
Feature/General
Is Your Child Old Enough for a Cell Phone?
By Vincent Iannelli, M.D.
Sept/Oct 2006
Unlike other parenting problems,
most of us can't really think back to our own childhood to see
how our parents handled this issue. After all, cell phones weren't
around when most of us were kids.
For many parents, a cell phone just seems like something else that
their kids will nag them about getting, such as an iPod or a laptop.
Teens and tweens likely see the cell phone issue differently,
imagining that getting a cell phone is a step towards independence
and a status symbol among their friends.
Pros
One very good reason to get your kids a cell phone is that it lets
you stay in touch with them at almost all times. In addition
to being practical, like when gymnastics class lets out early,
having a cell phone can help you easily get in touch with your
kids in case of an emergency. This extra sense of security and
safety that a cell phone provides is probably the key reason
that parents should even consider getting their younger children
a cell phone. And in the case of a real tragedy a cell phone
can be your only lifeline to your kids.
A cell phone can also be an important way to keep in touch with
your older teen, especially if they are driving. And if you get
a phone with GPS, a cell phone can help you figure out where your
teen is at all times.
Cons
Although the added safety a cell phone offers is nice, consider
that most of the younger kids cell phone companies are targeting,
especially tweens between the ages of 8 and 11 or 12, shouldn't
really be alone anyway. In most situations, your child will be
able to use a regular phone or the cell phone of whichever adult
is supervising them.
Other good reasons to delay getting a cell phone until your kids
are a little older can include:
Money - Cell phones can be
expensive. Once you get away from a basic plan, you can be hit
with extra charges for going over your minutes, sending text messages,
buying ringtones, and using the internet. Even with fees for text
messages as low as 10 cents each, that can quickly add up if you
have an average kid that sends 10 to 20 text messages a day. And
that doesn't include the cost of a replacement phone if your kids
lose their phone.
Increased Independence - Although
the increased independence that a cell phone might offer a child
can be good, it can also be a negative thing. Consider that with
a cell phone, your child will simply have another way to communicate
with the outside world that you will have little supervision over.
A cell phone also gives the outside world another way to communicate
with your child. A sex offender, as they do in chat rooms, could
hide behind the anonymity of text messaging and "talk" to your
child.
And keep in mind that most of today's cell phones offer almost
complete internet access, with web browsing, email, chat, and instant
messaging, that is much harder to filter and control as compared
to your home computer.
Whether or not your child is ready for or needs a cell phone is
something a parent will have to decide for themselves. Do make
sure that your child can handle the responsibility of a cell phone
though, before you buy one.
Other things to consider when getting your younger child a cell
phone, include:
- A pre-paid plan with a limited number of minutes
so that you won't be faced with a lot of extra charges.
- The
ability to put strict limits on what the phone can do, including
being able to turn off web access and text messaging. Some phones
also let you limit who can call and who your child can call.
- Only
giving the phone to your child when he really needs it, like
during a trip to the mall or other time when he might not be
near a regular phone.
- Get one with a GPS tracker so that you
can easily find your child when you need to. (This is probably
the only reason that I would even consider getting a cell phone
for my kids right now.)
- Have a discussion of some of the more
serious cell phone issues, such as the dangers of driving while
talking on a cell phone, cyberbullying, cell phone etiquette,
and following rules for cell phone use at school.
Vincent Iannelli, M.D., is a board certified
pediatrician, fellow of the American Academy
of Pediatrics, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern
Medical Center at Dallas. Dr. Iannelli's first book, The Everything
Father's First Year Book,
was recently published by Adams Media.
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