When cellular phones first came out, the idea of kids cell phones was a long way off. This was because they were so expensive to own, and the plans for a phone were also very expensive. Some found they paid for each and every moment they used their phone, which meant they did not use it a lot. The days of free daytime minutes and text messaging bundles were far off in the future. Today, however, phones and plans are cheaper than ever, which makes it easier for families to have phones for everyone. However, is that such a good idea? Each set of parents must decide this on their own.
You must first think about kids cell phones in terms of need. Is there any reason why you think your child needs to have his or her own phone? Some families find that these are a good idea, and others regret that they put a phone into the hands of their child. It takes some thought before doing this. Some older children do well with the same plan that their parents use, but younger children do not need that much freedom. In fact, if you are not careful, giving young children too much can be a problem rather than a solution.
Kids cell phones for younger children should be very limited in use. For one, they should be able to call mom and dad, and perhaps some other family members. If you allow them to call anyone they wish, they are going to be on that phone all of the time. They are too young to understand that calls cost money and that they have to limit what they do. They may stay on for hours talking about things that are not normally phone call material, and they do it because they can. This is just one of the problems with kids cell phones today. If you do not think someone could talk for three hours about what they see out their bedroom window, you obviously have not listened to a child on the phone.
Parents may also have problems with privacy and safety. Your child may want to give out the number to their kids cell phone to anyone who asks. Hopefully you will never have to worry about a child predator coming after your child, but it can happen. If you feel your child will give out the number to just about anyone and that you can not trust they do not know when they should not be taking calls from strangers, you should put a limit on the cell phone use or the phone all together. Wait until they are a bit older for kids cell phones.
There are some kids cell phones out there that are limited in nature so that you do not have to worry too much. They do not work like your common cell phone. They may only have a few buttons. Each button can be used to reach someone they know like mom, dad, or to dial 911 in the event of an emergency. Otherwise, there are no numbers there through which they can call a random number not programmed into the phone. For younger children, this can be the perfect phone for them. It helps them stay safe but allows you to feel better about them having a phone of their own.