Cell phones, Netflix, Snapchat... friends or foes? My daughter's pediatric dentist said that the screen she has above her treatment chair is the best anesthetic she has for children! Mesmerized by the images, they don't notice or feel a thing! Good when you have a drill in your mouth, but not necessarily how we want our children to be when we are trying to interact with them!
My best advice... set guidelines for your child's usage BEFORE you purchase the device, and talk often about how things are going. Also, be aware of what you are modeling for your child in terms of your own use of digital media. I know all this takes time and energy, of which many of us feel we have precious little of, but remember that old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Here are a few websites that can give you some ideas about how to handle your child's first cell phone.
Laura Markham, PhD from Aha Parenting
The Contract
Bosco-an app that helps you keep track
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