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Author, Gabriella Parker

Cell Phone Safety

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I absolutely do not approve of cell phones in the hands of children. Period! My children are always with a trusted supervising adult. In the event that there is an emergency, there are always plenty of cell phone carrying adults within a 2 feet radius. With that being said, I realize that 99% of parents don’t subscribe to my “old fashioned” point of view. For those 99%, I hope this article will give some insight into the options available for keeping children safe while using cell phones.

Safety is a number one concern of parents. Sometimes we fail to realize that harm to our children can be where we least expect it. In my last article, Cheerleaders, Innocent or Immoral?, parents found out firsthand what can happen when cell phones are not monitored.

Child predators use all of the technology available to them, including cell phones. Even child to child contact, via cell phones, should be monitored. Bullies use cell phones, too. With everybody using cell phones, real danger can be just a text away.

There are several ways you can protect your children while using cell phones. For younger children, there are cell phones available that come preprogrammed with just about everything. Firefly, Kajeet, Tictalk, Migo and Guardian Angel are just a few. These phones offer GPS and online programming. You can preset numbers, text messages, times of use, and minutes to be used. The Guardian Angel phone can even tell you the speed of the vehicle your child is traveling in, whether driving or riding. These phones usually have less buttons to keep it simple for young kids.

For older children (teenagers are still children), there is software that you can use to track every single call or text. This kind of software doesn’t usually allow you to block certain calls or texts but it can notify you immediately, via text or email, if someone or something is inappropriate. Or you can just get a complete call and text log of everything coming in or out of the phone. Mymobilewatchdog.com is one of the sites available for this type of monitoring.

For those parents who are concerned about privacy issues and trust, be honest and tell your children exactly what you are doing. The only “right to privacy” in my home is in the bathroom. I would much rather my daughter think I’m a prude than have her nude photo seen by the entire world!

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