Most likely if you’re divorced, your child will carry a cell phone if you can incur the extra cost. Our editors have answered the 5 top questions regarding kids and cell phone use when divorced. In general, divorced parents need to come together and agree on cell phone use and rules for their child.
1). At what age should your child carry a cell phone? Cell phones for elementary school aged kids should primarily be used for emergencies and communication. (i.e. I forgot my lunch, homework, etc.) If you are able to teach them how to dial the phone and put the phone away safely, then they are ready for a phone. For this reason, do not make your child’s cell phone a stressful subject. This devise is for their comfort. It is the security blanket in the divorce shuffle between two homes. This phone allows them to reach mom or dad, or whomever is picking them up, at any given time.
TIP: Having a phone is a big responsibility and you don’t want to burden your child with the phone if he/she is not ready. This is suppose to help the child not hinder him/her.
1). Who should pay for the cell phone? If divorced parents are equal earners they should consider splitting the costs of their child’s phone. If one of you makes more money, be a big enough person and suck up this cost for your child. If one of you is on a more cost effective plan and it’s affordable to add a phone, go with that person’s plan and write a check to the other spouse.
3). If your EX pays for the cell phone can your child still use it to call you? Unless their are special legal special circumstances, in most cases it is better for the child to feel that the phone is his to use to call either parent. Please don’t make the phone a piece of land or another object for a power struggle between you and your EX. The phone can act as their security in the shuffle between schools and houses so don’t make it a ticking time bomb.
4). How should divorced parents monitor the use and safety of the cell phone? Divorced parents need to discuss the rules for the cell phone and be on the same page with these rules before they give the child the phone. i.e. With young children it might simply be adding a few emergency contacts in the phone, and teaching the child how to dial mom, dad or the caretaker. By having only a few contacts, the child will not be overwhelmed when it’s time to call. Also, it’s a good idea to monitor the phone and make sure no strange people are calling in to your child’s phone. With older children, the rules regarding texting and social calls need to be more clearly defined especially since texting and minutes add up to more fees. Some parents choose to take the phone away as “punishment.” Divorced parents must agree or come to some conclusions on whether the cell phone should be taken away “as punishment.”
5) What kind of phone is best for my child? The best phone is the phone that fits your budget and your child’s age ability. (TIP: For the most part, plan on your child losing, dropping or having their phone stolen at school. That’s just how it rolls and goes, as parents you probably know this already!)