iPhone Tips Parents Should Review with their Teen Before Giving them a Smartphone

Teens between ages 14 and 17 make up 25 percent of kids that own a smartphone. This means sooner or later, a kid that doesn’t have one may want one because their friends or peers have one. Parents thinking about giving their child a smartphone should consider a few factors. Are they ready to have an iPhone? Are they mature enough to handle the responsibility? Few parents want their teen to have a cell phone in case of an emergency, but some teens could get out of control with their device if parents are not clear on importance of responsibility. Here are a few points parents should review with their teen before they get their iPhone.

Keep Location Information to Yourself

Parents should be clear with their teen about how they intend to use certain apps on the device. Many apps will use location services that could put the teen at risk to strangers. For example, Facebook has a feature that lets others know where you are, but it can be turned off or only viewed by people on your friends list. Teens using such apps should be warned about using apps that require your location and who else will know where they are. If you're a parent of a teen that does this you might think about using a sms tracker for iPhone  so you can make sure they're safe as well. Teens should work to be responsible in keeping sensitive details about themselves private for safety reasons, but using a tracker app to be safe is a great idea.

Don’t Drive and Text

Teens old enough to drive should know the dangers of texting and driving. Parents can have this discussion with their teen prior to giving the iPhone. Parents may want to look into special technology that keeps teens from texting when behind the wheel. This is something parents can discuss with their teen. There are a large number of teens every year that get into car accidents due to texting. Parents can discuss consequences of texting behind the wheel. Keep in mind some cities have passed laws making texting while driving illegal. If this is the case where you live review what happens when the offense occurs.

Use Wi-Fi for Downloads, Games and Video

When getting an iPhone many parents decide to get a second line or a family plan. This can help save on costs associated with having mobile service. Depending on what the teen may do with their device it is a good idea to review activities they should keep to a minimum. For example picture-taking apps can be dangerous, but with a spy cam app you can monitor the pictures they're sending and receiving to make sure they're safe online. 

When games and downloads are completed it helps to have them done through a Wi-Fi network when possible. This can help save on data usage costs, but parents should review details about public Wi-Fi use to ensure their teen access a network safely without personal information being obtained by hackers. Parents may also want to discuss which apps and videos are off limits or those they shouldn’t use for certain reasons.

Use Functional Apps that Offer Benefits

Parents can try and encourage their teen to use apps with a purpose. There is a large variety of educational apps millions of teens find helpful. They have helped teens study for tests, set up reminders to remember important details and events, and even inspire more responsibility with daily duties such as chores. Parents can research apps available and make recommendations to their child about which to use. Parents and teens can compromise with iPhone details and find a way to meet in the middle to ensure safety and security.  When teens are enforced to have positive habits with their device they are less likely to engage in inappropriate activity. Parents should have an idea of what their child will do with their device and set boundaries.