate your advice!
Diana says
In the spirit of Digital Minimalism, you have considered what role your phone plays in your life and you’re doing a good job keeping it in the role.
Therefore, it’s fine for you to continue and you don’t have to let anyone guilt you into making life harder for yourself. 🙂
That said, if you found that you WERE getting sucked into time-wasters or sleep-avoiders (reading articles online, texting, social media, browsing your photos, etc), then you’d want to make a change.
If you wanted to try something different, consider: get a stand-alone alarm clock; get a flashlight; get a Kindle Paperwhite for before-bed reading (less blue light but it does have a backlight so you can read while overhead lights are off; you can borrow books for free from your library and many classics are free to download on Amazon); and put the phone across (but not out of) the room so that you don’t grab it first thing when you wake up.
But seriously, if you are able to grab your phone in the morning, turn off the alarm, and put it right back down to go on with your day? That’s amazing and you have nothing to worry about 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks for this thoughtful reply.
I truly don’t feel “guilted” into anything — but more curious WHY so many “experts” recommend no devices in the bedroom. Like… am I missing something here?
It feels like it works for us, but many today have mentioned the idea of “radiation” from the phones by our bedside table (which is something I don’t always consider).
I’ve also considered the concept that we do not plan to let our children have devices in their bedroom — so is it hypocritical for US to have them in ours? I don’t know — we are the parents, but it’s just something I’ve been thinking about.
Lots of great discussions today — which is why I love this community!
Diana says
My guess is because most people have and use social media accounts and it is VERY hard not to “check one more time” before going to sleep if your phone is beside you. If you have created your life habits so that this isn’t a draw for you, then you are in a super minority and better for it! 🙂
Radiation: my husband says (and he’s usually right but feel free to research) that the radiation exposure goes down exponentially as you take the device away from your head. It’s when it’s right next to your ear that you’re at greatest risk.
Hmm…hypocritical? No, for the same reason as above. You’ve made your habits. Your kids are still making theirs. When they are your age and can prove they won’t have bad habits, then they can too!
I agree, great discussion!
Andrea says
Thanks for the encouragement — I agree that kids need more boundaries than adults. We’ll just have to explain our reasonings and hope they agree when that time comes (or maybe we’ll change our minds by then and won’t keep devices in our bedroom!)
Beth Beaudoin says
I do not keep my phone in our room, but then I don’t have the discipline that you seem to have regarding the phone. Also I would rather read books at bedtime rather than be on my phone as I am afraid the impact of the phone on my brain will keep me from sleeping. It sounds as though you have a good control of your phones So I don’t know that it’s necessary for you to remove them from your bedrooms. Thanks for all you share regarding technology. I’ve learned a lot from your recommendations and resources.
Andrea says
Thanks Beth — at this point, I don’t feel the phone negatively impacts my sleep in any way… but I’ve gleaned lots of new tips today and different things to think about!
Madalena says
I don’t keep my phone in my bedroom at night because it was too much of a distraction. If I woke in the middle of the night and couldn’t fall asleep, I would end up checking my phone (mostly the news, which was terrible).
We live in an apartment so if I need it for an emergency the phone is not far. Our 3 kids sleep right next to our room and if I need a light I can always get the phone from the kitchen. I do have a kindle and enjoy reading at night, and bought an alarm clock to wake up for work.
I don’t thing there’s a right or a wrong way, or a rule that applies to everyone…I had to take these steps because to me it was becoming a problem, but you don’t seem to have any problem with this! (all things in moderation, right??) Sorry about my english, it’s not my first language! Greetings from Portugal
Cheryl says
We keep our cell phones in our bedroom as an alarm and for emergencies. We dont look at them until the alarm goes off in tbe morning.
Andrea says
This is me too — we don’t look at them from the time we go to bed until the alarm goes off. And then I just turn the alarm off and go on with my day — I do NOT use my phone first thing in the morning (even to read)
Amy says
We have phones in our bedroom. The main reason is because my husband takes overnight call for work. So it’s necessary for us 🙂
If you really want to try to “distance,” what about plugging your phones in out of reach of your bed? Maybe on a dresser, a side table, etc out of reach? That way you have distance but it’s there if you need it.
