By Cyndra Neal
This is a question that many parents find themselves wondering about, often when their children are as young as eight or nine years old. Kids are asking for technological gadgets at increasingly early ages, claiming that they need things like cell phones, video games, iPods, and laptop computers.
But do your kids really need these things? Essentially, this type of question is one that parents must address on an individual basis. Your particular family circumstances should be the primary guiding force in determining whether your young child needs a cell phone.
The first thing that you should take into consideration is how often your child is away from you or your spouse. If you have an eight year old who is never away from you except to go to school, then the odds are pretty good that he or she does not have any real need for a cell phone. On the other hand, if your child spends a good deal of time away from you (with friends, relatives, or at school sponsored events), then you might want to consider purchasing some type of cell phone for emergency situations.
The key to maintaining control over your child’s cell phone usage is to make sure that you impose restrictions on phone usage so that your kids do not have carte blanche to do whatever they want.
Choosing a Cell Phone for Kids
This seems to be one of the biggest dilemmas that parents face, even if they have decided that their child needs a cell phone. Depending on your child’s age, he or she may not really need a “standard” cell phone that you would get from a major cell phone provider.
For younger kids, there are some great starter phones that you can purchase that will kind of ease them into cell phone responsibility without putting an enormous strain on your budget. For example, the Firefly Phone is a popular choice that allows parents to pay as they go or opt for monthly plans to accommodate their childs needs.
The Firefly Phone comes with parental controls, which should be an absolute must for any parent who is considering purchasing a cell phone for a child under the age of about 14. In addition, Firefly Phones start at about $49, with plans starting at about $10, making it a relatively affordable option for parents who feel the need to buy their young children cell phones.
Another option is Kajeet, which claims to be the safest cell phone service for kids. They offer parental controls, a GPS locator, no annual contracts, and no fees for early termination of services. These are just some examples of parental controled phones for kids.
Security, Convenience, or too much Independence?
The bottom line is that cell phones are expensive. They are not toys, and they should not be handed out to children before giving the matter some serious consideration. If giving your child a cell phone will give you greater peace of mind, or if it will allow you to stay in touch with your child when he or she is away from you, then there is certainly nothing wrong with giving your child this tool.
If you’re simply tired of being nagged by a child who wants to fit in with “everybody else”, then you might want to think twice about whether giving your child a cell phone would really be a wise idea. In most cases, children are not really away from their parents enough before they learn to drive to warrant having a cell phone.
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