If you have children over the age of 8, there is a good chance that you have been asked for a cell phone. The fact of the matter is that the children of today are getting cell phones at an earlier age than ever before. As parents, it is your job to make sure that you provide your children with each new responsibility at an appropriate age. As such, you do not want to give your child a cellular phone until he or she is ready to be responsible with it. After all, it is easy to abuse the privilege of having a phone. Luckily, there are a few things that you can look at when trying to determine how old your child should be when he or she gets his first cell phone. Of course, this differs with each child, but all in all there are some general things that you can look into so that you can make the best decision.
First and foremost, has your child demonstrated that he is responsible enough to handle a cell phone? Remember, not only can a cell phone be easily lost, but the bill can be quickly run up if one is not careful. This is why being responsible is the most important attribute needed in order to trust a child with a cell phone. It can be tough to know if your child is responsible enough, but you should be able to get a good idea by just watching the way that they treat their other belongings.
Second, what does your child need a cell phone for? If they are just looking for a gadget, or because one of their friends has one, that should not be a compelling reason to rush out and purchase a RAZR for your little guy. Perhaps you are a working parent, and your child often stays late at football practice and needs to reach you for a ride. In other words, take stock of your child’s needs and how often it is that a cell phone would actually make his and your life easier. If this seems to be the case than a cell phone might just be a good idea.
Is there any minimum age for a child to be when he gets a cellular? Without being silly (under age 10 would probably fall into the ‘silly’ category), it really depends more on the individual child and the specific need. If your child has demonstrated adequate responsibility and there is an obvious need, by junior high school most kids are beginning to show signs of maturity to handle this responsibility. But don’t let peer pressure – yours or your child’s - cloud your own good judgment.
Once you decide to give your child the privilege of a cell phone, tell him what he is supposed to use it for, and also clearly explain that he needs to act responsibly with it. Remember, if you do not explain to your kids about proper usage of a cell phone, they may do something wrong without even knowing it. For instance, a first time cell phone user, especially a child, may not know that they do not have unlimited air time minutes which could lead to a very high bill. Don’t forget the option of providing a limited-access cell phone, either through limits you have your carrier set, or those you program right into the phone using a password.
Overall, parents and children are always debating when the right time to get a cell phone should be. Although you will have to make this decision on your own, consider carefully who your child is and how much responsibility they can handle. When you make these decisions with thought and careful consideration you won’t make the wrong decision.
Posts
