How early is too early to give your Child a cell phone?

As early 6 or 7 years old, your child is asking for a phone, this could be just out of curiosity because he/ she sees how very attached the adults in his life are to their phone. In this day and age, when technological gadgets like computers and cell phones rule in most people’s lives, we see children and teenagers wanting to jump into the bandwagon. Buying your child a cell phone is one of the issues that most parents have to face. This is one problem that parents of earlier years didn’t have to encounter. But since it’s here, it’s important that you take time to study the pros and cons of buying your child a cell phone so that you can make an informed decision.

• Security: This is the number one factor you need to consider in providing your child with a cell phone.  Cell phones have the advantage of giving your kid access to you 24/7. Whether he’s in school or in some place else, you can always give him a ring so you know where he is. It’s also the same for him, he can call you up anytime he needs assistance. Also some cell phones even have a GPS device so you can track where your child is. A child can also scare away potential abductors by trying to take pictures through a cell phone with camera.

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• Drawbacks: If your child is already a teenager, a web-enabled cell phone can give them access to internet without parent’s knowledge. This can give them access to websites that are not yet suitable for their age. At the same time, it risks having your child encounter an online sexual predator or someone who’s out to take advantage of your kid. So if you are going to succumb to your child's need for a phone, be sure to put appropriate parental control and monitoring so that you can atleast know what he/she is up to.

• Cost:  Cost is another factor. Cell phones do not come cheap. For a young child, you can shoulder the expenses of a kid-friendly cell phone, not only the upfront cost but also the other costs associated with usage of the device. For an older child like a teenager, it’s best to have him handle the responsibility of paying for the phone by encouraging him to save money for it. This way, he will know the real value of the things that he buys.

• Be sure he/she is prepared: You should know if your kid is ready for a cell phone. You know your kid very well so it is you who should know if he is ready for this kind of device. For a younger child, you can test his ability to keep track of a cell phone by giving him a toy cell phone to carry around for a few months. If he doesn’t lose it, that means he can handle a cell phone without losing it. analyse your kid’s personality. A teenager who is mature, responsible, and obedient can be given a cell phone without any problem. But one who is reckless, impulsive, and childish should wait until he’s mature enough to know the serious implications of owning this device.
  
  
  
  Health: Consider the health implications of giving your child a cell phone, their young brains and bodies are still growing. There is a lot of evidence about the dangers of cell phones to children. Do some research first!