Microsoft big boss Bill Gates has revealed that he places restrictions on his children’s exposure to technology. The tech giant says he remained unmoved to his kids' pleas to get their own mobile phones when they were in their early teens. Despite their children's incessant complaints about their friends already having cell phones, Mr. Gates and his wife Melinda told their kids that they can only have the gadget when they are 14.
Like many other parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gates also imposed rules on gadget use in the house. They also have a tough time trying to figure out where to draw the line. However, at dinner time, the couple is adamant that family time comes first before texting and other gadget use.
Mr. Gates also reveals that he's surprisingly strict when it comes to screen time for his three children. He shares that the reason why he does this is to help them get to sleep at a reasonable hour. According to The Independent, the world's richest man is always on the lookout on how to use technology in a great way for his kids such as homework and staying in touch with friends.
According to Mashable, a research in 2016 by Influence Central found that the average age for a child to get their first cell phone is 10 years old which went down from 12 in 2014. So it is somewhat surprising to learn that the Gates kids were left behind on this matter. Another tech icon who also applied strict rules when it comes to technology for his kids was Apple's Steve Jobs.
Although Mr. Jobs had been known to clash with Mr. Gates on several occasions, it's interesting to note the both tech giants are concerned on how technology affects their kids. Mr. Jobs reportedly made sure that he talked about books and history during meal time. It was one way to make sure that his kids don't get addicted to the products that he worked hard to produce.
