In the modern age, children as young as five are begging their parents for cell phones. Most parents wonder when their child is the right age to have a cell phone. That would depend on the circumstances. When deciding if your child is ready for their own cell phone, there are several things to consider.
Most parents want to buy cell phones for their children so that the youngsters can stay in touch when they are away from home. These devices are useful if they need to be carried and allow you to communicate with them in an emergency. And as scary as it is, a cell phone may be your only contact with your child during a school shooting or terrorist attack.
Another advantage of a cell phone for your teen is the fact that he can call and tell you where he is and when he plans to be home. The added feature of a GPS can ensure that the teen is where she is supposed to be.
The only reason you might want a younger child to have a cell phone is to allow them to communicate with you when you’re not at school, and many schools now prohibit cell phone use on their property. So if you’re buying a phone for a kid who spends most of his time in school, he might as well not even bother. You won’t be able to use it there anyway. Another factor is the age of the child. If a child is under ten years old, he really shouldn’t be alone anyway, so he should be able to use the cell phone that belongs to the supervising adult. Therefore, buying a phone for a younger child is not a necessity.
Another disadvantage of buying a cell phone for any of your children is the added expense. While you can keep careful track of available minutes and rarely use text messaging, kids don’t keep track of the minutes they use, and some teens send as many text messages a day as their fingers can type. Your child can also download games to their cell phone, which adds additional costs. These practices can lead to you receiving an astronomical phone bill. That doesn’t include the additional cost if your child loses or breaks her cell phone.
While some parents see the added independence a cell phone can give a child as an advantage, it could also be seen as a disadvantage. While it gives your child more freedom, it’s a freedom to communicate with the outside world without your supervision. This can open the way for sex offenders to befriend your child without her knowledge.
If you decide to allow your child to have a cell phone, you may want to purchase a prepaid phone to keep the price within reason. You must also put limits on the amount of use and details of what the phone will be used for. Also take the time to talk to your child about not accepting text messages from anyone they don’t know.
Cell phones are becoming a way of life for most Americans. While a teenager will probably need one of these devices, a younger child may not. In the end, the choice is up to you.