Should Kids have Cell Phones
Should kids have cell phones is a question asked by many parents. Are cell phones a bane or boon for school kids and teenagers? Or are they a helpful means of communication in times of need? Let us enter the debate of should kids have cell phones in the following article.
Rita is not alone and Jess is no exception. Kids today are demanding cell phones from their parents as they have become a must have for every adolescent and teen. Peer pressure or trying to mingle in the crowd, cell phones are every kid's wish. But, should kids have cell phones? Are they old enough to handle this responsibility? Or should they be given a cell phone as a communication device? There are many cell phones in school pros and cons. When we have a look at the debate for should children have cell phones in the following paragraphs, I am sure you will be able to decide whether your kid is ready for them. Let's go into the details of 'should kids have cell phones'.
Should Children have Cell Phones
More and more kids own cell phones today. It has been found more than 84% of children in New Zealand own a cell phone. The same trend continues in America. Even elementary kids are given cell phones to stay in touch with their parents. Given the number of perils of sending children out alone have increased, cell phones at least give parents half the peace of mind. They can hope to stay in contact with their wards in case of an emergency. However, cell phones with all their advantages, invite trouble. Let us have a look at cell phones in schools pros and cons to weigh the benefits as well as perils associated with kids owning these gadgets.
Should Kids have Cell Phones ~ Advantages
Let us begin with the number of advantages associated with cell phones. The first and foremost advantage of kids having cell phones is staying in contact. You can remain in touch with your kids at all times. If your kids have to stay back for soccer practice or cheerleader drill, they can contact you and let you know they will be home late. If you pick up your kids after school and are going to be running late, you can inform them to wait for you or explain the alternative arrangement to reach home safely. School shootings are on the rise in America, and in this tense moment, a cell phone is the only way to contact your child and know of his/her well-being.
If your kid walks back home 3 or 4 blocks from school, this is a great way to have some peace of mind as you can contact them immediately, if they are running later than usual. If you are a working parent and you have a care taker to look after your kids till you get home, then the best way to know about their whereabouts is through cell phones. This is because you will be able to know exactly where they are and what they are doing. If there is any emergency they can at least text you or call the emergency police number and seek help.
Another interesting feature coming in with cell phones is free GPS mobile phone tracking. This technology helps you locate your kid at all times. The GPS tracking feature will prove to be useful, if you suspect your kid has joined the wrong kind of friends group or you want to know the places he/she spends time at. This way you can ensure your child remains on the right path and does not land into trouble. This feature is especially useful for parents of immature teenagers.
If you are worried about the cost of owning a cell phone, then there are plenty of plans from network providers that will prove to be useful. You can activate fixed dialing numbers like your home, police, office, school and a few friends. This will make sure your kids do not call or try to contact anyone other than those who matter. Also, there are prepaid cell phones for kids that bar out going calls except emergency numbers, once the minutes are used up. This will teach the kids to manage their finances wisely and allow you to keep a track at how much they spend on cell phones. If there is Internet activated, there are cell phones that allow you to block the connectivity at certain times. This means no Internet on the cell phone when in school or after bedtime.
Should Kids have Cell Phones ~ Disadvantages
Now, let us focus on the disadvantages of cell phones for kids. The biggest disadvantage of owning a cell phone is cyber bullying. This means, kids are blackmailed or threatened by hackers and personal data thieves. This is especially true when kids click or shoot embarrassing photos and videos of friends at school. Thus, make sure you give your kids cell phones sans the camera feature. This will avoid such embarrassing as well as criminal occurrences. It is important you choose a plan with limited usage minutes. This will avoid sending and downloading ring tones, music, games, sending way too many text messages, etc. You should activate plans that limit the number of downloads or sending text messages over the month.
One important thing to remember is teach your kids never to give their cell phone number to any stranger over the Internet or in school. This may allow predators to contact your kids and create trouble. Another important aspect to keep in mind, is restricting cell phone use in schools. Kids use their cell phones to cheat during exams and pass each other the answers. Many schools have a complete ban on use of cell phones during school hours and on school premises. You should speak to the school authorities regarding their rules about cell phones and teach your kids to obey them.
Cell phones with Internet make it very difficult to monitor the content kids view on the Web. They can access videos, photos, content as well as text messages, that are way mature than their age. Thus, speak to your kids about the ill effects and make sure you stay watchful for any wrongdoing. You should understand that if your kid is responsible enough to own a cell phone. If your kid still loses or breaks his stuff, then maybe you should wait a little longer. Children store a lot of personal information on their cell phones. Thus, in case of theft, you child is left vulnerable to predators and cyber bullying.
Effects of Cell Phones on Teenagers
More and more teens are becoming addicted to cell phones. These gadgets become their lives and they cannot live without their cell phones. Constant texting, calling friends, staying connected on social networking sites, clicking and uploading photos with their cell phones has become a way of life for most teens. Cell phones become a distraction for most teens and they tend to crave for better, higher-end models of cell phones. Most of them earn to pay for their cell phone minutes and therefore there is nothing much a parent can do about it. However, teaching kids to become responsible about cell phone usage from the start, will help reduce these negative effects of cell phones on teenagers.
This is all about 'should kids have cell phones'. As you can see there are as many perils as well as boons of owning cell phones by kids. You should speak to your kids about cell phone etiquette and keep an eye on the way they use their cell phones. It may be very difficult to monitor their usage, yet you can make sure they do not spend a lot of time and money on their phones. If you feel your kid is ready to take on the responsibility of a cell phone, then go in for the basic model of cell phones for kids. There are many disposable cell phones available that you can buy for your kids. As they learn to become more and more responsible about their actions, you can think of giving them more freedom. Your kids will become independent once they get their cell phones. However, it is your responsibility to make sure they do not abuse their freedom with cell phones.
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