The Pros and Cons of Getting Your Teen a Cell Phone
What teen doesn’t want a cell phone these days? But the question remains as to whether or not you should buy your teen a cell phone. This article will examine the pros and cons of buying your teen a cell phone.
My experience with my daughter’s cell phone obsession has been enough to make me rue the day I ever heard of cell phones. As soon as one of her friends got a cell phone I heard about my daughter’s need for one from that day forward. My daughter is so good at nagging that she could be a professional nag and I’m not joking. I gave in and got her a pre-paid cell phone. That didn’t turn out to be the best idea since she went through minutes like water slips through your fingers. This girl definitely needs an unlimited plan.
But minutes weren’t the only problem. She changed phone models more often than the weather changes. In the past few years she’s had more cell phones than I can count. My only consolation is that now since she reached adult age she nags her significant other instead of me.
There are both pros and cons to buying your teen a cell phone. Let’s look at a few of them.
Pros
Keeping in contact.
You can stay in contact with your teen if he/she has a cell phone. That way you don’t have to worry about where he/she is. If your teen isn’t home at a certain time you can call to check on him/her or your teen can check in with you.
Call for assistance when needed.
If your teen has a cell phone he/she can always call for help if needed. For example, if your teen needs a ride home he has the phone available to call. Even if he/she has a car of his own the cell phone comes in handy. You never know when the car could break down.
Responsibility
Having a cell phone can help teach your teen responsibility. If he/she has a job, even part-time, let him/her be responsible for paying the cell phone bill or at least a portion of it if you have a family plan.
Cons
Too much talk time.
Once your teen has acquired a cell phone you may not be able to get him/her off of it. This can become a problem if your teen is ignoring homework of shirking household chores in favor of constant talking or texting.
Driving and cell phones.
The combination of driving and cell phones may not be a good one. Accidents often occur because people aren’t paying attention. People often get distracted when talking on their cell phones and driving. Teens are no exception. Teach your teen to drive responsibly. Leave the cell phone alone while driving. This is a lesson many adults should learn too.
These are just a few things you may want to consider before getting your teen a cell phone. You may want to consider your son or daughter’s level of maturity. How responsible is your teen? Is he/she fourteen or sixteen? Is your teen ready for a cell phone? The decision is yours.
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