We haven't come far enough from the age when parents used to decide when and how to hand over the car keys to their children. The concern continues to be the same, only difference is that parents now consider when they must hand over their kids a smart phone. Sounds petty, doesn't it? Well, this one is also a big decision. Yes it is a very helpful tool for keeping in touch with your kids but there is so much more to cell phones than this. A smart phone is like a mini-version of the world in your hands, a chunk of someone else's world and a big portion of your own. And knowing how to handle this is one big task.
But more than that, it is even more important to understand when your child has become mature and capable enough of handling such devices. So numerically, what is the perfect age when you can handover a cell phone to your kids?
Well, there isn't a specific age. Instead, the perfect parameter for judging this is the maturity level of your kids. Being old enough and a tech savvy isn't enough here. One must realize that maturity plays an important role here. Your child may reach a certain level of maturity at the age of 14 when another kid may not be able to reach the same even at 17.
Here's a list of important questions you must consider before handing over a cell phone to your child.
1. Does your child show a certain level of responsibility? For example informing while leaving the house and returning at the said time.
2. Is your child prone to losing his/her things? For example a pencil box, backpack or other valuables. If yes, you must think well because a smart phone is an expensive item which one cannot afford to buy time and again.
3. Does your child need regular vigilance?
4. Easy access to friends will benefit them socially or not?
5. Is your child sensible enough to not affect his/her or someone else's academics due to the cell phone?
6. Can your child stick to the set talking hours and apps he/she is allowed to download?
7. Is your child sensible enough to not send or receive text, message or videos which can affect or harass your child him/herself or someone else?
So parents, when you feel that it is time to handover a cell phone to your kids, take note of these points and decide accordingly. Remember, age is just a number; the correct parameter is the maturity level of your kid.