Most teens ages 12-17 years old have a cell phone. Like it or not, this is the way teens communicate. There are many reasons parents purchase cell phones for their kids, from safety purposes to monitoring your children. Regardless the reason, parents need to set guidelines, limits and provide their child with some cell phone etiquette.
Dr. Kathleen Trainor, of the PEW Research Center, has outlined some helpful guidelines and ideas for you to discuss with your child before you purchase that cell phone.
IT’S A FACT: Seventy-five percent of 12 to 17-year-olds own a cell phone. Like it or not, it is the number one communication tool among our nation’s youth.
Ninety-eight percent of parents polled in a recent survey said that when it came to that first cell phone purchase for their child, it had everything to do with personal safety and being able to reach their child at all times. While the jury is out on the “right” age for a child to be trusted with a cell phone, there is no denying that if a child finds him/herself in a potentially dangerous situation, such as one involving alcohol or other drugs, a cell phone, many times, can provide the means to a quick and safe getaway.
Click here for a sample of a Family Cell Phone Contract.
Submitted by Kelley Lawing Grigg, STOP Project Manager