Children and cell phones: At what age should your child own a phone?

By Anino Aganbi

WITH the emergence of  cell phones, especially the android phones, a lot more parents are beginning to go out of their way to buy very expensive phones for their children.  More of Nigerian parents are encouraging their children even at a tender age to make use of the cell phone. One would then wonder if the idea of allowing children own cell phones is okay and what age is permissible for a child to have one.

Do you give your children cell phones to keep the communication lines open or expect them to be tech savvy not minding if they are matured enough to be able to handle a cell phone regardless of its cost?

Family circumstances

The issue still remains: At what age is it okay to get your child a cell phone? Ironically, there is no right or wrong answer as family circumstances, a child’s maturity level and the real need for a cell phone contribute greatly to when the time is right.

Cyber crime: With the use of cell phones today, cyber crimes have become the norm as more people get ripped off unknowingly. Just how protected is a child who not only knows has a cell phone but is connected to the internet from a cyber criminal? Unknown to a lot of parents, some of these new phones have apps where your location comes up which leaves both parents and children vulnerable.

When you give kids phones today, you’re giving them powerful communication  and production tools but always remember that they can broadcast their status and location.

Parenting vs Cell phones: It beats the imagination how some mothers have allowed cell phones play the role of a parent. One would discover that a mum finds it easier to give a child under the age of seven access to a cell phone just to keep the child away from being under her thumb. Some parents do not even know when to restrict their children from using the phones as a lot of these children who should be asleep either play games late into the night, chat or surf the internet for all sorts of things. If you think your children’s technological savvy is greater than their ability to use it wisely, pay attention to the gap. Times may have changed, but parenting has not.

Woman’s Own spoke to some mothers in a phone conversation  and this was their reaction.

Rita Okoye who is a mother of two said “Personally I believe there should be no age limit to which a parent can get a child a cell phone. I am a working mother and I bought a cell phone for my older child when he was eight. I did that because I needed to be able to communicate with himself and his sister whenever I am unavoidably absent. I make sure he has credit to at least flash me if there is an emergency.

Christiana Oluseye who spoke vehemently against a child having a cell phone was of the opinion that children should not be given phones at an early age.

”I bought a cell phone for my child at age 12 and lived to regret that action because I later discovered that instead of my child studying , he was always on the phone playing games which he had downloaded and as a result his grades dropped terribly. So now all phone priviledges have been taken from him until he can prove to me he  is matured enough to own one.

Remilekun Ajayi who spoke in support of Oluseye’s views believes that “Giving a child a cell phone at an early age is a no brainer. There are better ways for a child to entertain himself than owning a cell phone. For me, I had to get a land line for keeping in touch with my kids. When I feel they are old enough and can handle the responsibility of owning a cell phone, then I will get them one.

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