Do you use the do not disturb feature on your phones? You can set it to come on automatically & it will only make noise if it’s someone from a list you preset or if someone calls repeatedly (like for an emergency).
Joy says
We have made a mindful effort and are in the habit of not using screens in bedrooms while in bed. Our young teens do not keep their phones in their rooms and I use the iPhone bedtime feature to block alerts overnight yet allow emergency calls. I DO listen to the daily audio Bible podcast while getting ready for bed and my phone charges on the dresser in my room. We occasionally watch TV at night until bedtime (sports, a movie, a show with the older kids) but even that is the exception. I’ve read all the research etc against phones in rooms. For myself, I’m using my phones screen in the 30-60 min or so before bed and I keep thinking about making a mindful move away from that.
Andrea says
Thanks Joy — yes, I’ve read a lot of research too (which sort of spurred the idea for this post). Lots of good comments today and new ideas to consider!
Donna Braam says
Hi Andrea! We are still old school. We have a land line. The extra phone is on my night stand. My cell phone is charging in the living room every night. Jim’s is in the dining room, because like I said we are old/ old school and he has an alarm clock to wake him up for work. My daughter went with Magic Jack which I believe works with your internet, for when she is not home and the kids would need it for an emergency. Not all her five kids have cell phones. You sound like you have a good system that works for you. Have a wonderful day!!
Andrea says
Thanks Donna (good to hear from you again!) I might have to look into the Magic Jack — I’ve heard about that from others too. Thanks again!
Nancy Jihnson says
I keep my cell phone by the bed so I could call 911 in case of emergency. It also functions as my alarm clock, but that has not been needed during COVID. My husband does not keep his by the bed. I do not think it is a problem having it there as long as I am not actually on it instead of going to sleep like I’m supposed to.
I also have my Kindle e-reader by the bed because I read for a while to make myself sleepy. Most of my reading is hard copy books but I always have some on the Kindle for bedtime reading. I check out books from the library as e-books whenever the book has that option. Or I might pull up a free magazine from Prime Reading to peruse. Amazon Prime offers lots of free reading for my Kindle. With the Kindle I do not need to keep the bedside light on which might keep my husband awake.
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing Nancy, I love hearing what works for others!
Irina says
I’m the same way when it comes to cell phones. No landline and no alarm clock, so our phones act as both. I don’t feel like it’s detrimental to my sleep and I like the options of playing relaxing music when I want to through Calm app and having my phone near me in case of an emergency. I can also access my house alarm and thermostat through the phone, so I can make needed adjustments to either of those without getting out of bed!
Andrea says
Oh wow — accessing the thermostat from bed — that’s great!
Nicky says
If I had an intruder in my home I wouldn’t want to go trucking about to other rooms to be able to call someone, nor rely on a landline that can be unplugged downstairs. I do have a landline in the hall, it is a leftover (like me, I’m old!) but I keep it in case of the mobile network & wifi going down.
Ale says
I see the advice to keep screens out of the bedroom as aimed at people who can’t stop themselves from endless social media scrolling until all hours of the night and first thing in the morning, to the point where it interferes with sleep and daily responsibilities. Your use of phones in the bedroom sounds very intentional and well thought out! I too keep my phone on my nightstand but I put it on airplane mode and I use the blue light filter when I read library books on it.
Andrea says
Thanks Ale — great advice about the airplane mode. I always intend to do this but then forget!
Annette Silveira says
I think your reasons for having the phones in your room are valid. I don’t believe that you would abuse them (say, by checking social media in the middle of the night should you wake up), and I doubt very much that you pick it up and start scrolling when your alarm goes off. I think you use your phones as tools instead of toys.
Andrea says
Nope, no scrolling in the middle of the night for me! 🙂
JoAnn C. says
I keep my cell phone in the bedroom for all the reasons you listed above except reading, I use my kindle for that. I also keep my kindle in the bedroom so I can play music to fall asleep, or when I can’t sleep, I’ll use the kindle to watch Netflix, or read–mostly read. My desktop computer is in another room.
