The decision to allow your tween or teen to have a cellphone is a difficult one. While the wonders of technology are enticing, kids seem to fall down a rabbit hole much like Alice did when they get a smartphone. Life quickly becomes a battle between parent and child regarding screen time.
It doesn’t take long for a cellphone to rapidly become an extension of your child’s hand with online games, videos, social media, and texting. Then, of course, there is the Pandora’s box a smartphone opens. Cyberbullying, sexting, inappropriate content, trolls, stalking, social media, privacy, and health concerns are all very real issues once your child joins the world of cellphone users. With all the cons, though, there are still pros to why kids should have cellphones.
Why kids should have cellphones
The reasons to keep a smartphone away from your child for as long as possible are compelling. Cellphone addiction is a real issue many parents are dealing with. A smartphone is an expensive piece of technology that kids may take for granted. Then there’s the distraction. The lure of the cellphone and those engaging apps takes kids away from things they should be doing like homework, practice, and more hands-on activities that offer educational benefits. Nevertheless, there are pros to why kids do need cellphones, especially when they hit double digits.
Emergencies
Once kids hit middle school, they are on their own more, whether they’re hanging out with friends or walking home from school, practice, or after-school activities. Payphones have gone by the way of the dinosaur. In the event of an emergency, your child needs a way to contact you or dial 911 quickly. A smartphone is especially important once teens begin driving. In the event of an accident or another emergency, parents can be reached quickly.
Stay connected
With a smartphone, your tween or teen can text you if the school bus is running late or when practice is over. They can easily let you know where and when they need to be picked up, which means you won’t waste time sitting around waiting in the car in the school parking lot or at the soccer field. When kids hit high school, they can discretely text you to come to get them if a party is getting out of hand or they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation.
Safety
Teens may be excited when they get their driver’s licenses, but it’s a stressful time for parents. Installing a GPS tracker like the Lif360: Find Friends & Family lets parents keep track of their child’s location through the smartphone. Life360 also provides weekly updates on your teen’s driving. This allows you to keep tabs on whether they’re driving safely, even when you’re not in the car. More importantly, it lets you know where your children are.
Teens may object and consider Life360 stalking, but it really is for safety purposes. The Life360 app isn’t just for teen drivers either. It can help parents keep track of tweens and younger teens when they are out with their friends, especially if your child is the one who forgets to text updates.
Teaching responsibility
A smartphone is an expensive piece of technology and it’s a privilege to have one. Tweens and teens are learning valuable responsibility lessons when they have a cellphone. They must keep the smartphone safe and not lose or damage it. Kids also learn how to stay within their data, voice, and texting limits. In order to teach kids responsibility, parents should hold their tweens and teens accountable when there are issues with their smartphones, such as going over their data limits, misplacing, or damaging cellphones.
Social connections
Once they’re in middle school, kids are making their own social connections. Playdates are gone and parents don’t control the social calendar any longer. Landlines have been put out to pasture. Texting, social media, and whatever the popular messaging app is at the moment are how tweens and teens keep in touch, make plans, and yes, even discuss homework assignments. When your kid doesn’t have a smartphone, they are definitely out of the loop.
Organization
Even if your middle and high school still provides kids with planners, most don’t use them. A conventional planner is usually stuck at the bottom of a backpack or locker and doesn’t come home until the final day of school. Smartphones are a great way to keep kids organized. Family calendars can be shared so kids know when appointments are or when they’re supposed to be at practice. Reminders can be set for homework, to study for tests, and even to remember to put that retainer in.
Other reasons why kids should have cellphones
- Trust: Just like responsibility, having a smartphone is a lesson in trust. If tweens and teens breach that trust with their cellphones, there’s a consequence.
- School: Some teachers and coaches use social media to keep kids updated on practices, assignments, and tests. Other districts utilize apps like Remind to help kids stay on top of homework and projects. Many teachers also use school messaging apps to send test and quiz reminders.
- Divorce: A smartphone makes it easier for children who split time between two households to stay in touch with both parents.
- Keeping in touch with extended family: Everyone has a smartphone these days, even grandparents. With a smartphone, kids can Facetime grandma and grandpa as well as keep in touch with cousins and extended family they don’t see often.
Why kids do need cellphones
Deciding when and if your child is ready for a cellphone is a personal decision. Middle school is typically the time when kids gain more independence, which is why a smartphone is important for safety and convenience reasons. It’s simply an easy way to stay connected and keep track of your tween or teen.
Having a cellphone is actually an important life lesson for kids. They learn how to manage data minutes, be responsible, and more. Of course, with the good comes the bad. It’s important to have open conversations with your kids about what’s okay to do with their cellphones, what’s not, and why too much time spent on a smartphone isn’t healthy.
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