Last Updated on September 5, 2020 by Ellen Christian
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When my kids were little, I worried about things like whether their toys were safe and were they hitting the developmental milestones on time. I looked forward to when the kids were older and I no longer had to deal with diapers, bottles and nap time. Little did I know that raising teenagers came along with an entirely new set of worries and problems. Now, I would love to exchange some of the things I worry about today for a few days or weeks of diaper changes and midnight feedings. The things I worry about today are a lot scarier.
Mobile Phone Safety Tips
Both of my kids are teenagers and each has their own cell phone. They were both teens when they got their first phones and I know that’s later than a lot of people but it’s what worked for us. Even though my kids were teenagers when the got their cell phones, I still had safety concerns. I put together this list of mobile phone safety tips in case this is something you’re struggling with right now with your kids.
- Don’t get locked into a plan until you are certain what will work for you. You may give your child a phone and learn they aren’t ready for it. You may start with a smartphone and then scale back to a phone without those abilities. Or, you may start with a standard cell phone and decide your child is mature enough to handle a smartphone.
- Be mindful of the type of phone your child wants but be aware of what its capabilities are. Smartphones generally allow calls, texts and access to the internet even when away from home and your supervision.
- Set time limits on your child’s phone use to prevent late night texting or internet surfing that interferes with kids getting a good night’s sleep.
- Choose a phone with parental controls so you can block certain phone numbers or certain websites.
- Decide who pays for the extras like in app purchases for games or special ring tones.
- Choose a phone with a GPS locator in case your child loses their phone (or you want to check their location).
Learning how to handle technology safely is important but, as a mom, I want to make sure my kids are safe and protected as well. All Kajeet phones come enabled with a GPS Phone Locator. That means that you can find your child anytime for peace of mind. With most kids’ busy schedules – school, practice, work, friends – it’s exactly what every parent needs to feel comfortable that their child is where they are supposed to be. Kids today area always on the go.
All Kajeet phones come with the GPS Phone Locator, right out of the box. There is no need to download any software or apps; it’s ready for use right away. As a mom of teens, there are lots of things I worry about, but having the ability to find my kids no matter what, means I have one less thing to worry about. The GPS Phone Locator is easy to use and it’s affordable. It’s included in service plans starting at $24.99/month or can be run on demand, on an as-needed basis, for $0.99 each. That’s a small price to pay for peace of mind!
Phones can be purchased right from the Kajeet website and from May 1 through June 17, there is a special discount offer on the website – 20% off all phones (except the Samsung Galaxy S4) with promo code PROUD. In addition to the phones that are available for purchase, you may Bring Your Own Sprint® Device to Kajeet. This means you don’t need to purchase a phone from Kajeet in order to be on their service; if you already own an eligible (and inactive) device, you can activate it with Kajeet. Eligible devices must be Sprint branded and not all devices are eligible (but the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 are). You can check on the Kajeet website to see if yours is.
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
Great tips….getting locked into a plan with teens can be tough and the GPS function can definitely help!
The GPS feature is so important!
My daughter has been begging for a phone and we’ve held off because we are just scared of her having one. I’ll need to research Kajeet to see if it’s an option for us. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely! I hope it works for you!
Many years ago we started our oldest off with a plan. Our bill skyrocketed. Now our teens are on pay as you go. I think kids should have phones, new times we live in
I agree. A phone certainly makes my life easier.
We are still a few years away from needing to get my son his first phone, and maybe choices will change between now and then, but we will start out simple. I have toyed with the idea of no smartphone till he is old enough to pay for the bill due to the issues of running up a bill that some of our friends with older children have experienced. Luckily here on the farm, we can put him to work if he goes crazy with calls or texts.
That is definitely a plus, Andrea!
I really want my daughter to have a phone in case of emergency, but she doesn’t want one! I really need to look into Kajeet.
I hope it works for you, Dede. Seems like it has a lot of benefits.
These are some great tips. I have heard some horror stories from parents of teens. Things can go much more smoothly if you discuss and set limits/rules BEFORE they get the phone!
Thanks, Chrysa! That is very important!