Debra says
It sounds like you have everything working in the way that’s best for your family. I too use my phone as an alarm clock and in case of an emergency call. Lately I’ve been using the Do Not Disturb feature so random calls or texts don’t wake me. i don’t remember the source but I saw an interview of perhaps 3 tech gurus who say they don’t permit screen time for their young children because the dopamine released in the brain is similar to when you gamble. I think you’re right to limit their use.
Andrea says
Thanks, I’ve used the DO Not Disturb feature too.
Ann says
1st: I don’t think other people would remember to call your landline in an emergency {stressful} situation.
2nd: I also use my cell phone as an alarm & don’t want to buy an alarm.
3rd: Six yrs. ago my cell phone vibrated & it was our neighbors needing help immediately! They had two little children, & the expectant mother had gone into early, premature labor. They asked me to come stay with the children while they headed for the hospital!!
(All the grandparents were out of state)
Andrea says
wow — neighbor to the rescue. Glad you got their call!
Linda says
I have teenagers. We keep all electronics in our bedroom at night across the room from our bed. This is the rule of our home. Some items are charging and others sitting. This allows us to put to bed the screens for the day. (We started this due to the fact teenagers were tempted to do screens at night when others were sleeping.)
Joy says
Do you have a set downtime time for the kids phones? I am curious to hear from other parents of teens. We have bedtimes set on the kids phones but still have them charge in the kitchen.
Linda says
Ours is 9:00. It could be a little earlier if we are getting in late from an activity and they are getting in the shower.
Linda says
I used to keep my phone in the bedroom because I was the emergency contact for my elderly parents who lived in another state. When they passed away I took the phone out of the bedroom. It had become a symbol of anxiety for me. Now I take it out of the charger in the morning and bring it into the bedroom with me while I drink coffee and catch up on Facebook and e-mails. I sleep much better this way.
Andrea says
I love that you realized the source of your anxiety and took steps to eliminate it. Good for you.
Amy Owen says
My husband and I both keep them in the bedroom – for all the reasons you said. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Andrea says
haha — I almost write that EXACT phrase in my post “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but then I deleted it. Thanks for adding it in the comments!
Bonnie Cummings says
I keep my cell phone in my bedroom at night for the same reasons you listed. I feel much safer With it there. No other electronics are in the bedroom.
Andrea says
Great minds think alike, Bonnie 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Kim says
All of your reasons for keeping your phones by the bed are reasonable and valid. In fact, since you do not have a landline, it seems responsible that they stay right there in case of an incoming or outgoing ER call.
Andrea says
We have (thankfully) only gotten 1 emergency call in the middle of the night (in 15 years) but I’m still glad our phone was right there for that call. I always think back to that night when I consider taking the phone out of our bedroom.
Heather Ratliff says
My husband and I keep our cell phones in the bedroom. We both use them as an alarm and, while we now have a landline for our daughters when they are home alone, we have not given out that number to anyone except close family (and I don’t even know the number!). Keeping our phones in our bedroom also prevents our daughters from trying to sneak time on them in the middle of the night (something we have had issues with with other devices). All that to say, I think if you are using them responsibly, the bedroom can be an ok place for cell phones at night. However, if you are having trouble sleeping because you can’t put down your device, that’s a different issue.
Andrea says
Yes, we are not having any trouble sleeping due to the phones.
Also, did you just get a traditional landline for your girls? Or a cell phone you leave at home? We’re trying to figure out what would be best for us as we’d like to get something now that the kids are getting older.
Heather Ratliff says
Yes, we got a traditional landline so we could keep in touch when we leave them at home. That was before my 12 year old got an iPod Touch, but it still makes sense because it’s permanent.
We do keep my daughter’s iPod Touch turned off in our bedroom overnight.
Andrea says
OK thanks! We’ll probably get some sort of landline (or keep at home phone) soon!
Jen O says
I live alone most of the time (kids are in college), and I leave my phone downstairs at night. I find that even if it’s across the room, I don’t sleep as well. People (generally older adults such as my parents and some women in my Bible study) give me a hard time about it from a safety standpoint, but at 47, I have enough sleep issues that every moment of good sleep I get is precious! My kids are 3 and 8 hours away, so in an emergency, it’s not like they are right around the corner anyway.
