Come on, parents, let’s bring back the landline
Before the days we all had a mobile phone glued to our hands, one household item was our only contact with the outside world.
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With the under-16 social media ban coming into effect, I couldn’t help but wonder, would teens benefit from bringing back the landline?
It was yet another park visit, trying to hold a conversation with another mum friend, all while navigating interruptions, snack requests, and tantrums.
We asked each other, “What is different about this generation?” A question I ask myself daily. The one answer that consistently rings true is the on-demand world in which we currently live. And one that is impossible to escape.
I’m happy to out myself as “old” now because – in my day – we had to watch ads, wait a week for our favourite show to come back on the screen, if we needed to look something up not only did we have to wait for dial up but we also had to hope our Enycolpedia Encarta ‘95 CDs didn’t have any scratches.
And for those who have no idea what scratches on CDs mean, hello Gen Z.
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Bring back the good old days
After reminiscing about the good old days, we can agree that communication is a crucial building block for feeling included and fostering a sense of community. Landlines, with their shared use and audible rings, can enhance this sense of community, a feature that smartphones lack.
We often discuss the dangers of screen time and social media, but rarely challenge the notion that phones are a “must-have” for tweens and teens. Research shows that excessive screen time and social media use can have negative effects on children’s self-esteem and brain development.
When did we decide that being included meant being constantly online? That to stay in the loop, they had to scroll endlessly through apps designed to hijack their attention? With very few benefits to their self-esteem and brain development.
A phone was just a phone, and we thrived
Not long ago, a phone was just that, a device that facilitated a call between two people, or if you had an upgraded package, three! It sat in the hallway, rang out loud for the whole house to hear, and if you wanted privacy, you had to stretch the curly cord into the laundry. These days, phones live in our children’s pockets, and they don’t just ring — they ping, buzz, flash, and hook them in for hours on end.
My millennial friends, do you remember the anticipation of the phone ringing? And having the added responsibility as part of our role in the family was to answer the phone.
It taught us etiquette and good phone manners. Also taking messages and delivering them to our parents.
No, it’s not about being retro for the sake of being retro. It’s about drawing a clear line between connection and consumption.
Kids should be able to call their friends, chat about school, giggle about nothing, and make plans for the weekend. That’s part of growing up – forming friendships and staying connected. But they don’t need TikTok, Snapchat, or a thousand curated selfies to do that.
Do you remember your home phone number?
The benefits of a landline are endless. They will be able to talk to their friends, but not mindlessly scroll while chatting.
The simplicity of a landline, where you actually have to dial people’s numbers to make a call, will retrain their brains and encourage tweens and teens to learn numbers.
Side note: A fun dinner party activity is to go around the table and ask people to recite their home phone number. I guarantee your millennial, Gen X and boomer friends will blurt it out without missing a beat.
It’s not about isolation; it’s about intention.
In researching for this article, yes, I understand the irony here, I came across an Instagram account, where the female founder has created a smart landline. Her calls are forwarded to a landline so she can walk away from her phone but still remain connected.
A downgrade isn’t always a negative
I’m not the only one considering a tech downgrade, as Physical Phones have sold out and are currently on backorder.
We want our kids to feel connected to people, not just platforms. We want them to be present in the real world, in their community, with their family — not endlessly distracted by filtered lives and digital noise.
And guess what? The landline works. It sets a boundary. It gives them the freedom to talk — and then hang up. No scrolling, no doom spirals, no pressure to perform. Just a real connection, the old-fashioned way.
So let’s reclaim the landline. Reclaim their attention. Because sometimes, the best way forward is a step back.
Jordana Shell is a freelance writer
Originally published as Come on, parents, let’s bring back the landline
