Smartphones are everywhere and while your tween may be begging for one,
consider the risks.
T
eaching your child how to use the phone is an
important skill, but time spent talking or texting
should be a limited privilege instead of the norm.
"Many people think cell phones are no big deal,
but few parents would give their teenager a new
Corvette, and then restrict his driving only after he
has either been involved in a wreck or received a
speeding ticket," says Edward R. Christophersen, PhD,
ABPP, FAAP (Hon), psychologist at Children's Mercy
Kansas City and Professor of Pediatrics at the UMKC
School of Medicine. "Yet that's exactly what often
happens with phone usage. Parents are better off
starting out with restrictions and easing them after
teens demonstrate they are trustworthy."
RAISING RESPONSIBLE PHONE USERS
To ensure children use cell phones responsibly:
• Be the best example. If you're always reaching
for your phone mid-conversation, so will your child.
Put your phone away throughout the day, to show
her how important face-to-face communication is.
• Keep phones in a public area of the house,
such as the kitchen or living room, so you can
supervise your child's usage. Charge your child's
phone in your bedroom at night to eliminate night
texting and calls.
• Teach your child important numbers, in case
she needs to make an emergency call or answer a
call while you're away. Remind your child to let any
unrecognized numbers go to voicemail.
Hold the Phone
For more ways to keep your child safe, visit www.childrensmercy.org/ChildhoodSafety.
Is your teenager testing the waters of reckless behavior?
D
oing donuts in a parking lot, snowboarding off the roof and bouncing from a
trampoline into the pool are risky choices teens may make. Taking risks helps teens
develop their identities and make sense of the world. A study published in 2013
suggests the teenage brain is predisposed to taking risks. However, factors such
as peer pressure and substance abuse can easily cause this risk-taking to
escalate into recklessness.
MODELING AND MONITORING
Fortunately, you aren't powerless against your
adolescent's wilder whims.
"Model the behavior you expect from your
child," says Daryl Lynch, MD, FAAP, FSAHM,
Division Director of Adolescent Medicine at
Children's Mercy Kansas City and Professor of Pediatrics at the UMKC School
of Medicine. "Children whose parents tolerate or engage in risky behavior are
much more likely to act irresponsibly."
Your involvement in your teen's life can also discourage recklessness. Always
ask where your teen will be and with whom. Establish how often he should
check in and when you expect him home.
The best advice, Dr. Lynch says, is to set parameters for acceptable behavior
early on.
"When kids are younger, parents may let them get away with more because
they think independence in toddlers is cute," Dr. Lynch says. "Practicing positive,
consistent parenting from an early age is vital."
Worried about your teen's behavior? Children's Mercy can help.
Visit www.childrensmercy.org/AdolescentMedicine to learn more.
2 Safe & Sound Spring 2014
