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Having gone through the first phone experience twice now with my older daughters, I’m so excited to be sharing some of the best tips that I’ve learned via this sponsored post conversation with TracFone. As always, all opinions are my own.
Buying your child’s first phone can be full of challenges.
But it doesn’t have to be. After getting each of my older girls phones I learned a few tips that make the whole process a whole lot easier for everyone involved!
1. Pick the right phone for your child. With more kids than ever getting smartphones, the new TracFone LG Optimus Fuel™ Android™ smartphone (MSRP of $79.99, available for a limited time at Target, Walmart and Kroger for $29.99) offers parents the peace of mind they need with the fun features kids want. Parents can stay connected with their children with TracFone’s unbeatable nationwide coverage. Parents can also create a safe environment on their child’s smartphone while staying connected by taking advantage of a one-year free trial of the NQ Family Guardian™ parental control app. Kids can talk & text with their friends and family as well as get free, exclusive access to fun SpongeBob SquarePants accessories and content, from headphones and full episodes to games and apps. This alone makes this phone invaluable. The number one reason I have my girls carry cell phones is to stay connected to me… in a safe way of course!
2. Make it fun so they will want to use it and always carry it with them. The biggest challenge I’ve had is getting my girls to remember to always take their phones with them. The new TracFone LG Optimus Fuel™ Android™ smartphone comes with exclusive access to SpongeBob SquarePants content. Kids can make the TracFone LG Optimus Fuel™ Android™ smartphones uniquely theirs with fun SpongeBob SquarePants content and accessories. All come with free, exclusive access to SpongeBob SquarePants headphones to help them create a unique look for your phone. They can also download and watch full-length SpongeBob SquarePants episodes along with the ability to download SpongeBob SquarePants Android™ apps and play mobile games. This would totally make them want to bring this phone with them wherever we go!
3. Parents are in control. Make it clear from the start that you, the parent will be monitoring their usage and that the phone is a privilege… a really cool one! With the award-winning NQ Family Guardian™ parental control app parents can monitor and manage their child’s activities, locations and phone usage, including web browsing, app downloads, photo libraries, contacts, text messages and more. All of your child’s smartphone activities can be monitored and controlled online. TracFone LG Optimus Fuel™ Android™ comes with free access to NQ Family Guardian™ parental control app for one year, a $34.99 value accessible via any Internet browser on a smartphone, tablet or computer.
4. Pick an affordable phone and plan. TracFone is one of the largest and most well-known no-contract cell phone service providers with nationwide coverage on America’s largest and most dependable networks. TracFone offers an extremely affordable way to own and use a cell phone in the US with plans with talk, text and data starting as low as $19.99 for 90 days and affordable phones from leading manufacturers like LG and Samsung. There are no overages, no bills and no hidden fees to worry about.
5. Set rules from the start. Let them know when they are allowed to use it… and remind them they are always supposed to respond right away when they see you are calling or texting! Set guidelines about social media and picture taking and sharing. One of the benefits of getting your child a phone is that you are helping them develop a lifetime of healthy and safe habits surrounding technology usage.
TracFone is a great partner when it comes to getting your child their first cell phone.
Connect with TracFone on Twitter and Facebook and for more information on this and other TracFone products, visit TracFoneParents.com
*Plans and Phones sold separately. Average cost of $7/month* (*A month equals 30 days). Check coverage availability and Terms and Conditions of Service at TracFone.com. Other limitations apply.
What do you like most about your child having their own phone?
All great tips, we used a lot of the same ones when our daughter got her first phone.
Those are great tips. My oldest is only 10, so he is still a few years away…..
the ability to get in touch with them at all time… this must be the one for me
Our rule was always that our kids wouldn’t have phones until they turned 13, but a recent school bus mishap changed my mind about that. The school couldn’t locate two of my kids for almost an hour and a half! My 12 year old now has a working cell phone. It’s worth it for peace of mind!
My son is 13 and everyone has a phone except him. This would be a great option for him.
These are great tips. My kids are still a few years away from a phone, but when they get one, I’ll be keeping a close eye on their activity.
These are all very smart ideas! I plan on doing this when my kids are old. Gosh when my kids can use cell phones it will be 2025 lol I wonder what kinda cell phones we will be using then.
Fortunately this topic is far far away (pregnant now and have a 17 month old toddler). I got my first phone when I was 13 and pretty much had zero parental control but I was a good kid 😛 I couldn’t say the same for my friends lol. Thanks for sharing this!
Neither of my kids have their own phones yet, but I have been thinking a lot about it! Thanks for sharing these tips!
Really awesome and simple phone, it’s perfect for the kids when they want their first phone!
Excellent tips! Wish I would have had this list prior to getting our sons their first phones. Will share with some friends, though, who are currently crossing this bridge. Thanks!
These are such great tips! My son has the same phone and we love it.
These are great tips. Thanks for sharing them. My son will be at the age in a couple of years that he will need a phone to use just in case.
The (grown) kids laugh at us because we (hubby and I ) have Trac Phones. We love them. No annual contracts, and we barely use our phones so it makes good sense for us!
Great tips! Luckily, my boys won’t be needing a phone anytime soon.
I can see getting a tracphone for your kid and teaching them how to be careful with their minutes and usage. I like this idea
Whenever I see articles about kids and cell phones, I think about how amazingly different life is for kids now than when I was a kid!
This is such a great post especially since my kids are getting older. You definitely have to set the rules first.
Rules from the very beginning is very important. Along with a long talk on safety and how to act.
Great Tips! My oldest daughter has my old phone but right now it currently does not have service on it just a text app she can use with me and her father. When she gets older she will be wanting a phone with service so these tips will come in handy.
In this day and age, it is so important to give our kids a great and quick way to communicate with it. This is wonderful advice.
Great tips! TracFones are perfect for kids, my younger siblings started off with them – they’re really great for parental controls and limiting the usage.
We set our rules and had control when our older boys started with cell phones
These are really great tips, especially making sure that they know that they have to pick up whenever you are calling them, wherever they are. When I was a kid I had a pager (hahaha!!!) and if I didn’t call my dad back when he paged me within 5 minutes, I lost it for a week and couldn’t go out because he wouldn’t have a way to get a hold of me. Strict man, that dad, but it worked.
My 10 year old has a cell phone. We have a lot of things “locked” on it, but she can text me and call me when she is at school after hours for things like band and on trips. I love having the peace of mind but you do have to set ground rules and make sure they understand and are responsible.
These are great tips. I am still debating whether I want to let me oldest have a phone or not.