If you, like many American parents, are finally considering buying a mobile for your child, the chances are that you have been thinking about the side effects that will come with it.
Owning a phone is a big step in a child’s life, but it can also be the start of a downward spiral. Parents can navigate these implications by thinking through the major decisions before buying the phone. Consider the ideas below to form your opinion as you buy your child a brand-new device.
You will need to monitor how they use it
The first thing to keep in mind is that you are going to have to monitor your child’s use of the phone. Buying the phone is not a one-off deal. Experts equate buying a child a phone to giving a child a car. In the latter scenario, parents have to teach the child how to drive before they can fully hand over the keys.
The same applies to owning a phone. Children’s phones have to be monitored for their own safety. Parents can monitor the new phone by managing it remotely, creating its password, turning on its parental controls and more.
You can also install the Phone Tracker app on the phone to get real-time updates on the apps, websites and locations your child is visiting. The Phone Tracker app is legal, safe and mostly free for use.
You do not have to buy the most expensive phone at first
After weeks and weeks of persuasion, many parents are pushed into buying smartphones for the children. It is not a terrible thing, but it is not the ideal either. Before you buy your child a phone, consider giving him or her an older phone that is lying around. It can be as old a model as a flip phone.
Depending on their age and natural disposition, the old phone will prove how responsible the child can be. An expensive phone will most certainly raise your child’s clout at school, but it can also expose him to dangers like robbery and cyberbullying a bit early.
You have to consider their age or maturity first
What is the right age for owning a mobile phone? In the United States, children as young as 5 can own phone, depending on their parents. But smart parents do not go with the status quo; they make their own decisions.
If a child seems too young, giving them a phone can be a big mistake. Studies show that the child can become secretive, rude and withdrawn after owning the phone. Some children become way more responsible when they own a device.
Older children (ages 12 to 17) automatically need phones, but they may still not be mature enough to own the latest, most expensive models. It is up to the parents to determine if their child is mature enough for the responsibility.
Ask them why they want it
It is always important to know why your child needs a phone of their own. The common reasons parents hear for this request revolve around needing it for communication, wanting to become cool at school and phone ownership being a requirement for school activities such as camping trips.
Communication and school requirements are solid reasons. But if a very young child wants a phone to appear cool at school, or they say they do not have a reason for wanting a phone, it is probably not the best idea to buy them a mobile.
You need to retain partial ownership
Parents across America agree that children should not be allowed to own their phones entirely. As you buy a phone for your child, remember to tell them that they own it partially and you are still in control.
Many parents go as far as signing contracts with their children on this issue. Retaining partial ownership of the child’s phone means you can install its password yourself and block unwanted apps from installing remotely. It also means the child will know to avoid using it for unsavory acts.