by Colene Pefley

Created on: June 28, 2010

Less than ten years ago, it would be nearly unthinkable for a child to have a cell phone. A teen, maybe, but now children as young as eight or nine brandish all sorts of technological devices once reserved for adults. Many children are given a cell phone before the age of ten, whether as a method of communicating with their friends via voice or text, or for emergency situations. The latter is somewhat delusionary, because really, what eight year old child is off on their own without supervision and no access to a landline?

Whatever the case, a  phone use by children and teens is often abused. Children do not think about the consequences of their actions in the same way as adults do, because this sense of reasoning is that last part of the brain to fully develop (somewhere in person’s mid-20’s). That being said, children do learn from example and by the reward and punishment method.

As a parent, you have the right to take away your child’s cell phone, no matter what the reason. Having a cell phone is not a right, it is a privilege, and children should respect it as such. If your child has a problem with using the home phone, this too can be taken away. The harder it is for a child to obtain a phone, the less likely he/she will be able to make unnecessary calls.  One rule that can be implemented to discourage phone use is having your child ask permission before making any calls, regardless if they are from a landline or cell phone.  This may get complaints at first, but children need to learn that they must earn the privilege of using a phone.

Another way to teach children to be responsible when using a phone is to make them pay for it themselves. Whether it is from an allowance or an outside job (teens), this will help children respect how much it costs to use a phone. Teaching children to appreciate the privileges that they have been given is the first step to making wise choices in the future.

Distraction is another great way to help your child use the phone less. Distracting your child with other activities keeps their mind active and off of mindless chatter with their friends. Children often feel the need to call someone for two reasons:  they have something important or new to share, which is understandable, or they are bored. Perhaps there are activities that you can plan to do together that will help keep their mind off of the phone.

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