I adore being a mother. But it has left me in an endless doom spiral full of existential dread. Reading Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generationlast year did very little to help, nor did poring through books on the difficulties of raising boys (Low attention spans! Excessive gaming!). The state of the world and the looming upheaval AI could have on the job market don't help.Now, mind you, my kids are only four and six. I should probably chill out about their job prospects, but I don't thrive in uncertain times, which we are certainly in. That said, I do think there's something to be said for laying foundations for healthy habits, especially around technology. I was the mom who didn't let my kids watch TV until they turned two, and I have no shame toward parents who made different decisions, nor do I regret mine.With that said, this winter, my family's screen time went off the rails. The weather and various health issues forced us to prioritize survival. Star Wars, Bluey and YouTube videos about Monster Trucks, squirrels and trains were nice oxygen masks. As the ground literally thawed and we started to emerge from perpetual triage mode on the home front, it was time to make shifts. But change is hard, and, for some reason, my kindergartener had four straight Fridays off from school.Determined to stop using screens as a crutch, I jumped at the chance to try out Tin Can Landline. I hoped it would let my kids feel grown-up, joyful and connected without vegging out (nothing wrong with that sometimes, but I was done blowing through my usual limits for them). Did it work? Scroll on for my honest review of the Tin Can phone.Related: ‘I Tried a Brick To Spend Less Time on My Phone—and I’m Not Sure How I Ever Lived Without It’
What Is Tin Can, Exactly?
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
The aim is to create a safe way for kids to connect that doesn't become overstimulating. There are no apps, games, texting capabilities, internet browsing or other things that can make smartphones and computers unsafe (because of very real issues like sextortion and cyberbullying), addictive and overstimulating.
Right now, the sixth "batch" of Tin Can phones are available for pre-order and cost $100 each. As the site explains, "Tin Can comes with free, unlimited calls to other Tin Cans, no subscription needed. It also includes 1 free month of our Party Line Plan, so you can talk with approved contacts who have regular phones."
How Tin Can Works
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
An internet connection is required. The phone connects to your home Wi-Fi (you cannot use it in airports or hotels with public Wi-Fi). The Flashback model (currently unavailable) plugs into your router (Tin Can provides the Ethernet cable) and into a wall plug. The Tin Can (which we tried and is available for pre-order) plugs into the wall, and you use the app to connect to the Internet.Putting power in parents' hands. There are safety controls, including set phone hours and the ability to turn on or off 911 calling. You can approve contacts and view call logs.No apps, gaming or texting. It's a "dumb," screen-free phone.It has some cool features, though. Kids can put people on speed dial and speaker phone to simplify their experience.
Related: I Stopped Looking at My Phone Before Bed for 30 Days and I Was Honestly Surprised by the Results
Setting up the Tin Can: First Impressions
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
First, we unboxed it. The sunny yellow color was a breath of fresh air. After briefly smiling over the colorway, we plugged it in, then I scanned a QR code. It took me to the app where I got to "set the rules" for my kids.
I also set the hours, cutting them off before my kids' bedtime. We planned to monitor all uses of the landline, but parents of tweens and teens may want to give their children privacy.
Then, we got to select a phone number for our kids. They got a traditional-looking number. But to call another Tin Can, they'd need to use a separate 10-digit number. It was a touch confusing at first.
You can select from two plans for your child's Tin Can. Both options allow for 911 calling if you activate it. The free version my family used is the Can 2 Can plan. As the name implies, you can call other Tin Cans for free. The pros are that it's free and gives you and your family the benefit of a screen-free device. The con is that your child's friends or other family members must have a Tin Can.
Related: We Asked 3 Child Psychologists What Phrase To Avoid With Kids—They All Said the Same Thing
My Family's Experience
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
That said, I thought the setup was pretty straightforward, and I am someone who gets anxious about figuring out new things that involve wires and Internet connections.
I appreciated the controls
If you pause for more than a few seconds between dialing numbers, the Tin Can may stop registering the digits. It effectively cancels the call, and the child has to start again. My kids are pretty young and inexperienced, so there was a lot of hand-holding as they dialed the numbers. Also, they thought the dial tone meant it was ringing–but that's a Gen Alpha problem, not a Tin Can problem.
They felt *so* cool
Related: A Psychotherapist Is Begging People To Stop Making This Common Mistake on Social Media
Final Thoughts: Is Tin Can Worth It?
Courtesy Beth Ann Mayer
The Tin Can is also something that can grow with our sons, and I am way more on board with it than a smartphone before they're in their mid- to late-teens. Connection is crucial, but it doesn't have to come with all the overstimulation of a smartphone. Tin Can nails that ideal.
Up Next:
Related: A Developmental Psychologist Is Begging Parents and Grandparents To Stop Giving Kids This Type of Toy
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