Fall 2016 Creating a Safe Environment Newsletter

October 5, 2016

When and if a child should get a cell phone is ultimately a parental decision. Children want cell phones for games and social communication. Parents want their children to have a cell phone for safety. When you give your child a cell phone, you are giving them a portable computer with mobile Internet capability. Know a phone’s features and capabilities before you purchase. It’s important to discuss issues of privacy, inappropriate texts/photos, and safety. For parents wanting extra safety features, there are special phones designed just for children.

It’s a fact: just about everyone in America has a cell phone. There are now more activated cell phones than there are people in the United States. Children are no exception. The average

age for a child’s first cell phone is just over 11 years old; 77% of children ages 12-17 have a cell phone. Cell phones are the primary form of communication for teens; and they send more

texts in a month than they do phone calls. With statistics like that, cell phones need to be a primary focus for safety.