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Does Your Child Need a Cell Phone? |
pros | cons | • It's quite possibly the world's easiest, fastest, most convenient way to stay in contact.
• It doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can limit use. Let kids carry the phone only on special occasions, or prepay for a certain number of minutes.
• It can help your child build and maintain friendships. No, this isn't the lamest reason ever. Like it or not, other kids have cell phones and rely on them to communicate.
• It has free long-distance. Kids can keep in touch with faraway friends and relatives without racking up long-distance charges on your landline.
• It offers a chance to teach responsibility. Assign kids the task of keeping track of minutes--or chipping in for the service. | • It can lead to huge bills. Extra minutes and features like text messaging and cool ringtones can break the bank.
• It can be a distraction in the classroom. In fact, many schools
ban cell phones.
• It's yet more screen time. Think your child already spends too much time in front of the TV and computer and playing video games? A cell phone is another electronic gadget that could add to the problem.
• It may pose a long-term health threat. The jury is still out on whether the exposure to radio emissions is safe for kids.
• It's easily misplaced or broken and expensive to replace or repair. |
Source: http://www.womansday.com/family/9999/does-your-child-need-a-cell-phone.html |
