Children use all types of technologies from a young age. The tablet at home, the parents’ phone outside of it. But there is a moment when we always face doubts: what phone to buy for a child or what should we look for when choosing the first mobile phone for our child? There are a series of interesting aspects that we can look at.
Choosing when to buy or give a child their first mobile phone is a very personal decision that will depend on each person, each family and each individual’s circumstances. There is no age from which it is necessary and it will depend on the routines or responsibilities or beliefs of each parent. But we must take into account a series of aspects when choosing well or knowing how to choose your child’s first mobile phone, the first phone for a child.
When to buy it and what uses to give it
There is no date when you have to give him his first phone and it will depend, as we say, on the situation and the child and the familyLia. At any age there are a series of risks and there are many advantages to using technology, but it is advisable to follow a series of guidelines.
Although there is no exact age and it is usually in adolescence (approximately from eleven or twelve years old and it will depend on each person), we must follow a series of tips. The basic recommendations from specialists in the sector, like Lucia, my pediatrician, are to have a prior conversation in which the uses of the mobile phone or the risks that exist derived from the use of technologies are clear. How they should use it, what they should take into account and not only about the time of use but also about not sharing intimate photographs, not talking to strangers, not using the phone to insult, not sharing photographs of people who have been sent to us and we do not know, etc. .
The use we make of it will be much more important than the phone model they have. But, once the rules are clear, All that remains is to choose a phone that suits them.
What should we pay attention to?
What should we look for when choosing a phone and get it right? There are currently hundreds of models on the market and it is not necessary to have a top of the range to send WhatsApp to your classmates or receive calls when you are away from home. Less is enough.
When choosing a phone we would take into account a series of aspects: that it is cheap, that it is not fragile, that it is water resistant… Children and adolescents do not usually take the same care with this type of device as an adult can. And it is always advisable that the phone we buy is not too fragile: forget about curved screens, glass backs and premium range mobile phones because it is unnecessary. And, of course, don’t just buy the phone but a screen protector to protect it.
It is also convenient that we look at the waterproof to avoid involuntary drowning in swimming pools, mobile phones that fall into the toilet, smartphones that stay in the pocket of your swimsuit when you go to the beach… Although we cannot avoid all these types of catastrophes, it will always be a good idea for the phone to be waterproof. .
A good battery. The battery is important for a teenager who is going to spend a lot of time using the mobile phone or away from home and to have autonomy.
Furthermore, just a little will do. At thirteen or fourteen years old, you don’t need the best camera on the market, nor is it necessary for a child or teenager to have the best iPhone. There are many cheap entry-level mobile phones and therefore less than 200 euros They fulfill perfectly in all aspects so that you can connect to the Internet, view Instagram, send messages to your friends and even take more than decent photos and videos without resorting to a premium mobile.
What should we consider
Once we have bought the mobile phone or have chosen one of our old smartphones for a child to use, we must configure it in the best possible way so that they can use it safely. Depending on the age of the minor, it is advisable to use one type of application or another as long as you reach a prior agreement with them.
We can use parental control applications that block app downloads, thus preventing the child from downloading applications that are not correct for use, for example. We can also configure the mobile phone to have the location in real time at all times and know the location, with alerts if it leaves a safe area.
We can customize a mobile phone with as many security options as we want regardless of the model you choose and this will be more important, along with the previously agreed rules for smartphone use, than choosing the phone itself.
