Families are more connected and mobile than ever. Thanks to all the BTWs, FYIs and I Over the last year, AT&T has been talking to parents and kids about wireless safety, but we need to do more.
And with your help, we can.
How can you help?
Goals
•Help parents and teens feel like AT&T is a partner in helping them stay safe.
•Set AT&T apart from other carriers by communicating our point-of-view and ownership on a very real issue affecting families.
•Move the conversation from “restriction” (e.g., limit, cost, control, block and filter) to “empowerment” (peace of mind, ease, freedom, collaboration).
Let’s talk about age ranges and what that means your for kid(s).
8-11 years old
31% have a cell phone but why. What does a kid that young need a phone for? Well believe it or not, kids this young only want a phone for the coolness factor, not because it’s the center of their lives.
There are key issues that you should talk to your kids about if they are in this age range.
- The Responsibility of a phone
- losing the phone
- accidentally using features they shouldn’t
- safety ground rules (don’t answer unknown numbers)
12-14 years old
69% of kids have a cell phone and it’s a part of their identity and the center of their social universe.
Key issues with this age range can be tricky because you want to define the limits; protect but don’t overprotect.
- Bill shock (overages)
- communication ground rules (no bad words, no cell phones at dinner, ect.)
- finding boundaries while allowing freedom
- phone punishment
Finally, we have he 15-17 year olds
85% of kids in this age range have a cell phone to know ones surprise. The phone is a necessity, it’s the way that everyone around them communicates. At this point the ground rules are set, teens want more freedom and usage out of the phone. The key issues are simple. Take the rules from the 12-14 year olds and just let off little by little giving your kids more freedom.
AT&T has lots of products and services to help you and you’re family… even if you aren’t an AT&T customer!
Here are some of my favorite features:
AT&T Family Map! – AT&T Family Map lets you locate family members on a map from your mobile phone or computer. You can also schedule and receive alerts to confirm when a family member arrives at a predetermined location. www.familymap.att.com
AT&T DriveMode! - Curb the urge to text and drive. When enabled, the app sends a customizable auto-reply message to incoming texts, letting friends and family know that you’re behind the wheel and will reply when it’s safe. www.att.com/drivemode
AT&T Roadside Assistance - Dive on the safe side. Convenient, reliable, 24/7 Roadside Assistance provides you with security, convenience and peace of mind when traveling with a covered phone. Towing (For mechanical failures), battery service/jump start, flat tire assistance, out-of-gas fuel delivery, lockout assistance and key replacement, and Hertz rental car savings. www.att.com/roadsideassistance
Most importantly. Please don’t text and drive. I can be pretty bad at this but I have now taken the pledge to not text while driving, especially while my kids are in the car.
Later this month I will be hosting a couple of classes in person to talk about AT&T and how kids can be safe while having a cell phone. I’ll be back to talk about how the classes went and with more tips and features from AT&T.
Disclosure: I have been invited by AT&T to speak about the Safety School as an Ambassador. I have received monetary compensation for my time, and expertise in the program. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the experience you may have.
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Does anyone know if AT&T roadside service will come jumpstart my car if they battery is dead when I am at HOME?? It says you must be on the road but mine is at home and I just need someway to start it so that I can take it to get a new battery. I am stranded.
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Great tips, so many things to consider when the kids start using them!
I LOVE that auto text reply when you’re driving!
Love the textdrive mode! So good they are doing that!
Thanks for the wonderful information.
I was going to try the family map, but at the time the boys had to have internet on their phones and I was restricting that. Maybe I should look into it again.
It restricts Internet use when using family map? I had no idea
Great post. I really need to read up on this stuff as my boys get into electronics more and more.
Interesting stats – thanks for sharing! We are definitely going to wait to give our kids phones.
I’m so glad you’re doing this, it’s an issue that really needs awareness!
It’s going to be a tough decision on when we give our son a cell phone. He’s only one so we have time
I hope they have better limits when I have to get my daughter a phone. Thankfully with my plan it’s only $10 more for another line.
I’m sure there will be a ton of crazy technology things out in 10+ years when little M gets a phone.
My two oldest which are teenagers have phones.
How old we’re they when you got them their phones? Did/do you have any special blocks or restrictions on the phones?
My husband doesn’t want our daughter to have a cell phone until she is old enough to work and pay for it herself.
That was a discussion for us too but I think once our girls get into sports or after school events they’ll need a phone sooner than when they have a job.
Great points!
My son will be 10 in Nov., but hasn’t even mentioned having his own phone, yet. We know where he is at all times. We do have an extra iPhone, that will be his, and activated once we think he needs one. My son absolutely hates talking on the phone, and too young to be texting, so I may have another year or so before we need to activate it.
I am text free when I drive and since I love to text, that says a LOT! It’s not worth the risk of injuring myself or others.
I love the text drive app so you can’t text when driving. I wish there were a way for cell phones to know when someone is driving and auto text off.
Goo confiscates my phone like it’s hers. I’m so tired of Dora…
I am so not ready for my daughter to need a cell phone. These are such great tips for older kids though!
Great points, especially important not to text and drive.
I can’t imagine my little one with a cell phone.
My 11 year olds has one for when he rides around the neighborhood.
Good info here. Who knows what the world of cell phones will be like by the time my son “needs” one.
I do like the Family Map, my kids are way too young for cell phones yet. I am glad that they are taking measures and partnering up with parents to help keep the kids safe and responsible!
This is an awesome campaign! I can’t wait to hear more!
That sounds like an awesome program!
love this campaign!
My daughter wants a phone, but she’s 9. Way too young.
I can’t wait to hear about the classes, that is awesome!
I never text and drive very scary stuff! My son just turned 10 and is asking for a cell phone, yep basically for the “coolness” factor.