The pace at which technology has been changing seems to have sped up tremendously over the last few years and with this change, so have the prices as well. When cellular telephones made their debut, they where rather bulky and pricey. There were no prepaid options available and you would be tied down to a contract for a minimum period. The charges associated with these contracts were expensive and coverage was sketchy at best. Those who owned cellular telephones in those days can attest to the weak signal, dropped calls and high bills. Bringing me to a very vital point when considering buying a cellular telephone for your teenager:The bill.
Monthly Bill
If your teenager has been nagging you to purchase a cell phone for them, then I would advise that you inform them before hand of the implications of overspending. They came to you for the phone, so it would only be prudent that they pay for a portion of the bill from their monthly/weekly allowance. This will not only discourage them from racking up enormous bills, but will also help them to learn some financial management skills. Another good option would be to offer them a prepaid telephone. The call rates on this option are a bit higher, but they will think twice before making a call.
Driving
For many parents, having their child give them a call once they have arrived safely at a particular destination - or if they are in trouble - would be reason enough to buy them a cell phone. The prudent thing to do, however, is to ensure that if they will be driving, that they make use of either a hands free kit or an ear piece. There is a huge drive the world over to impose heavy fines for anyone caught either talking or SMS’ing while driving. Many accidents have been caused by teenagers who have either been talking or SMS’ing while behind the wheel of their cars. They get wrapped up in their conversations and lose focus on the road ahead.
Ensuring discipline
With the constant change in technology, the cell phone of old has changed and is now able to not only make calls, but also take photographs and videos and a few can facilitate live video chats. Many would use these functions for harmless fun, but there have been a few recorded instances where predators have made contact with teenagers via social sites and exploited the teenagers via these functions. Educate your teens on the positives of these functionality, as well as the very dangerous negatives.
A cell phone for many teens is seen as a stepping stone in your trust relationship on their journey into adulthood and as the parent, you have to walk the tightrope with ensuring that the methods that you employ to keep your child safe and your bill low are openly discussed.
Nathan Johnston has children of its own and enjoys writing about how he raises them especially when a blackberry curve 8520 black and samsung s5570 galaxy mini are among the goods they demand.
