It's not uncommon nowadays to see even young children with a cell phone. And with pink phones, Hello Kitty phones and even specific mobile phone plans for kids it seems like children are the target of a lot of marketing too. But should you buy a phone for your child? A recent report stated that three quarters of UK ten year olds owned a mobile phone, so obviously many people think it is appropriate for young kids to own a phone. If you're trying to decide whether or not to get a cell phone for your kid, there are a few things that you need to take into account...
It's Not as Bad as You Think...
Firstly, don't be close minded about the idea. Just because your kid is pestering you for the hundredth time doesn't necessarily mean that getting a phone is a bad idea. There are a lot of advantages. For example, your child will be able to get hold of you any time he or she needs you, and vice versa. They miss the school bus? No problem. When it comes to safety and security having a phone may be a better idea than you think it is. As long as mobile phone use is controlled properly, then there's no reason that having a phone should be anything other than a benefit to you and you kid.
Be Careful with Financing...
Face it, there's a pretty high chance that your kid is going to lose, break, or drop his phone (probably down the toilet). For this reason, it's not only inadvisable that you buy an expensive device, but also think about financing. When you sign up for a phone plan and get a phone included in the contract you are paying for that phone month by month. You kid loses the phone after three months, guess what? You still have to keep paying for it until the end of your contract. No matter what cool hand set your kid might have his eye on, going for something robust and cheap but functional is your best bet.
Make Sure it's Protected...
And that means protected in every way, shape and form. There's no reason to give younger kids access to the internet, and even older ones should have some form of child lock to prevent them accessing unsuitable material. Text messages should be checked regularly to make sure that you always know what's going on. And watch out for the money.
In general, a pay as you go phone is a better idea, particularly for younger kids, since it's far easier to control spending on PAYG. Contract phones can rapidly become billing nightmares with kids, since they're frequently irresponsible about staying on top of calling minute and text message limits. Finally, you might want to consider a special kids contract for the phone.
Many mobile service operators offer special features for phones that will belong to a child, including the ability to limit service to certain hours of the day, meaning that your kid can't use the phone in school or late at night. Having a kid contract might be an easy way of controlling your child's phone habits...
Author Bio:
Phil Turner has two granddaughters who have been hinting that they want pink phones for their birthdays next month.
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