Reasons for Teenagers to Have a Cell Phone
Millions of American teenagers use cell phones every day. These phones may be part of a family plan, paid for by the teen's parents, or stand-alone models with pay-as-you-go usage plans. In all cases, the decision of whether or not to allow a teenager to have a cell phone can be difficult. There are several reasons that parents may choose to give their teens phones or encourage them to buy phones of their own.
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Emergency Use
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One of the most common reasons for teens to have a cell phone is for use in emergencies. With the gradual disappearance of pay phones in public places, it's important for teens to be able to keep in touch with parents, especially as teens get older and start spending more time out of the house, or when they begin driving and become mobile.
Cell phones allow for instant communication between parent and teen, which can offer a certain amount of comfort to a worried parent. The convenience of a cell phone may also make teens more likely to phone ahead if they're running late.
Managing Social Life
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While emergency use may have more significance for parents, managing a complicated social life is likely to be the reason many teens cite for wanting a cell phone. Staying in touch with friends, storing phone numbers and other contact information and playing games are all uses that fit into this category. Additionally, teens may feel as though a cell phone is a status symbol, signifying their parents' trust and technological knowledge.
Teens may also find a cell phone essential for managing activities, including sports, school clubs, a job or volunteer activities. Besides being able to call for a ride, a teen with a cell phone can look up directions, store and organize a schedule and ask questions to an event organizer or fellow participant.
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Responsibility
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Another reason for a teen to have a cell phone is the opportunity it presents to learn about personal responsibility. Besides caring for the phone itself, teens might be required to monitor phone use or even pay their own monthly bills. Handling a single monthly bill is a way of slowly building a teen up for a future with additional personal financial responsibilities and, eventually, financial independence.
Control Over Phone Use
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Cell phones also give parents the ability to control a teen's phone use. Pre-paid plans require parents to purchase new minutes, which a teen will need to budget over the course of a month or more. In addition, giving a teen a personal cell phone will free up the home phone line for other important calls.
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- Photo Credit cell phone image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
