So your teenager has

begged and pleaded and finally compelled you to get a mobile phone! While it’s super your kids can now reach you at a moment’s notice….have you discussed responsible cell phone usage with them?

I implore you, if not….DO SO!! Cell phones in school can be used for bullying, inappropriate picture-taking, stalking and more. When I got my teen a cell phone, it was with the understanding that texting is OUT, chatspeak is OUT, sending photos is OUT, receiving photos is OUT…it’s there solely for emergency use. Hey, perhaps I’m a draconian parent….I much prefer my kid to gain first maturity and experience in life prior to surrendering her social outlets to ascii characters delivered on a phone.

There are good articles about responsible cell phone use! Consider:

• Mobile Phone Safety
• Advice for Dads on Responsible Cell Phone Use
• Cell phone cameras in the K-12 classroom: Punishable offenses or student-citizen journalism?
• Teens and Cell Phones
• Chat Translator (scroll down the page for it)
• Teens & Cell Phones–Parents Make the Call

The temptation for kids to surreptitiously take photos via their camera phone and otherwise invade privacy can be overwhelming at times. Remind your kids that just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

When I got my kid a cell phone, I wrote up a contract and had said child sign it. Making them take ownership of their responsibilities can really help in teaching them acceptable behavior.

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps - if you’re looking for a cost-conscious mobile phone…

JC777S Quadband 2 SIM Mobile MP3 4 FM Unlocked TV Phone

UNLOCKED BLACKBERRY 7290 GSM PDA CELL PHONE ATT TMOBILE

BLACKBERRY 7290 UNLOCKED CELL PHONE ATT TMOBILE FIDO P

Spread the Word!

Thank you for reading this post. You can now Read Comment (1) or Leave A Trackback.