Is Your Child Ready For A Cell Phone?
Monday, February 19, 2007
By Neil Day
A recent study indicated that as many as 50% of children today own a cell phone, and that the number of parents purchasing cell phones for preteen children is rising. Now, if you have children yourself, and have decided to purchase that cell phone that they have been constantly asking you for, have you stopped to consider just how responsible your child really is?
Unfortunately, there is no standard answer to the question... "How old should a child be before they can have a cell phone?" As a parent, that decision ultimately lies with you. You need to weigh up the pros and cons of purchasing a cell phone for your child.
Some pros to consider when deciding to buy your child a cell phone: * You can keep in touch with your child in case of an emergency.* If your child is running late at school or if a practice runs late, they can let you know.* If you are running late to pick them up from school or practice, or if you have been delayed at work, you can keep your child informed.* Most cell phones now come with standard GPS (global positioning system) which can be used by emergency personnel to trace your child should they find themselves in an emergency situation. Many cell phone carriers now allow parents access to this feature so that they can monitor their childs' whereabouts. Just check with the cell phone carrier that this service is available on the cell phone you intend to buy your child.
Some cons to consider when deciding to buy your child a cell phone: * Unless you monitor the usage of the childs' cell phone, they can run up unnecessary bills.* Children can be exposed to danger. You need to monitor who they call and who calls them.* Text (SMS) messaging needs to be constantly monitored as well to make sure that any limits are not exceeded.
Once these pros and cons have been considered, and you have decided to proceed with buying your child a cell phone, you need to make them aware of these pros and cons. You will need to set rules and guidelines that they must adhere to. It could also help to have a few controls in place.
Consider purchasing a pre-paid cell phone. This makes sure there won't be any nasty surprises when the bill arrives. You could also block certain features on your childs' cell phone such as Internet access, text (SMS) messaging and games downloads.
By taking these guidelines into consideration and by making your child aware of the pros and cons, hopefully their continued usage of a cell phone will be a smooth one.
For more information on choosing the right cell phone try visiting http://www.cellphonesinfosite.com, a website that specializes in providing advice, tips and resources on cell phones such as the popular pink cellular phone that you can use to help organize a more budget friendly purchase.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Day
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A recent study indicated that as many as 50% of children today own a cell phone, and that the number of parents purchasing cell phones for preteen children is rising. Now, if you have children yourself, and have decided to purchase that cell phone that they have been constantly asking you for, have you stopped to consider just how responsible your child really is?
Unfortunately, there is no standard answer to the question... "How old should a child be before they can have a cell phone?" As a parent, that decision ultimately lies with you. You need to weigh up the pros and cons of purchasing a cell phone for your child.
Some pros to consider when deciding to buy your child a cell phone: * You can keep in touch with your child in case of an emergency.* If your child is running late at school or if a practice runs late, they can let you know.* If you are running late to pick them up from school or practice, or if you have been delayed at work, you can keep your child informed.* Most cell phones now come with standard GPS (global positioning system) which can be used by emergency personnel to trace your child should they find themselves in an emergency situation. Many cell phone carriers now allow parents access to this feature so that they can monitor their childs' whereabouts. Just check with the cell phone carrier that this service is available on the cell phone you intend to buy your child.
Some cons to consider when deciding to buy your child a cell phone: * Unless you monitor the usage of the childs' cell phone, they can run up unnecessary bills.* Children can be exposed to danger. You need to monitor who they call and who calls them.* Text (SMS) messaging needs to be constantly monitored as well to make sure that any limits are not exceeded.
Once these pros and cons have been considered, and you have decided to proceed with buying your child a cell phone, you need to make them aware of these pros and cons. You will need to set rules and guidelines that they must adhere to. It could also help to have a few controls in place.
Consider purchasing a pre-paid cell phone. This makes sure there won't be any nasty surprises when the bill arrives. You could also block certain features on your childs' cell phone such as Internet access, text (SMS) messaging and games downloads.
By taking these guidelines into consideration and by making your child aware of the pros and cons, hopefully their continued usage of a cell phone will be a smooth one.
For more information on choosing the right cell phone try visiting http://www.cellphonesinfosite.com, a website that specializes in providing advice, tips and resources on cell phones such as the popular pink cellular phone that you can use to help organize a more budget friendly purchase.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Day
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