Tweens and Cell Phones
Feb 2nd, 2010 by Dr. Paul
In this age of information, communication, and technology, mobile phones have become an undeniable part of our culture and lifestyle.
Children at younger and younger ages are becoming aware of and having a desire to use technology including cell phones. There are many good reasons to consider allowing your pre-teen child to carry a cell phone, but there are many pitfalls as well.
A cell phone is not a substitute for adult supervision. Some parents are lulled into a sense of security thinking that they can contact or be contacted by their child at any time through the cell phone, and then they relax some of the standards or restrictions as a result. Your child’s level of maturity is still the determining factor in deciding whether to allow any particular privilege.
Use of a cell phone differs from ownership of a cell phone. For less mature kids who cannot yet pay for the privilege of owning a cell phone, parents might consider having a “kid’s phone” which can be checked out as needed to any of the children and which has limited services attached to it.
We are going through this exact situation right now. Not with our oldest but our 10 year old daughter. We do have a family phone and have had one for about a year, however she used to ask almost daily for her own phone. Ever since sitting down all of our kids and explaining the “Stages” with them it has been a lot easier and even a “phone discussion” killer to use that as a reason why we are not willing to get her one now. Even though she still brings it up from time to time, she knows she has to show us she is living in Stage 3 when it comes to the responsibility of being able to handle a phone. We can even bring it up in other ways that reminder her of this. When she doesn’t clean her room, or does the dishes correctly or anything else she doesn’t do with a stage 3 attitude, we reminder her about the necessity for her to be there and show us she can primarily live there when it comes to responsibility in order for her to get the phone. It’s really great seeing her consciously aware of the stages. When she is not and we ask her what stage she is in she knows, relents and it quickly ends any argument.
Michelle Ciminio just wrote a book called: Get Manners “Cell Phone Etiquette, observations from a Mom” and “Netiquette, on-line etiquette tips for Adults & Teens”
Release Date: June 15 — go to Amazon.com on June 15 and help her become a best-selling author.