Do your kids know what a phone booth does? Have they ever had to get a stick and remove the chewing gum, deposit a coin, wipe the filthy receiver off, tried not to touch anything with bare skin and dialed your number? Chances are, they haven’t.
There comes a time in most modern parent’s life when they decide to give their child a phone. There are different reasons for getting one. Safety is generally number one for parents. Being able to contact your kid and them be able to call you at any time can really put a worried mum or dad’s mind at ease.
Peer pressure is also a biggie, especially as kids approach high school and want to be more connected with their friends and less connected with you. (Wipe away that tear, Mumma.)
But what about the downsides? Phone bills can be massive, especially when a girl child is involved. Girls can talk on the phone for 3 hours without taking a breath. Having access to the Internet and social networking at any hour of the day can also be a concern, as well as sending and receiving inappropriate texts and pictures.
But with the right measures in place, having a phone can be a positive experience for both parents and kids.
So what’s the right age?
Most parents and experts agree that around the commencement of high school is a good time to get your child a phone. However if it is going to be at a younger age, it’s recommended to get them a very basic one without any other function than to call or text.
“I have never understood why any parent on the planet would buy a child aged under twelve a mobile phone," says child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg.
"Sure, there may be times when it’s useful for you to be able to telephone your child, such as when they go on a school excursion, or perhaps family access visits or something like that, but in those instances then lend them a generic family mobile phone; I’m talking a really inexpensive, basic phone that can make and receive calls and nothing else.”
I definitely feel like I could have used a phone when I was younger, except they weighed a couple of kilos and cost a couple of thousand dollars back then. Plus, they had no texting ability. Seriously.
It would have come in handy during those awful parties when I felt stranded and wanted to come home, when I missed the bus and it was raining or when I was away from home and just wanted to hear my family’s voices.
When my kids are older I will definitely get them a simple phone each, just to get a little peace of mind. Looking after teenagers is stressful enough. Imagine not being able to call them and tell them it’s 9.59 and they better be walking in the door in 60 seconds! And if they walk through the door at 10.01 then you know you can take the phone as punishment, which will crush their world and get them home earlier next time.
Next time you walk past a phone booth with your kids, show them what it does and how it works and let them have a good old laugh at how hilarious life used to be. Take hand sanitiser.
Source : parents[dot]nickjr[dot]com[dot]au
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