Back-to-School Cellphone Preparation

School is back in full swing. The beginning of a new school year is often when many children get their first phones. A recent U.S. Cellular survey showed the average age of children getting their own cellphone from a parent is 11, with safety as the primary reason. The survey indicated 77 percent of parents set guidelines for their children’s mobile phone use, while 75 percent said they monitor their child’s phone always or frequently. U.S. Cellular will host a Device Workshop in Kearney to engage with families around phone usage and help those interested in learning more about how to use smartphones for educational purposes. This free event is open to the public. “Technology is becoming a more important part of education, and it can be a big shift for kids to have their first smartphone,” said Mike Adams, U.S. Cellular’s director of sales in Nebraska and Iowa. “That’s why we’ve created a customizable parent-child agreement, to help structure a conversation about what guidelines work best for each family.” For more information about the Device Workshop, please call 308-236-2075. For more information on the Parent-Child Agreement, visit http://www.childphoneagreement.com.