Taking A Look At Mobile Phone Safety

When did you get your first mobile phone? If you are part of my generation, then your answer would probably be in your late 20s – definitely when you were already out of college, working, and earning your own income. These days, though, it is not uncommon to see children as young as 7 with their very own mobile phone! I still do not understand the need for very young children to have their own mobile phones but I do know the value of school-age children having their own mobile phones.

This topic has long been debated – whether school children should carry these communication gadget around. According to a study conducted by Samsung Mobile, children bringing along mobile phones to school (and perhaps outside school) is one way of assuring their parents that they are safe. Indeed, if there is a way that parents can check on their children at any time, it would make the parents feel better. Given this, I suppose that there is no going around it – children will continue to have mobile phones with them.

The point that we should take a look at now is safety with regard to the use of these gadgets. I like the article published at the UC Daily News. They highlighted some safety points that we could help our children.

Punch In The Numbers – Parents should make sure their kids know how to use a cell phone in an emergency. Before sending young kids off on the first day of school, parents should pre-program emergency numbers into the phone and it is also helpful to list I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) in their contacts list. This is one of the first places school officials or emergency personnel look when assisting someone in a health crisis.

Look mom, no hands! – Today’s students have a heavy load to carry across campus or through high school hallways with books, musical instruments and laptops. You can lighten the load by purchasing a hands-free Bluetooth® headset, so students can answer their phone or play an MP3 with the touch of a button.

Peace of mind – Cell phone insurance can give you peace of mind and a new phone. U.S. Cellular customers can purchase an insurance policy for less than $6 a month that covers a multitude of accidents. U.S. Cellular’s free My Contacts Backup saves the phone’s contacts to a Web site, in case it is lost or broken.

Stay charged – Many students have a lengthy drive to and from school. You can purchase a phone charger for a car to ensure that your child’s phone can be charged even when on the road.

I really think that the second and the last points are very important. What is the use of a cell phone if it is not charged? I can imagine going crazy wondering what is happening with my child if I tried calling and the phone was out of service. Bluetooth is very handy as well and is very important if your child rides his or her bike to school. That way, he will not be tempted to use the phone (using his hands) while riding the bike.

Photo courtesy of Groeten_Uit_Parbo

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2 Responses to “Taking A Look At Mobile Phone Safety”

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