When is the right time for your child's first mobile phone? #AD

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Carphone Warehouse and Nokia. All opinions are my own.

Choosing the right mobile phone is a big decision for anyone, this is a device that you will most likely use every day and you may be reliant on it for communication, for accessing news and for keeping up to date with your diary and activities, you may even pay for your shopping using it, or take advantage of electronic transport passes on your commute. Choosing the first mobile phone for your child is an even bigger commitment. When you hand your child a smartphone, you are providing them with the possibility of unlimited access to the Internet, and while this can be a great educational tool, it's also giving them a responsibility much beyond their years. You are trusting them to be sensible and set their own limits, yet how do you know if they are ready for such power?

When is the right age to have a first mobile phone?

Before you even start to consider which handset or tariff to opt for, you need to decide when the right age is for your child to have their first mobile phone. This is a question that doesn't have a 'one size fits all' answer. It will be different for every child and will depend on their own maturity level and circumstances. Can they exercise restraint? Can they be trusted not to use the phone during class or when they should be in bed? Do they have enough judgement to know what photographs are appropriate to post online? Do they 'need' a way to get in touch with you for emergencies?

We made the decision that our son would be given his first mobile phone for his eleventh birthday. This tied in well with him starting secondary school a week later as he would getting public transport independently for the first time and he would be able to utilise a smartphone to access apps and educational websites to help with his homework.

What should you consider when buying your child's first mobile phone?

One of the first things that I considered when we were browsing for Ben's first mobile phone was cost. I wanted to find a balance between a phone that had enough 'street-cred' to be 'acceptable' to a pre-teen and his friends, but also wasn't too high value and wouldn't, therefore, make him a target for theft. It also had to look good as my son can be rather fussy about what he wears and what he carries around with him would be no exception. Sturdiness was another huge factor, I have to admit that Ben takes after my side of the family when it comes to clumsiness and 'butterfingers' is a pretty apt nickname for us both! We certainly didn't want him to end up with a cracked screen after just a few days so we were in the market for a phone that would be fairly robust.

When it comes to the capabilities of the phone itself we were looking for an operating system that would last the test of time and features that would grow with Ben, we also wanted him to have a camera that he could have some fun with on our travels, taking pictures and videos to capture memories of all our family adventures.

Once we knew what we were looking for and had agreed on a budget, we took Ben to our local Carphone Warehouse to have a look at what they had on offer, Ben was immediately drawn to the Android One  range from Nokia and they really did seem like the perfect phone, a no-nonsense version of Android that has all the essentials in a sleek, easy to use handset a million miles away from the Nokia 8210 I had as a teen (Although I did love the polyphonic ringtones!)

How do you protect your child when they have their first mobile phone?

Just like any parents, once we had made the decision to purchase our child's first mobile phone, we wanted reassurance that he would be safe online and that we can keep in touch at any time.  We wanted to give our 11-year-old freedom and independence but equally be able to protect him from inappropriate content.

Thanks to Carphone Warehouse and Nokia, I was introduced to the Family Link app from Google. An app that offers that much needed reassurance to parents but also allows children to have the freedom to explore the capabilities of their technology within protected boundaries.

App Authorisation

For children who are excited about having the independence of their first smartphone, the first thing they want to do is download ALL of the apps they've ever heard their friends mention or seen advertised on TV or even the bus stop! Once we had the Family Link app set up, Ben was free to access Google Play Store and select apps to download, but each time he chose an app he had to request permission from me to continue, he could do this by either sending the request through to the parental app on my phone where I could either approve or decline or if I was in the room with him, he could hand me his phone to log in with my credentials and approve it instantly. There is the facility to vary the amount of control, so if I wanted I could change it so that he only needed my permission for paid apps or those with in-app purchases.

Screen Time Limits

One of my big worries was the amount of screen time Ben would have when he had his own device, he had always wanted five more minutes on the PlayStation or one more episode of whatever he was watching on TV and I was concerned about how we would be able to limit this with his phone. Family Link accounts for this and allows you to set up daily limits for screen time as well as set a bedtime period between which times the phone cannot be accessed. It also has a parental override so even if daily limits haven't been reached but you know that history homework is still sat on the desk waiting to be done, you can manually lock the phone so that your child is unable to unlock or use the phone, other than to make preset 'emergency' phone calls.

