Cell Phone in High School – Essential or Not
Starting big school for the first time brings new challenges and a greater sense of independence for your children. They will be travelling further, spending more time with friends, and becoming more independent. It is important to have a phone handy so you can stay in touch and check in with them at any time as they navigate this new phase of growing up.
Factors to consider
- What Is Essential for Them?
- Mobile Plans for Teens
- Impose a Data Restriction
- Manage Your Teenager’s Online Content
- Control App Store Expenses
- Internet Safety
What Is Essential for Them?
As your kids get older, they may want a newer phone model with more social media features. These smartphones often come with useful apps like maps, music, and digital tickets, making them a worthwhile investment.
An everyday mobile phone includes all of these features, as well as the ability to make calls and send texts, which can be a convenient and cost-effective option. You can also save money by purchasing a refurbished phone.
Mobile Plans for Teens
When choosing a mobile phone contract for older kids, it’s important to consider their needs and usage habits. They may be using their phone more frequently for socializing, keeping up with social media, and playing games, so a plan with data may be a good choice.
A plan with 10-15GB of data per month is a good starting point. It’s also worth considering contracts that offer unlimited data for social media, as this can provide a good balance of usage and cost efficiency.
Impose a Data Restriction
It is important to remind your kids to only use data when there is no WiFi available when on a mobile phone contract, as data usage can quickly lead to high costs. Most networks offer a data cap to help prevent your kids from exceeding their data limit and incurring additional charges. This is a useful feature that is often available from most networks.
Manage Your Teenager’s Online Content
Having a new phone can bring up concerns for parents, such as late-night browsing, streaming shows in bed, and excessive gaming. Many phone models allow you to set limits on screen time to help prevent these habits. You can also filter the content that is available to your teenager and review apps before they are downloaded.
Some models also offer GPS tracking, which can help you monitor your teenager’s online activity and location. All of these features can help you stay informed about what your teenager is doing on their phone and ensure that they are using it safely and responsibly.
Control App Store Expenses
To prevent your teenager from making in-app purchases or signing up for subscriptions without realizing the cost, it is important to keep your card details off their app store. Many games make it easy to spend money, so it is a good opportunity to have a conversation about financial management. Keeping control of app store expenses can help you avoid unexpected charges on your account.
Internet Safety
It is crucial to have a candid and honest conversation with your teenager about online safety. From cyberbullying to exploitation, there are many potential risks to be aware of. Make sure your child understands how to interact with people on social media safely, what warning signs to look out for, and how to protect their passwords.
It is also important to reassure your teenager that you are always available to talk if they encounter something that makes them uncomfortable and to work together to address any issues that arise.
Apps for Secondary School Students
- Google Docs
- Duolingo
- Quizlet
- Hemingway
Smartphones can be useful for high school students in a number of ways, including staying organized, accessing educational resources, and using apps specifically designed to help with academic tasks. However, it is important to ensure that they are not used during class.
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Google Docs
Google Docs is a useful tool for managing homework, as it allows students to save documents to the cloud and edit them on multiple devices with an internet connection. This can help prevent missed deadlines. It is also a cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Office, as it is free to use. Students just need to log in with their email to access their documents.
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Duolingo
Duolingo is a useful app for learning foreign languages outside of school. It offers a variety of easy-to-follow activities that can help improve grammar, pronunciation, and listening skills. This can be a helpful way for students to impress in their next foreign language lesson.
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Quizlet
Quizlet is a useful app for revision sessions when exams are approaching. It allows students to create virtual flashcards to test their knowledge and includes quizzes and games to make study sessions more enjoyable.
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Hemingway
Hemingway is a free app that can be useful when writing longer essays and coursework. It helps with grammar, sentence structure, and readability, and suggests alternative words and phrases to improve the overall presentation of the writing. It also has a simple scoring system to help students see how their writing flows. This can be a helpful tool for ensuring that their next report or assignment is well-written and easy to understand.