by Todd Pheifer

Created on: June 02, 2009

It could be argued with reasonable assurance that no parent wants their child to be in danger. However, the debate starts when people try to determine the best strategies for keeping their children safe and sound. Some parents would honestly feel most safe if they could keep the children restricted to the confines of the home until they are about thirty years old. Of course, most parents understand that this is not exactly a realistic way to raise children.

Technological tether

The development and widespread use of the cellular phone has given parents a way to keep within communicative reach, in addition to providing some peace of mind. However, a cell phone will not guarantee that the child makes good decisions. Nor will the cell phone repel "evildoers" who would seek to prey upon an unsuspecting youth. Then there is the issue of cost, convenience, and responsibility. Here are a few guidelines on the "proper" age that a child should be given a cell phone.

Maturity

Conventional wisdom suggests that a child should get a cell phone when they are mature enough to handle the responsibility. Of course, "maturity" is a definitively subjective quantity and some people lack maturity well into their adulthood. In general terms, high school seems to be the time when students start to display more maturity. Some parents may advocate giving a middle school student a cell phone, but the average middle school student may lack the experience and responsibility to make wise decisions in regard to cell phones.

School rules

Parents also have to be conscious of things like school rules. Some institutions do not allow students to have cell phones out during class or make cell phone calls during school hours. If a parent is aware of their student's location before and after school, it may not make sense to give them a cell phone, particularly if they are not in a variety of extracurricular activities.

Situations

Giving a student a cell phone has much to do with their activities and involvements. The responsible parent will have an idea of where their child is at all times. While a student can certainly escape their parent's awareness as they get older, the parent has to avoid the temptation to let a cell phone function as a surrogate parent. If a child is in a variety of situations where they might be away from supervision, a cell phone might be appropriate. However, these situations often have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes it may be more cost effective for one parent to hand over their cell phone to the student for a short period of time.

Overall, cell phone usage by children is a subjective measure. Keeping children safe is certainly an important aspect of parenting, but there is some level of wisdom and cost-effectiveness that has to be employed. A cell phone is simply a tool of communication and it should not be viewed as a parenting solution.

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