September is when school is back in full swing, and 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 was 11, with safety being the primary reason. 77 percent of parents set guidelines for their children’s mobile phone use and 75 percent said they monitor their child’s phone always or frequently. U.S. Cellular will host a device workshop at 8 a.m. on Sept. 16 at 518 N. Jefferson Street, Ste. 25. engaging with families around phone usage and helping 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 Nathan Waddell, U.S. Cellular’s director of sales in the Mid-South. “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 workshop, please call 304-645-5727. For more information on the Parent-Child Agreement, visit http://www.childphoneagreement.com.
