Once you divorced, your life as a parent got a little more complicated. It’s frustrating and painful, at times, to be apart from your child.
Should you get your child a cellphone? Cellular phones get a bad rap from a lot of places — with some folks saying that these handy little devices are actually responsible for the breakdown in communications between families.
But the research doesn’t bear that out. A Pew Internet survey indicates that 42% of parents use cellphones daily to maintain contact with their children. Plus, 53% of adults say that they use tech to actually keep their bonds with their distant family members healthy.
Technology hasn’t destroyed communication — it’s changed it. If you’re struggling with the fact that your children aren’t around every day — especially if your circumstances limit you to weekends, holidays and summer vacations with your child — a cellphone isn’t so much a luxury as it is a necessity. Having one means that you keep an unfettered line between you at all times, whenever your child needs to talk to you.
You can also arrange specific times to speak with your child via phone, text messages or video chat (like Skype) to quickly check in with them after school, help them with their homework or even read them a bedtime story. Your child can also use their phone to reach out to you on social media so that you stay informed about who their friends are, what movies and games they enjoy and where their interests lie.
Technology doesn’t have to be a danger to your relationships with other people — especially that with your child. You may want to discuss writing an agreement that allows your child liberal use of a cellphone to reach out to you into your parenting plan.