Poor communication is a common complaint when it comes to parents and teenagers . What happens when you throw a cell phone into the mix ?

Growing teens need to know what the expectations are of having a cell phone . And , they need to be reminded . Don ’ t “ throw ” a cell phone into the mix . Teens are not always good at recognizing and predicting the outcomes of their behavior , so parents need to be the ones to spell out the consequences . A parent might say at the outset that the child must respond to text messages or voicemails within a half hour or cell phone privileges will be suspended . Parents may also need to remind teens about unacceptable behaviors such as cyberbullying or sending and receiving sexually suggestive images or text .

not anticipate better tracking and connecting with their teens just because they have a cell phone . Parents should also not assume kids will be safer going into risky situations because “ they can always call .”

How can parents minimize conflict over the issue ?

Parents should tell their teens their expectations about owning a cell phone and what the consequences will be of violating those expectations , and of course , follow through with those consequences . Despite the potential protests , I believe strongly that teens will survive without cell phones for a day or more .

Most teenagers have cell phones these days , and parenting is changing as a result . We asked Liberal Studies Professor Rob Weisskirch how cell phone use affects the dynamic of the parent-child relationship .

Does it matter who initiates the call – the parent or the child ?

My research has indicated that there are more positive outcomes when the child initiates the communication . When teens report that parents regularly call when upset , parents know less .

Is it an overstatement to say that parenting is changing as a consequence of cell phone use ?

Yes and no . No , in that parents still have to provide good guidance , discipline and support . Nothing substitutes for good parenting . Yes , in that teens have more access to the outside world without the filter of parents , so parents have to work harder to have kids disclose what is happening in their cyber world as well as their everyday lives .

Parents who foster a good relationship with their teens , in general , will be able to use the cell phone to extend their relationship , stay informed and support one another . Parents should

How young is too young to give a child a cell phone ?

Since cell phones cost several hundred dollars , I would not want to put something that expensive in a child ’ s hands , unmonitored , until they demonstrate sufficient responsibility . Some parents want to give their child a cell phone “ in case of an emergency .” My larger concern is the idea that parents are permitting young children to be somewhere where there aren ’ t responsible adults around to whom a child could turn in case of a problem .

– Joan Weiner

Read an extended interview and find out more about Dr . Weisskirch ’ s research at csumb . edu / magazine .

Clockwise from top : Richard Green ; Joan Iguban Galiguis