Cell Phone Responsibility

by Elsa Kok Colopy

If you plan to buy your child a cell phone, consider implementing these guidelines before you activate it:

Usage. A young child should only be allowed to use a cell phone for emergencies. For a 9- to 12- year-old, increase minutes for each year of age and set nighttime boundaries by placing the phone in a desk drawer or charging it in a central location in your house. This keeps your child from staying up late because he or she is talking to friends.

Texting. The anonymity of texting often encourages inappropriate communication — text and photo. Either monitor text messaging with your carrier’s online software or wait until your child has shown responsibility before you add texting to the phone.

Quiet zones. Create quiet zones by putting phones away during meals, family games and time with friends.

Responsibility. Most plans allow subscribers to check on a specific phone number in the plan. Set limits on minutes and the number of text messages, and routinely review your child’s usage. Reward your child for responsibly managing minutes and texts by gradually increasing his or her usage.