I have finally joined the league of moms with children in school. Having a school-aged child in this era is scary, and as we have seen, a lot can happen in a school day, making a parent consider getting their child a mobile device. Even with a five-year-old, I have been faced with the decision of whether or not – for safety and emergencies – she should have some sort of mobile device while at school, but then I came to my senses. I mean, she’s five, and not responsible enough to have one, and she doesn’t have a job to pay the bill. But, when is a good time to purchase a mobile phone for your kid? Sprint has the answer with the Kid’s First Phone website.
On the Kid’s First Phone website, Sprint offers third-party expert advice from Katie Hurley, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of The Happy Kid Handbook. There is an online quiz for parents to check their child’s readiness for having a cell phone. And for those parents who have decided on getting their child a phone, there is a customizable parent-child mobile contract for the parent to set rules and limits for phone use.
Did you know? According to Influence Central, in 2016:
- The average age a child gets their first smartphone is 10.3 years old
- 64 percent of kids already have internet access via personal tablets/laptops.
- 1 in 2 kids will have a social media account by age 12.
I wish the Kids First Phone website existed when I was 16 years old, which was when I was able to get my first cellphone. Maybe then, my mom would have seen that I was mature and responsible enough to own a cellphone, and would have allowed me to get one sooner. Call it hate, but, I was not allowed to have a cellphone until I:
1. Had a job and
2. Able to pay the bill myself;
However, these days the age of children having a mobile device gets younger and younger. Sometimes when I am out, I am surprised to see children as young as 9 or 10 having a cell phone. My nephew who is 12 has a cellphone. Can you believe that? I hope his mom made him sign a contract .:hint hint:.
Below I am sharing Three Reasons You Should Get a Cellphone for Your Child.
- Safety and Security – Cell phones can provide a level of safety and security if your child tends to travel to and from school alone. Most phones have GPS tracking, which helps keep track of your child’s location if lost or late coming home from school or an after-school activity.
- Your child is mature – Having a cell phone is a huge responsibility. Your child should be mature enough, and smart enough to know not to use their mobile device negatively. Explain the parameters, and set rules, especially since sexting and bullying on social media is rampant. Your child should know to stay away from engaging in those behaviors.
- Your child is responsible – Your child may be ready for a cellphone if he/she shows that they can take care of their own belongings, do their homework, and not become distracted by mobile games and texting.