Kid Cell Phones

This is the first question parents need to ask themselves. Even with the many methods of parental control, the phone is still in the hands of the child. The age in which a child should have their first cell phone is likely the question most asked.

As illustrated on KidCellPhone.net’s various phone profiles, there are different models of phones geared toward children of different ages and responsibility-levels.

Kid-friendly phones don’t include many features, so there’s really no danger of running up a bill with thousands of texts. But there’s the dilemma of a child treating it like one of their toys. Kids abuse them. They lose them. It’s up to the parent to monitor and decide what the right age is to give their child a phone.

As kids grow into their tween and teen years, parents have to not only worry about the physical abuse a child puts on a phone, but also the abuse of features such as texting and the Internet. An easy solution is to get an unlimited-text plan. (Unless you’re uncomfortable with the idea of letting your kid text.) The Internet on a phone should be treated like Internet use at home. Keep it limited, or don’t include the feature on their phone.

A CNET poll asked at what age should kids get their first cell phone. Answers typically were along the lines of “when they can afford to pay for it themselves,” with the explanation that kids would value it more.
It’s like anything—parents will know when the time is right for their child, and with that must educate them on the responsibility that comes with having their own cell phone.