It is understandable as to why parents often consider getting cell phones for kids and teens. They want their kids to stay in touch with them. A phone lets kids contact their parents at any time for reasons like needing to be picked up from school or when there is some emergency and the parents need to come over.
But you should be aware of some of the issues that come along with getting cell phones for kids. These are substantial issues that many parents should be aware of as they relate not only to the risks of using a phone but also behavioral issues. You will have to watch how well your children might act before giving them any phone.
Addictions Are Problematic
It is easy for kids and teens to become addicted to their phones. They might be enamored by the technical features that come with a phone. They could even be obsessed with sending text messages, surfing social media, and chatting with their friends on their phones all the time about anything. Worse still, cell phone addiction is becoming more common than ever before.
Anyone who becomes addicted to a phone might stop paying attention to school studies and other things. This comes as the student will keep using the phone for social media like Facebook or Twitter and chatting, instead of studying and doing other stuff relating to their classes.
Harmful To One’s Health
Using a phone for far too long could be a real problem. Some kids might focus less on physical activities and more on just sitting there playing around with their phones like text messages or using the latest apps. They might be willing to stick around in a certain area and use their phones all day long. This prevents kids from being active. It is not like anyone would have to get up and move around when playing with a phone.
Using a phone all the time can cause a substantial strain on one’s eyes. The bright glow of the phone screen can hurt after a while.
Also, constant phone usage might keep someone from being likely to get regular sleep. A person might be too focused on doing stuff with a phone to the point where they don’t want to sleep. The thought of using a phone could dominate one’s mind and keep them from getting the sleep one needs. This is especially concerning knowing how so many things can be done with a cell phone these days.
Can Radiation Be Worse?
There have been concerns over the years about microwave radiation being produced by cell phones. Although the radiation that phones produce is relatively minimal, people still worry about how various health risks can come about while using a phone for a while. People might be at risk of headaches or fatigue from all that radiation. Worse still there is the risk that cancer could also develop over time although there hasn’t yet been conclusive evidence on this.
One point for certain, though, is that a child who uses a mobile phone will be more likely to develop health issues from all that radiation. A smaller child who is not fully developed could suffer from changes in one’s brain waves. This could create a dramatic issue where a child experiences substantial headaches.
Excess Charges
One great problem with cell phones for kids and teens is that they might spend lots of money on stuff relating to their phones. They might text far too much or use lots of mobile data. This could be very problematic if a family mobile plan only has a limited amount of time or data to use at a given time.
Also, kids might spend lots of money on applications and media for them to play with. They might buy these things and even forget about them after a bit. Don’t forget about how many apps entail in-game or in-app purchases where people have to buy certain things to get access to specific functions in those programs. The charges for all of these things can add up. It is easy for kids to forget about how much they are spending on the things they are doing with their phones.
Losing A Phone
It might be easy for kids to lose their phones. These small devices could be lost rather quickly. A child might forget about where a phone was placed too. Don’t forget about how some kids might play around with their phones and toss them around and other things.
A phone could be quickly damaged because of some kid roughhousing. Seeing how a phone is often worth hundreds of dollars, this could be a huge burden.
Not Listening To Parents
There are also times when a child might not listen to their parents with regards to cell phone use. A child might ignore a parent’s demand and start playing around with a phone at the dinner table or at some other place where they should not be using it.
This is a real problem as a phone might make one’s behavior worse. A child might stop listening to their parents and focus more on other stuff that they want to do with a phone.
Of course, we all know about stories where kids are obsessed with their phones and will use them while on family outings. Sometimes, a child’s phone usage will move to the point where one cannot think about other things and will be concentrated more on their phone.
Your kids are only young once. The last thing you would want to do is have them use their phones for far too long.
Inappropriate Behavior
The worst part of cell phones for kids is that many of them might engage in behavior that is extremely inappropriate and potentially dangerous. There have been several issues over the years about bullying and how it can easily spread online. With mobile devices, it becomes extremely easy for people to be bullied. Kids and teens can send angry messages to one another nonstop. They could even make it harder for other children to enjoy their lives—or their own could even be ruined.
Also, kids might send inappropriate images and texts to others. They might send or receive messages that are dirty and possibly sexual. They might not be aware of how inappropriate these things are.
The photos that kids take of themselves could also be rather upsetting. Kids might take pictures of themselves without some of their clothes on and send them to others. This could be harmful as children are exposing their bodies to others who want to see them. It is a serious threat that not many kids are aware of what they could be getting into at times.
Don’t Forget Driving
The last worry to look at is a serious concern for teens. Older kids who are learning how to drive might focus on their mobile devices for far too long. They might start to pay attention to their phones while driving. They could try and send messages while driving in the worst cases.
Texting while driving is a serious problem with regards to cell phones for teens. Texting while driving is dangerous as someone who does this cannot possibly see what is happening on the road. The distraction is immense as not looking ahead for just a few seconds while on the road could be costly. A teen could be at risk of getting into a wreck as a result. The worst part is that it would be difficult for teens to get away with this as they might be held liable for wrecks caused by being distracted by texting.
A Final Word On How To Tell Who Is Suitable For Handling A Phone
Buying cell phones for kids and teens can be a good thing but you should think about how well your child is capable of handling it. Not every child is capable of using a phone responsibly.
Look at how well your child can handle instructions and orders. Kids who are obedient and listen to their parents are often more capable of handling their phones properly than those who do not.
Ask about how well they can handle limits too. These include rules on how much time they can spend using a phone.
Be sure to also talk with your kids about inappropriate behaviors with regards to phone usage. Talk about things like what you should not text or send out to others. Explain to teens about how dangerous texting while driving is and how important it is to keep one’s phone off or away while behind the wheel.
You could even look into adding parental controls on a child’s phone. These include things like blocks on what one can use, limits on what one can spend on the phone and so on. You could even set up features on a phone that place limits based on how much time someone can use a phone for or when a phone can be used.
Make sure your kids know how to use a phone responsibly before allowing anyone to use it. The problems that come with kids using mobile phones are strong, but by using the right precautions, you can determine if your child is capable of handling a phone and will avoid the problems that kids and teens often come across when using these devices.