I have a book light to read. I do have an Alexa in my room bc we had an extra, so I use that as my alarm and sometimes to fall asleep to music. Other than that, the only things that plug in in my bedroom are my lamps!
Andrea says
good for you — sticking to your gut instincts even if others give you a hard time (although you know they’re only looking out for you!)
Thanks for sharing what works for you, Jen!
Sher says
Are you promoting Jon Hoadley ?
A political Advertisement ???( it popped up in the blog )
Andrea says
haha — I have no idea who Jon Hoadley is!
Despite my attempts, there has proven no way to remove political ads from my blog — I have ZERO interest in political debate. Hopefully the ads will be gone once the election is over!
Patty says
Hi Andrea,
I agree with your reasons for keeping the cell phone in the bedroom. They are reasonable and sound. Two other reasons: 1. Safety – if you need to call 911 in an emergency (that’s number one for me); and 2. You know you best and what works for you.
Thanks for sharing these resources. Great topic!
Andrea says
yeah… I think the “safety one” is my top reason. Which is kind of silly because I’ve only really needed it once in my entire life for a “safety” issue — but I was glad that one time!
Linda Jean says
Keep your cellphones in your bedroom! They are not causing you any issues. Model appropriate use for your kids. I’m old – 60 (ha, ha) – I’ve always had (and still do have) a landline in my kitchen and bedroom. Now I have my cellphone with me wherever I am. They serve different purposes. I think it’s more problematic for the children. I know my children snuck cell phone time after bedtime. We did what we could to limit their access to sites they shouldn’t be on and to otherwise monitor their use, including social media, but I don’t know if we were wholly successful. We did have conversations, not lectures, about why they should stay off certain websites, why they should be careful what they posted and why sleep was important. Kids are going to limit test. Kids have to do some sorting out of how to function in the world before they leave home. Kids are going to make mistakes that they can learn from – its good that they make these mistakes when they have their parents around to help them learn. More important than the rules you impose is the communication that you keep in place about why you have the rules and a willingness to listen to their point of view and change the rules if they have a good point.
Marlene says
Well put! I agree that Andrea and Dave are highly responsible and cell phones in bedrooms are no problem for them. But the kids are watching, being influenced in ways you may not realize and forming opinions consciously or not. I would focus on them and continue to be vigilant in their “screen” consumption.
Andrea says
yes, kids are always watching! I’m more aware of this now than ever before. It’s amazing what they pick up!
Amy Powell says
In the past, I brought both my tablet and phone in the bedroom. I would keep them in bed with me but I did find if I woke up in the middle of the night, instead of letting myself fall back to sleep I would reach for either device. My sleep cycle was disrupted and I usually felt tired when my alarm sounded. For the last few months, the only device I have in my bedroom is my phone. As part of my night time routine I set the alarm on my phone and put it on the dresser. I leave tablets in the living room, instead reading a library book, usually a cookbook and read for a few minutes.
My phone is my alarm but more importantly close by if an emergency happens. That is really the only reason I continue to bring it in the bedroom at night as a could buy a small clock to wake me each morning.
Now I need to reduce my daily screen time. I don’t watch any news on tv so it’s the only way I know what is going on. But I think I spend too much time watching YouTube so that’s the next thing I need to work on reducing.
I have to say I really enjoy your Friday emails
Andrea says
Thanks Amy — glad you enjoy the Friday emails 🙂
I’m with you on not watching any NEWS — we don’t even have regular TV anymore so I’m not sure I could watch the news even if I wanted to! That said, I can totally relate to how YouTube can “suck you in”! One minute, I’m watching the details for a recipe I want to try… and then 25 minutes later, I’m take a house tour of someone in Florida who just put in a pool. How did that happen!?!
Mary says
Would you mind expanding a bit on your comment that The Social Dilemma on Netflix is “skewed”? I’m not quite sure what you mean by that. Thanks!
Andrea says
Yes — from what I gathered, they only interviewed people who used to work for the big internet companies (Google, Facebook Instagram, etc.) so they didn’t really get a well-rounded pool of interviews. Everyone was very opposed to technology — which is why they left their jobs. Obviously, we know technology is not all bad, so it would have been nice to have some of the pros acknowledged as well.