Many parents worry about questions like:
● Do our children really need the phone?
● Why does our child need the phone?
● Is it safe for a child to use a mobile phone?
Well, these kind of questions can pose a feeling of threat in the minds of parents. Due to this, parents feel difficulty in deciding whether or not they should purchase cell phone for kids.
One thing that should be noted here is that using mobile can disturb the academic achievements of the kids. Most of the time, parents buy their children a phone when they are 12 years old.
Establish Want Versus Need:
As a parent, you need to figure out if there is a genuine need for safe phone for kids or if they are just demanding it for fun. Your children may ask you to give them a brand-new iPhone, but your plans might be to give them one of your old phones.
If you do not have a sufficient amount, you can talk to your child in person so that you guys can better decide on a phone that matches your budget.
Learn Their ‘Why’:
You need to ask your child why he/she wants a mobile phone. This helps you clarify your doubts and learn the ‘why’ behind need for the cell phone for kids. If your kid says that he/she wants a mobile because of using an app his/her classmates use, do not instantly buy them a phone. First of all, check the application on your phone and decide whether or not it is appropriate for your kid.
If it is not suitable, communicate with them and tell them they cannot get a cell phone for the reason they are demanding.
Assess Their Maturity:
While there is not a perfect age to get your kid a phone, certain maturity signals can better help you decide about it. These include:
● Is your child responsible enough?
● Do they mean whatever they commit to?
● Do they lose concentration on education when they use some technical gadget?
Some kids are notorious for leaving their backpacks at home or school. That is a good sign they might not be able to keep an expensive cell phone. Also, if your child forgets his/her stuff at school or home but using a phone can benefit them, you can use some other things to track your child’s performance.
Here, you can use some sort of online tracking app or a bright reminder on their backpack to assist them track their mobile phone. Keep doing this until they get responsible for looking after their stuff.
Help Keep Them Safe:
This is very important indeed! Remember whatever you know about anything, your kid knows more about it. This is why, you need to vanish or remove this information gap between you as a parent and kids. This is why, you need to look after the digital movements of your child before you buy him/her a cell phone for kids.
There are many famous services available online that can help you track your kid’s chats and calls, block unwanted contacts, and limit phones during certain hours of the day. In addition to this, you can also use third-party options, which help you to control your kid’s phone activity remotely.
Concluding Words:
Deciding on a first cell phone for kids is a critical decision. But if you consider the above-mentioned points in mind, the decision becomes easier for you. So look for the mobile that best suits you and your kid’s digital activities. This helps to monitor your child’s academic and social media performance timely.
