Why some parents are getting landlines for their kids

(WJW) – Some parents have decided that, although a cell phone seems too dangerous or distracting, they would still like their children to be able to learn the communication skills that come with using a phone, and kids would like to stay in contact with their friends. Yes, some parents are getting landlines for their kids in 2025. 

According to a recent Common Sense Media study, one in four American children has their own cell phone by age eight. By age four, 58% of children have their own tablet.

But many parents are joining the growing trend of trying to dial back their kids’ cell phone dependency by using landlines instead.

In an interview done by the TODAY Show, 10-year-old Molly Morris and her mom, Karen, talked about their decision to get a landline at their home. 

According to TODAY, it started when Molly asked her parents for a phone, but they didn’t like the idea. 

“We pivoted and we surprised her with a landline,” Karen told TODAY. 

Karen and Molly were even able to convince friends to do the same, so they could stay in touch with each other without the distractions of screens or the dangers of social media. 

According to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics, 78% of adults now live in a household with a cell phone only, no landlines. 

“All my friends have it now, which is cool. It helps me with independence,” Molly said.

Karen even told TODAY that she believes getting a landline for her daughter was her “smartest parenting decision.”

Some companies are even jumping in on the trend, including Tin Can, a modern home phone for kids. 

“We started Tin Can because we couldn’t find a phone we actually wanted to give our kids,” the Tin Can website says. “What started in our own neighborhood is now a growing community of kids across the country who are talking to each other the old-fashioned way.”

Chet Kittleson, cofounder of Tin Can, is a father of three who was looking for a better phone option for kids.

According to Kittleson, with a landline phone, kids “have to learn how to say hello. They have to learn how to be silent while another person talks. I think that’s been a powerful thing for them as well,” he told TODAY.

According to The Atlantic, getting a landline is a great way to help limit your child’s free time while they still get that phone fix. Also, it gives children the opportunity to have some independence. 

Would you consider getting a landline in 2025?