Thank you all so much for helping me via my Instagram as we dip our toes slowly into the shark pool of cell phones for our kids. Yes, it is true that we feel like we are literally the last ones to buy our son a phone as he turns 13. The majority of the kids his age have had a phone for a while now. It never felt right for our family until now.
One resource that has been super helpful is @waituntil8th. This site is really helpful for parents as we enter this new phase. I also loved the idea of signing a contract. Common Sense Media has a good one, but if you do a simple Google search, you will see lots of good templates to browse and print out for a contract. My wise girlfriend also strongly recommends using OurPact, which seems like a great idea too.
Keep in mind, all social media platforms have an age requirement of 13. For Charlie, we are only going to start with the phone itself and see how that goes first. No social media until he gets used to the responsibility of actually having the phone. Baby steps! Please keep in mind, I am not judging anyone who chooses to get their kid a cell phone earlier than we are. Just like I hope you are not judging us as parents who decided to hold off until now. Every family is different and we all must do what is best for our own family. The same goes with social media for kids under the age of 13, no judgment there either. We are all trying to do the best we can, especially these days. I know Charlie is going to cry tears of joy when he opens his new phone. And I can not wait to call him on it often. 🙂
I want to thank you all again for sharing so many helpful tips and advice for us on this topic. We all have so much to learn from one another, so I am all in for sticking together as we navigate through this crazy life. Wish us luck with our new teenager and his new phone!
With love,
xoxo Nina
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