There’s a story every Christmas warning people, but there are several things you can do to stop youngsters from purchasing apps they shouldn’t be.

There are many benefits to getting young people the first phone, but they need to know how it works and how to be responsible for it. Buying a phone, even a second-hand phone, as a Christmas Present is an excellent opportunity for this; our team at Used Mobiles 4U have put together some tips to make the buying process easy for you!

Buying tips for parents

As most children get older, they will probably ask for a new iPhone or smartphone; with this in mind, you’ll want to be able to stay in touch with them when they start spending more time away from home. An iPhone or Samsung Galaxy smartphone offers children the ability to stay connected wherever they are. You’ll need to carefully consider when they should get a mobile phone and whether you’re happy for them to be online via their mobile phone.

How can a phone benefit you and your child?

Before you start looking at makes or models of phones, it might be an idea to understand how your child or relative will be using the phone, how they will be communicating with people and what their internet usage will be. Other than browsing the internet and communicating, smartphones also offer benefits such as researching homework, accessing tv programmes, taking pictures and playing games. Talking to young people about the use of a mobile phone gives you a chance to agree with them on how to use the phone responsibly and how to interact with and only view appropriate content.

Challenges of Buying A Smartphone for Your Child

Smartphones are great for young adults, but they come with several risks. They encourage youngsters to spend hours surfing the internet, watching YouTube videos, and playing games. This can increase the potential exposure to adult content and other inappropriate sites, plus they are more likely to break or even lose the smartphone. We would recommend turning on privacy settings and making sure location sharing is ‘off’ on the device and every app they use to keep the personal details and location private.

Allowing young people to have a smartphone can have both positives and negatives. It’s a great option for a Christmas gift, showing them you trust them with the phone, but their safety and security is paramount. Why not browse our selection of used mobile phones to find the perfect Christmas Gift? If you’d like more information about the safety and security of smartphones, get in touch with Used Mobiles 4U today.