No matter how much you put it off, your kid is going to grow up — and make certain demands (or requests, if you are quite the disciplinarian). Some of those demands you are likely to turn down if you are pretty firm about certain things like dating and going out on a school night. Then there are some demands that try as you might, you just cannot completely disregard. One such demand has to do with a mobile phone.
It is realistic to assume that at an early age, your kid is going to be coming up to you to ask when he or she can get her own mobile phone. A phone is a good way to keep track of your kid and give you the assurance that he or she will have immediate access to help should an emergency arise at school. So it would be tough to say “no” right off the bat. If you are looking to avoid getting them pricey handsets but still recognize the necessity of a mobile phone, then you will want to heed the following recommendations.
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Choose a basic phone
No kid in grade school or high school needs to own the most advanced smartphone, one that allows for business-level Internet phone service. Your young son or daughter is going to survive life without features such as a touchscreen retina display, a speedy processor, Bluetooth capability, and a 12-megapixel camera. A smartphone should be reserved for achievements like a graduation or genius-level SAT score.
It is critical to emphasize that the phone you are going to give your kid will be used for essential communication. So get them a basic mobile phone. The cheapest handset not only saves you money and tells your kid “who’s the boss,” but it also keeps them off the radar of thieves that keep a sharp eye for expensive smartphones.
If they pout and moan about how all their other friends have smartphones, give your kids a choice. Psychologists find that presenting anyone with choices is a good way to persuade them to take your side or what you are offering. Either your kids get no mobile phone at all until they are able to pay for it themselves or they take the basic mobile phone you give them.
Put a cap on calls
The moment your kids get their own mobile phones, they will want to tell their friends. They are either going to call them or send them messages. Both will not be short communications. And if your kids are pretty social creatures, you can expect to pay for costly phone bills. Avoid the shocked expressions when you get the mail. Save yourself the aggravation and get your kids capped contracts from telecom providers.
There are some telecommunications providers that offer
bundles on, for example, basic mobile phones with a one-year capped contract.
When your kids have used up their maximum allowable minutes for the month, two
weeks in, they will be blocked from usage. And you will not have to worry about
paying for extra minutes.
Capped contracts are also ideal for meeting your kids halfway. They can have a
better looking mobile phone with Internet access but then they will have to be
responsible enough to make sure that they do not use up all their minutes and
data downloads before the month ends. Otherwise, they cannot use their phone.
Finally, because your kids can get into the Internet through their phone, look
into parental controls and ask your telecoms providers to block adult sites.
