You let your kids have a phone, and then every single one of these things happened

They've been begging you for months. There's been screaming and crying - 'all of my friends have got one!' they roar. They want a mobile phone, and they're not giving up until they've got their grubby little mitts on one.Eventually, something's gotta give - and usually, it'll be you. So you equip them with a smartphone, under the premise of education and personal safety. Here's what actually happens...

They have endless conversations with their friends...

http://giphy.com/gifs/Ep21qp1qzg5bi

...but will never talk to you again

http://giphy.com/gifs/aw3X5jVznA9So

They take thousands of pictures of each other…

http://giphy.com/gifs/HPfnuEmhDT23C

...and themselves

http://giphy.com/gifs/WulvoU5sY0Dss

They play games for HOURS...

http://giphy.com/gifs/MCLIT0B7NEU80

...master social media surprisingly quickly...

http://giphy.com/gifs/TyDAime6aCTJe

...and start to communicate solely using smiley faces

http://giphy.com/gifs/pRymn62KKMRxe

They develop selective hearing...

http://giphy.com/gifs/13NIwJUOLhGfmg

...and no longer have any interest in anything that isn’t digital...

http://giphy.com/gifs/4hZWC6ECxYhyg

...even when there’s food involved

http://giphy.com/gifs/DGVSi9TQ36yYM

However, regardless of how much they love it, that phone is not in a safe pair of hands

http://giphy.com/gifs/oTW7rJC0AA0bS

They carry it as through it didn't cost 1,000 weeks worth of pocket money

http://giphy.com/gifs/eaGTwBUVYLug0

It’ll never have any battery left

http://giphy.com/gifs/AS2baV0NPdWF2

Somehow, it’ll end up waterdamaged...

http://giphy.com/gifs/LiyPaa4V92Z2M

...or 'creatively improved' by a younger sibling

http://giphy.com/gifs/Jfx6kA6IpbCBW

Which will of course lead to this reaction:

http://giphy.com/gifs/JuhzFd9o7t8U8

But for all of the trouble phones cause, you're glad your kids can call you in an emergency...

http://giphy.com/gifs/pS1yOUIwc0CvC

...and get in touch if they really need help

http://giphy.com/gifs/dYnrJGuSpLEv6

So don't worry if you feel like you've lost your kids to their phones...

http://giphy.com/gifs/11HxElzKUMmBxu

...they'll come crawling back as soon as they've managed to smash the screen.

http://giphy.com/gifs/EviEccBDTeNR6

Where to next?