There hardly seems to be anyone without a smart phone these days. They are just too convenient. I can download my shopping list, keep a detailed schedule, and make calls all from the palm of my hand. My smart phone is literally my life saver.
However, my chronic use has prompted my own kids to start asking me for one. If they see mom do it, they just have to do it too.
For awhile I was able to just brush off the requests, and tell them that they were either too young or that maybe they could get one for their birthday in a couple of years. Then my daughter’s school friend, who is 10, got one. Almost immediately my daughter told me that she wanted a phone for Christmas.
While I would love to give her the best gift ever this holiday, I just can’t legitimize getting her one yet. However, her desire to get a cell phone has prompted me to actually consider when I will let my kids get phones of their own.
Smart phones and the plans that come with them are binding and expensive. I don’t want to give my kids a $400 device that is attached to a high end monthly plan. I think that they will take care of the items I give them, but they are still kids. Things get left, broken, and stolen. So I think that I may get my kids a prepaid phone for their first phone. They will then have the option to prove that they are ready to a real smart phone and plan, and will gain a lesson in responsibility.
As far as age goes, I haven’t really decided yet. I couldn’t believe that my daughter’s schoolmate received a smart phone at 10, but I can mildly see the benefit. Smart phones can be educational and provide entertainment, but only if used appropriately. Otherwise, you could wind up with a kid getting into trouble at school and running up a high bill.
As of right now, I think that I’ll get my kids their first cell phone when they enter high school. With all the extracurricular activities and driving, a cell phone could be quite handy. Plus, they will hopefully be mature enough to realize that the phone isn’t a toy, and use it accordingly.
So unfortunately for my daughter, a smart phone will not be waiting for her under the tree this Christmas. Hopefully, I will be able to find an equally exciting gift to replace it with instead.