As well as limits, the app allows you to view reports of your child's activity on the device with a breakdown of the apps he has been using so you know if he really was researching for his science homework or just chatting to his friends online.

Location Monitoring

Another useful feature of the app is the ability to see where your child is located. When this feature is enabled, you can check at a glance if he is at that friend's house or almost home from school. It's also handy if the phone is left somewhere or even lost in the house.

Can you allow your child independence on the Internet?

The Family Link app took around 15 minutes to fully set up on my phone using my existing Google Account, including setting up a Google Account for Ben. 

For me, this app lets me set digital ground rules and gives me peace of mind that I can allow my pre-teen more independence to explore the online world without worrying that he is going to put himself at risk, run up credit card bills or even sit up all night watching Rollercoaster POV videos. He knows that he has a set time limit for screen time and he has to take responsibility for how he uses it.

Right now I still feel that he is too young for social media accounts, but many of his friends already have them, so if we do decide to relax this in the future I know that the Family Link app will allow me the confidence that I will be able to monitor his screen time.

With the help of the Family Link app I feel reassured that we made the right choice in the timing of our son's first mobile phone. He has the security of a way of contacting us if needed, the independence to explore and learn using technology and the approval of his peers and at the same time, I have the peace of mind that he is using technology in a responsible way.

Win a Google Chromecast with JNB Aerials

As a busy working family we don't get much chance to watch TV at the scheduled times, but we do enjoy snuggling on the sofa watching a movie together on a Saturday evening or catching up on our favoruite shows on iplayer when we have a bit of down time. 

If you have a Smart TV then you can easily access apps such as iplayer, Youtube and Netflix from your TV, however if like me you have a perfectly good TV that doesn't have these facilities then don't think that you have to run out and spend your money on the latest model, instead you can  turn your TV into a Smart TV using a fabulous little device called a Google Chromecast! These little gadgets plug into the HDMI socket on your TV and are available at Amazon for just £30. The Chromecast allows you to access a variety content through your TV, giving you the ability to 'cast' photos, videos and other content from your smart devices straight to your TV. To get set up you just need to download the free Chromecast App onto your tablet or smartphone and you are ready to go!

As well as accessing shows and entertainment, I really love being able to look at the photos I've taken of my family on the big screen, A great way of sharing holiday memories!

The lovely folks over at JNB Aerials have kindly given me a brand new google Chromecast to giveaway to one of my lovely readers! JNB Aerials are a local company that provide smart technology & AV installation services across the northwest of England.

Simply follow the rafflecopter instructions below:

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you enjoy my posts, please consider nominating http://www.mymummyspennies.com in the Thrifty category of the MAD Blog Awards

Post contains an affiliate link. We were sent a Google Chromecast in exchange for this post.

LG KizON Review

The LG KizON is a wearable device for children that connects with an app on a parent's phone to enable you to both track your child's movements an communicate directly with them. It is aimed at pre-school and primary school children and is an innovative new way to get peace of mind while giving young children more freedom and independence. We were sent it prior to it's UK release to test out with my 7 year old son, Ben.

What's in the box?

Inside the box you get the LG KizON in either pink or blue, a micro USB charging cable, a mains plug and SIM card as well as easy to follow set up instructions. Credit can be added to the SIM card for making calls from the device.

The LG KizON is equipped with a 400 mAh battery (Which holds up to 36 hours of battery life) and takes up to 3 hours to fully charge. You can check how much battery life remains by pressing the call button twice or by checking the app.

We were sent the blue LG KizON and the over all design is futuristic and sleek looking, the only note I would add is that although the 'cars' design would appeal to younger children, it may put children on the upper end of the target market off.

Wearing the LG KidzON

The device itself is made from specially sourced rubberised material that is non - toxic and comfortable against children's sensitive skin. I was impressed to read that KizON is the first wearable device to receive the Green Product Mark from Europe's leading  testing, inspection and certification body, TÜV Rheinland. I am wary of so many new tech devices and find this reassuring that LG are being environmentally aware. 

Putting on the device was something that Ben needed a hand with as it was a bit fiddly but the result meant that once it was on it would be difficult for young children to remove and lose.

