by Pajama Girl

Created on: January 22, 2009

It used to be technology was left to the adults and sometimes not even that but with the growing rate of it these days you almost have to conform. Children having cell phones at a young age can be looked upon as a good and bad thing. A child with the option to call who and when they want can not only run up a cell phone bill but can also be distracting and not to mention unsafe with the rising statistics of child molesters and other criminals out there. giving out a cell phone number these days can lead to even knowing where someone lives. On the other hand it is a great way to give your child another way to contact you or to get help if in an emergency. A cell phone can be tracked if something happens to your child and they are missing and in general, it can give a peace of mind in always being able to get a hold of your little one.

The best idea I think created was the cell phone for children that can be only programmed by parents. There are a few buttons on the phone that you can push and it automatically connects you to the number programmed. This way parents can keep track of who their child is talking to and at the same time making that extra step to make sure the child is safe away from home by giving them that one extra contact of safety. If your child is older and you are comfortable with them starting with a regular cell phone another idea is to get a prepaid cell phone so when their minutes are up they no longer can talk but they still have the option to call 911 in case of an emergency. Prepaid phones can range drastically in price so you will have to shop for the best deal that will fit with what you want.

Cell phone plans are starting to now come up with limited minutes phones where the parents can add how many minutes they would like to add to each child's phone in the family plan. Some parents may like this idea as also another means of allowance for their children to earn minutes instead of money.

In general, as a parent you want to find the best thing that suits you and your child. A cell phone could be a great thing for your children to have as long as you make sure to pick the right one and plan that fits your families needs. It is also important to talk to your children and let them know the pros and cons of having a cell phone so they may also be aware and have the opportunity to use their new found freedom wisely in a respective manner.

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