Mobile Phones and the Teenager

A growing trend in this country is the use of mobile phones
by children under 18. In fact, 50 percent of children in
the U.S. today have their own cell phones.

This number is astonishing and to no surprise is on the
rise. As it is, we spend too little time really involved in
what our children do.

Who they talk to, who they text message and who they send
digital photos to becomes a mystery when they are allowed
to have their own mobile phones.

Of course, every youngster is different and some are very
responsible when it comes to the use of their phones. But
to keep our children safe we must remember to be
accountable and teach our children to be accountable for
their actions.

Many a teen has run their parents cell phone bill up so
high that they have had to confiscate the phone. But the
key is to stop the problem before it happens. The key is to
set limits, and to stay involved.

Know with whom your children are talking to. Set firm rules
about the times they are allowed to use their phones. Know
whom they are sending pictures to and what sort of pictures
they are sending.

The same with text messages. One more thing we should
consider is whether we want our kids using their phones
while operating a vehicle. 6000 kids die annually in car
accidents and with 48 percent of teens reportedly talking
on the phone while driving, the mixture can be deadly. The
key to keeping our kids safe is to be informed.