There are a lot of benefits to wireless connectivity for today’s youth. Phones with basic talk and text can make it easier to stay in touch with family members and friends and provide a safe way to get ahold of a parent – or for a parent to get ahold of their child – in case of an emergency. Smart watches for kids can encourage exercise while also serving as a location monitoring tool for parents to keep track of their child’s whereabouts. Smartphones or tablets can provide additional ways to communicate with family and friends, like video calling, and expand a kid’s horizons to new ideas and learning opportunities.

Tips for Parents

Learn more about how you can help your family practice healthy wireless habits.

Kids are growing up in a connected world where family and friends, entertainment, and information are all accessible at their fingertips. It is important to regularly talk to your kids about responsible wireless use and teach them healthy, safe digital habits from an early age.

When you decide the time is right for your child to have a phone, tablet, or smart watch, you don’t have to navigate the amazing world of wireless alone. The wireless industry offers parents a number of tools and information to help you select and manage the devices, features and services that are age-appropriate for your kids and best fit your family’s rules.

Developing the best family rules for when, where and how your kids should use their wireless devices starts with understanding how kids are using mobile technology. According to Nielsen, parents of kids, younger than 13-years old, reported that their child’s top mobile activities include messaging (81%), downloading apps (59%), playing pre-installed games (53%), browsing mobile websites (53%) and live video calling (46%).

Wireless devices and mobile apps are equipped with content filtering features and control settings that allow parents to restrict or block adult websites, search terms, images, and apps on their kids’ devices. Explore how these features work on your device and follow the specific instructions for each operating system to enable these settings on your kids’ devices.

There are many options when it comes to monitoring your kids’ wireless use and keeping them safe online. It’s important to continually check your family’s service plans and control tools, so they match your kids’ maturity levels, ages, and family rules.

 

For parents and caregivers, keeping up with the rapid changes in wireless technology might seem like a 24/7 job; however, with many helpful tools and resources available from the wireless industry, parents are not alone when it comes to keeping their kids safe and teaching healthy habits when using a phone, tablet or smart watch.

Together with parents, CTIA and its members want to make the digital age one that benefits families and promotes safe, responsible wireless use for all ages.