How to Prepare Your Child for Safe Mobile Phone Use
If you determine that your child is old enough to have a mobile device of their own, here are some steps that you can take to help ensure safe use of the device:
Each device’s usage should be defined, such as appropriate usage, guidelines for when to share concerns with parents, and appropriate docking and charging locations.
Set up parental controls prior to turning the device over to your children.
Help your child select and set up a password for the device to protect your child’s privacy as well as sensitive information.
Add parents, other relatives, and emergency numbers to the device’s contact list.
Consider additional security and monitoring software.
Create a mobile phone use contract with your children. Consider including the following in your child’s mobile phone contract:
A phone curfew limiting the hours during which the phone can be used
Guidelines concerning how phone time affects family screen time allowances
Standards for texting etiquette, including strict guidelines regarding bullying or otherwise disrespectful or unkind behavior via the phone
Specifics regarding answering calls from numbers your child doesn’t recognize or placing calls to numbers not on an approved list of contacts
Rules regarding downloading apps with parent permission only
A strict no texting while driving and no-sexting policy (if age appropriate)
Consequences for breaking any rule within the mobile phone contract