At age 9, Zuzu is starting to use the Internet more frequently. My husband and I recently allowed her to get an email address, which she mostly uses to email her grandparents and to share important messages with her best friends — several of whom live on our street. The fact that these emails seem to consist entirely of emoticons is baffling, but what do I know? She also uses the Internet to make her picks in the online football pool she is participating in with her dad. Because it is never too young to start gambling online.
Zuzu has had an iPod Touch for a few years now and uses that with our at-home WiFi network to send and receive email. But like most kids her age, what Zuzu really wants is her own mobile phone. For the record, she is in 4th grade. As much as I think Zuzu is too young and too irresponsible for a mobile phone, I must admit, there have been times when I wished she did have one. Zuzu walks home from school with a group of friends and with JR’s afternoon activities and last-minute play date invitations, there have been times when I needed to get a message to Zuzu quickly but had no way of doing so. Those of us who live on our smartphones get very, very dependent on them.
My husband and I have decided that next year, when Zuzu enters middle school, we may well have to bite the bullet and get her a mobile phone. Middle school is a whole new world of after-school activities and her schedule will be very different from JR’s, which can create confusion. I can see how it would be convenient to be able to call Zuzu, or send her a quick text to let her know that she should meet me at JR’s soccer practice or she should go to the library after school.
Of course, all parents know that there are extremely serious safety issues when it comes to kids and mobile phones, such as bullying, privacy and, for older kids, phone use while driving. We have already talked to Zuzu about being safe while on the Internet. Allowing her to get her own phone will introduce a whole new set of concerns for us as parents. My mobile phone carrier, AT&T, is aware of the seriousness of mobile phone safety for kids and has made a commitment to become a leader in providing resources, education and tools for families to help them better manage mobile safety.
Later this month, I will have the opportunity to attend a webinar on mobile safety for kids ages 8-11 with AT&T and leading industry experts. AT&T dubs these webinars their “Mobile Safety School.” I am looking forward to hearing about what issues we need to think about as we consider when to buy Zuzu that ultimate sign of being a big kid: her own phone. (In my day, the big excitement was when my parents got a
second phone line at their house for me and my brother to use. How times have changed!)
AT&T is also offering one lucky West of the Loop reader a chance to attend one of the Mobile Safety School webinars plus a $50 Visa Gift Card for your participation! The Mobile Safety School schedule is as follows:
- October 23 at 1 pm ET – mobile safety for kids ages 8-11
- October 24 at 1 pm ET – mobile safety for kids ages 12-14
- October 25 at 1 pm ET – mobile safety for kids ages 15-17
To enter the giveaway for the $50 Visa gift card and the chance to attend this important webinar, please leave a comment to this post telling me your biggest concern about kids and mobile phone usage — even if the answer is the size of your phone bill! In your comment, be sure to tell me which session of the Mobile Safety School you would like to attend. Your comment must be received by midnight on Wednesday October 18. I will select a winner at random. Good luck!
Full disclosure time: this is a sponsored post for AT&T’s Mobile Safety School and The Motherhood. I am being compensated for my work in helping to spread the word about AT&T’s mobile safety initiatives. As always, the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
I worry that kids become too attached to their mobile devices, sleeping with them for fear of missing a text.
I worry about the pictures kids send. I’d want to attend the session for 15-17
I would worry that they would become obsessed with texting.
I would attend the October 23rd session.
I worry about the personal information kids can share over the phone. I would attend the Oct. 23 session
I worry about identity theft.
I am worried about who my 7-year-old would be calling or talking to. On the computer, she discovered Amazon and Youtube herself, so who knows what she could do with a phone!
I worry about them purchasing apps that we don’t need or want without permission.
I would attend the youngest group.
to be honest, i am most freaked out about the idea of “sexting.” of course! i don’t think my kids would do that, but what parent really believes their kid would do that? i want to believe that with my oldest at 10, i am still far from those days, but i’m sure it is closer than i think…
i would want to attend either the 23rd or the 24th…
I’m most concerned about privacy issues , such as unknown calls.
Oct. 23 would be great to attend.
Hi Jessie, you are the winner of the spot at the webinar and the gift card. Congratulations! Please email me your email address and mailing address at westoftheloop at gmail dot com
I’m concerned that instead of using it for emergency purposes, she can access the internet or text.
Left this out in my comment above…October 23 – mobile safety for kids ages 8-11
My biggest concern about my kids using mobile phones in a couple of years is that they would spend too much time on it and possibly receive information I didn’t want them to have.
I would attend the Oct 23 session
At 9 she’s had an iTouch for years? Oh am I way behind the times. Mister Man turned 9 today and has never sent an email. I am SO afraid of phones because of the bullying aspects – and I know it will come, whether he has one or the other kids in school do. I would love to attend the 10/23 session. Now to stop the heart palpitations
One of my biggest concerns is that my almost 10yo daughter is the bullying and misinterpreting texts or not being as clear in a text and thought to be rude thus setting off a firestorm. I would like to attend the October 23rd webinar with information geared toward children 8-11.
And, on a side note, I have no idea what’s up with the emails full of emoticons and multitude of colors. Maybe the equivalent of all the hearts and flowers we drew in our notes to our friends when we were their age? If only we had smileys. Sigh!
I am most concerned with texting – kids can get so caught up in it they put themselves in danger when walking, on a bike and if a young driver behind the wheel.
October 25 at 1 pm ET � mobile safety for kids ages 15-17
I would like to attend the October 24 at 1 pm ET – mobile safety for kids ages 12-14
My biggest concern is telemarketing calls and getting caught up in using the phone for web content
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I would attend the 10/25 session
one of my biggest fears is breaking the phone
My biggest concern is that tweens/teens have such bad judgement and with texting and email it is way too easy hit send without considering the consequences. And cyber-bullying scares me a lot too! I’d be interested in the Oct. 23 webinar.
honestly I think the only reason i haven’t broken down and gotten MY fourth grader a phone is I think he’d lose it…quickly
A lot of issues worry me but I would be worried about the phone getting lost like Lisa.
October 25 at 1 pm ET – mobile safety for kids ages 15-17