Teach Your Children Phone Safety and Manners

Over Christmas, many children will have been given mobile phone. As they get older and more independent, mobiles become incredibly useful to maintain contact. For children who regularly travel on public transport, being able to let their parents know when plans have changed is invaluable.

Mobile phones, on the other hand, can be incredibly addictive. There are few toys and gadgets more fascinating to a small person (and quite a few big people). Before the mobile phone starts ruling your life, set some clear ground rules, for everyone’s benefit. 

Just because the mobile is yours, doesn’t mean you can have it 24/7.

Children need sleep, even adolescents, much as they may not agree. Charge the mobile overnight somewhere other than their bedroom. It prevents endless late night use and sleep experts agree that keeping signal-emitting devices out of the bedroom encourages better quality sleep.

It is also entirely appropriate to keep phones turned off at meal times, during visits from friends and relatives and family time.

Keep an eye on social media

Just because your tween or teen can opera social media like a champ, does not mean they are socially mature enough to deal withe the issues associated. Just as adults can misinterpret text messages an emails, so too can young people.

If your child is feeling bullied or upset by messages or posts, encourage them to deal with them face to face, or at least over a telephone call. Educate them about how far posts are able to travel in a short space of time – anything they say on social media is the equivalent of standing on a stage in a packed stadium and making an announcement with a microphone. If they wouldn’t say it in that situation, they most certainly shouldn’t be posting it, where it can be shared in a matter of seconds. Be ‘friends’ with your child on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr or wherever they are active. Have your email address as the default to their account and make it a condition of their joining that you know their password. It is important to know where their influences are coming from.

Many kids have multiple Instagram accounts, so keep aware. It is for their safety.

Stress the importance of never sharing personal details (address, phone number etc) with strangers, even if they have been chatting regularly. It is not safe enough to arrange to simply meet someone new in a public place. They need to let you know where they are going and when they are due back.

Remember physical safety

Every day, many people have their mobile phone stolen, sometimes while they are using them, sometimes off a cafe table or shop counter. Remind children to remain aware of their surroundings at bus stops, train stations and on busy streets. It is important for their own safety as much as that of their belongings. The same goes for crossing roads – that requires full attention, always.

Give them a budget

Many young people use a prepay phone connection. As the resident bank account, many parents finance this. Explain that if they are not connected to wifi, that data roaming can prove expensive. Make it a condition of connection that they never use all their credit and are unable to use their phones for safety contact.

Remember eye contact

Kids may roll their eyes, but never allow your children to become technology zombies, who barely grunt when an adult speaks to them. If someone comes to your home, insist that your child engages in polite and courteous conversation, rather than hiding behind their phone.

It’s hard to limit technology. You are often met with sulks and harumphs. Persevere. You are raising a person who will go out into the world one day soon. They need to be taught civilised social behaviour.