There has been an on-going debate as to when is the right time to give a child a cell phone. The truth is, it is really up to the parent, because they know their child best. And know the reasons for the child wanting or needing a phone. But with that, I believe that there should be some rules in place. And that cell phone use by tweens and teens should be done so, responsibly. So today I’m sharing my take with 12 Things to Consider Tweens and Teens Cell Phone Usage.

12 Things to Consider Tweens and Teens Cell Phone Usage

So, our oldest turned 13 this year and with that we got her a cell phone. We felt that she had shown that she was responsible enough to take care of it. With a year of test runs using my business phone while she was away from home, whether at volleyball practice, visiting her dad or at class. We knew that we would need to have a few things in place, like a set of rules. In the form of some what of a contract. So, here are a few things to consider for inclusion in rules for your tween or teen, regarding cell phone usage.

12 Things to Consider Tweens and Teens Cell Phone Usage

12 Things to Consider Tweens and Teens Cell Phone Usage

You can easily used these 12 questions to create a parent/child contract with these 12 Things to Consider Tweens and Teens Cell Phone Usage.

  • What’s the sole use of the phone, in who they can and can not contact?
  • What’s the purpose of the phone (i.e. for playing games, listening to music, texting and calling home and browsing the internet responsibly)?
  • Who can have the number and if they can take anyone else’s number.
  • What is the appropriate amount of usage for remaining present when relating to family and friends?
  • Are there any actions that may take place that would cause you to lose trust in their responsibility to have a phone?
  • Do you want to incorporate any anti-bullying rules?
  • What is acceptable to share, post or text online?
  • What limitations if any will be placed on Social Networks?
  • Is there a time each night when phone activity should stop?
  • Is there limitations in the home where the phone can be used?
  • Can changes be made to the contract?
  • Are there consequences for breaking the contract?

These 12 will help to get you going. I think we ended up with 20 that were very specific to our family. Having the contract in place has been a great way to nurture accountability. Thankfully, we have not had any issues.

What would you add to the list?