Tracking and Communicating with the LG KizON

To use the LG KizON you need to download the LG KizON app from the Google Play Store, it's free and really easy to set up. 

I was impressed with the interface of the app as it has been well thought out and is user friendly. It is set up to send you reminders via text message to notify you of battery life and to tell you when the device is turned on and off. Through the app you can control the LG KizON's volume and power and you can also add up to four authourised contacts that the device can then call or receive calls from. 

You can call the LG KizON directly from the App and track it using a traditional road map or using street view. 

Overall Thoughts...

I have to admit that I had some misgivings about this product at first. I did not want to become part of a 'big brother' society that 'tracks' my child's every move, I believe in giving my children a reasonable amount of independence to learn and explore. On the other hand I feared that some parents may see this devise as an excuse not to pay attention to what their children are doing and to substitute it for parenting. Knowing where your children are is one thing but it is important to be aware of other dangers to them also. 

In reality I found that the LG KizON was really useful for our current holiday. In crowded attractions I could call Ben if he became separated and find him in less than a minute. On the beach or when playing in a play area on the caravan site when I could see him happily playing in the distance but he was too far away to shout to, I could call him though the app to say that dinner was ready or that he needed to come and get some more sun cream on.

I can see other times where it would be useful also such as to let him know if I was gong to be later than usual picking him up from after school club or a friends house. I think this is an ideal solution for children who may want a mobile phone but their parents don't think they are ready for one.

It is yet another tech device to put on charge each night but one that I find really useful to have.

As this is yet to be launched in the UK I'm not aware of the retail price but I will update you as soon as I know!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.

Choosing the right mobile plan for your kids

It's no secret that kids are hugely social beings. When they get home from school, they're always keen to head out or get online to reconnect with their friends and talk until it's time to go to bed. Naturally, mobile phones play a big part of this.

Not only are mobiles a great way for kids to form friendships with other kids at school, but they can also make life easy for parents. Gifting your child a phone allows you to stay in touch with them when they're out of the house and to ensure that they're safe.

In fact an infographic by  Mobile by Sainsbury’s explained that mums think texting friends and family is the most important aspect of owning a mobile themselves (55%) with just over one third (37%) feeling their mobile is vital because it helps them stay close with their family.

By Artotem via Flickr.com

Here, we take a look at how to choose the right mobile plan.

To cap or not to cap?

Deciding whether or not to cap your child's mobile phone usage can be tough. One the one hand, you may not be keen for them to spend every waking hour glued to their new handset, speaking to friends and surfing the web. On the other hand, the last thing you want is for your child to be unable to contact you in an emergency.

A recent newspiece from the BBC highlights a compromise for younger children. The handset described has limited functionality, allowing kids to contact parents without surfing the web. The age and maturity of your children will undoubtedly factor into your decision.

Try to avoid a long contract

Parents don't need to be told how quickly kids grow up. Habits change on an almost weekly basis and it can be hard to pin youngsters to a decision on just about anything as a result.

As such, it's not always a wise idea to take out a long contract for your kids. As the way in which they use their phone changes, so too will their demands from a network.

Looking into Pay As You Go tariffs can ensure that you remain flexible when it comes to usage and allow you to set your kids a budget when it comes to their mobile phone use.

Speak to them about their usage

Decisions like these don't need to be made independently of your kids. In fact, the simplest way for you to ascertain the best thing for your young ones is simply to speak to them about it on a regular basis.

If you can have an open discussion about your kids' needs, it should be simple enough for you to make the right decision regarding their mobile plan so that everyone is happy.

Look for suitable deals

Another top tip is to look for bundles and deals that help you achieve better value for money. Christmas is a great time to look for these promotional offers so why not see what you can find?

As part of Mobile by Sainsbury’s promotion of their new winter deal, they are upgrading customers from a £10 bundle to a £20 bundle absolutely free of charge and this is an example of the type of offer you can hope to find. It’s far from the only deal available though so make sure you scour the internet for all the latest deals and promotions from top mobile phone networks.

You may also want to take a look at these top Cyber Monday smartphone deals to see what else is on the cards. These offers may no longer be valid but it will give you an idea of the sort of thing you should look out for when shopping.

This guest post was brought to you in collaboration with Sainsburys