Dear Miss C,
My pre-teen is constantly bugging me to get her own cell phone. She says all her friends have one, so should I get her one too?
—Undecided Mom
Dear Undecided Mom,
Now while I cannot say whether your child is ready or not ready to have her first cell phone, let’s look at some of the pros and cons.
With appropriate safety and boundary rules in place, having a cell phone is very convenient. Your daughter can be in contact with you anytime. This means that a cell phone can make your child safer. Not only can you reach your child anywhere, but GPS and tracking apps can allow you to know where your child is at every hour from any location. First, cell phones can help teach responsibility. She will learn the rules and how to take care of it herself. Cell phones are affordable (no contract phones in particular).
Many parents are opting to purchase the phone for their kids, but then the child is responsible for earning the monthly fee, whether through cash, chores, etc.
Now, without safety and boundary rules in place, having a cell phone is a bad idea. Cell phones can be a distraction. Your child might be distracted from developing relationships or from school work. Speaking of relationships, as with computers and internet safety, parents need to be cautious about who and how they are connecting with others via texting and other messaging apps. Once your child hits send, that information is never truly safe or private.
Whatever you decide is appropriate for your daughter, I caution you to set appropriate cell phone use rules and be sure that you always have access to the passwords if you have a concern about how the cell phone is being used.
Blessings,
—Miss C
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