Emergency Cell Phones for Kids, Really?

I remember well when we were children or teenagers and got along very well even without a mobile phone. Our parents often did not really know where we were but mostly we just met

friends. We did not have to call our friends to meet us, we just met.

Then we went into the forest together. Building stone huts or tree huts was our greatest passion. Or we were playing police and robbers. And afterwards we all came back home healthy.

For example, our neighbors had five children, all boys. They were enthusiastic fossil collectors. In the morning they went to the mountain which was almost on the doorstep of their house and collected stones.

One hour before lunch her mother came out of the house, blew into a loud whistle and all five boys were back home for lunch on time. Each of them with a backpack full of stones. A kind of emergency cell phones for kids where not necessary those times.

Those times are over and we are looking
for the best cell phones for kids

At the present time it goes far beyond the usual protection of the body.

Hearing protection, protective gloves, safety shoes, protective helmets and much more protect us from physical damage. In addition, we also have to take care of protection that saves us from different threatens that the virtual world of the Internet brings.

Today almost every child already owns a mobile phone and communicates with their friends. Or they play an online game together. Of course not in a physically way. It is way enough if everyone stays at home and gets his “game-scores” right by their mobile phone.

If no friends are available kids also like to surf in the Internet and find new "friends" there. Without actual seeing them, without meeting them, without knowing who is actually sitting on the other end of the line.

Is it really a girl or is it a boy? Is the other one younger or older than he pretends? What are the actual intentions of the other person?

Mostly, these conversation or game partners are usually harmless but it has happened too often that cheaters have crept in and that have caused dire consequences.

That's why parents are asked to take care of the safety of their kids more than ever once they're surfing on the internet - whether by mobile phone or laptop.

Of course, it's not all about controlling the kids. But with good enlightenment, quiet conversation and empathy kids can be taught well regarding what they should pay attention to when they frolic on the internet.

Some Data

• There are already 77% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 who own a mobile phone
• But also children between 8 and 12 years already own a cell phone!
• Of teens, 28% admit that they send inappropriate texts or pictures with their mobile phones, the dark figure is probably much higher
• While driving a car, 75% of the teens text - and they admit that themselves!
• Many parents are unsure about the age at which they should give a mobile phone to their child
• 22% of these parents agree that 10 years would be an appropriate age

So what can parents do?

What to do when the kids ask, "Mom, Dad, can I have a cell phone please?"

Of course, it's's not easy to say “no” when all the other kids have a cell phone. And of course we do not want our children being excluded just because they do not have a phone.

Many of us have experienced this ordeal ourselves as children and adolescents.

Maybe a contract helps - here an example:

- My parents are great! They allow me to have a cell phone! But this phone is not mine, it still belongs to my parents

- Though nothing in life is free. Also, this mobile phone costs money. Not only the device itself but also every time I use it for phoning or texting.
I will appreciate this privilege

- I will not exceed my limit (a prepaid cell phone for kids or teens is a good idea here)

- I will also be careful of my phone and I know that I will not get a replacement if I break or lose it.

- I will never use this phone for inappropriate purposes

You can then go into more detail

and add the following:

- I will not bother anyone or send hurtful texts. I will discuss disputes with my friends in person

- After 9pm I will not use the phone anymore

- I will not hold inappropriate conversations

- I will never send inappropriate texts or photos

- At school I will stick to the mobile phone rules

- While driving a car, I will not use the phone

- My parents will be able to access my phone at any time and see who I wrote in the past or who I called.

- If I enter a security code, I will tell my parents the code or password.

- In return, my parents agree that they respect my privacy and only control my phone when they realize that I behave kind of suspicious

- I know that if I use it for too long or if my parents notice that I am more aggressive than usual, I have to give back my cell phone

- Should my grades deteriorate at school, my parents will keep the phone for me until I’ll be back to my normal performance at school

- I'll be surfing the Internet exclusively with a "Safe Search Engine" on my phone (there are several Apps for downloading on the App Store or on Google Play,
you can even track your kids cell phone).

These are some examples of how to conclude a "mobile phone contract" with one’s children, not only to restrict their freedom but also to avoid exposing them to be excluded from the community (school, friends, association, etc.).

Being a parent is not easy :-)

As being a parent you should also make sure that your children really use the phone only for the agreed time and no longer.

Encourage your children to go out into fresh air or to meet "real" friends or to work with an association.

Also, look at the different apps (applications) your kids use on their phones in order to help them understand and give them support. Make sure the security settings on your child's phone are always up to date.

Observe your child also in terms of conspicuous behavior such as being more aggressive, giving inappropriate and rude answers to their parents or increasing loneliness of the child because he/she no longer meets real friends.

Be aware of your responsibility and actually implement the rules of the contract. As long as the child or adolescent does not earn his own money to pay the cost of a cellphone you are entitled to demand the rules.

That happened to our daughter

I was personally interested in this topic because my wife and I have missed those things with our daughter.

The time we realized that she got increasingly withdrawn and didn’t meet her friends in the real world any more it was already too late. She spent more and more time just staying in her room.

She was already addicted to her cell phone.

In this sense, we wish you a lot of success during your children’s teenage and mobile phone time!

Thank you!

Thank you for your time and patience in reading this article.
I hope I could give some interesting and useful information.
If you have any question or concern, please feel free to leave me a comment
below and I’ll be very happy to help you!

Warm regards,
Old George