Should Teens Have Cell Phones?

Dear Dr. Karyn,
My daughter is turning 15 next week and desperately wants a cell phone. What’s your advice on this topic?

Answer:
Recently, I asked parents this question and the majority of them did believe it was a good idea for their teen to have a cell phone because it helps with the safety factor. The biggest complaint: the bill. Here are a couple of practical options to help with this. Some parents I’ve coached have agreed that they will pay for the cell phone but their teen is responsible for the monthly expenses. Other parents have paid for the phone and will also give their teen ‘pay as you go’ cards putting a limit on how much they can talk. If they want to talk more, they need to buy more phone cards. The key is that you want to create a plan that is going to be a win for you and a win for you teen.