The Role of a Lifetime on ABC and ABC iview S1E1 – At the Maliks, 10-year-old Jack (Kaspar Frost) agitating to get a smartphone. Mum (Kate Ritchie) and Dad (Nazeem Hussain) are stalling, but the pressure is growing.
In the real world, Kate meets cognitive neuroscientist Mark Williams, who believes smartphones are sapping kids’ ability to pay attention.
Psychologist Jocelyn Brewer says teaching a child to use a phone is like teaching them to swim.
Social media content creator Tom Ford asks a group of older teens when they got their first smartphone.
Kate and Naz meet psychologist Jo Lamble, who believes the way to gauge if a child is ready for a smart phone is to ask them questions relating to social maturity, critical thinking, and safety skills.
Meanwhile, back at the Maliks’, Mum and Dad catch Abbie (Kira McLennan) wagging school. It turns out Abbie’s being bullied online.
Naz meets former educator Rachel Downie, creator of Stymie, an online platform where kids report bullying. Naz is shocked when he reads some Stymie notifications.
In the Moral Dilemma, the show asks, ‘Would you snoop through your child’s phone?’ 67% of respondents say they would.
Finally, a surprise for Jack. A new phone! But his joy is short-lived. It’s as basic as they come – it only does calls and texts.
Production credit: Produced by Dreamchaser.
The Role of a Lifetime on ABC and ABC iview – Tuesday 18 February at 8.30pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
The Role of a Lifetime on ABC and ABC iview S1E1
