This site contains affiliate links. Please see Policies for more information.
This post is sponsored by Pantech. As always, all opinions and ideas are my own!
Michael received his first cell phone when he was 10 years old.
It wasn’t a necessity, like it is for most kids that age. He wasn’t walking home or staying by himself at home after school. He wanted one more than we had ever seen him want something, and we decided that it was good for our family for different reasons: he could text and message with family across the country, we could start teaching him early how to be digitally responsible, and we could connect with him on a different level. Little did I know that giving him a cell phone would be such a good decision for our family. He did connect with family members, he is learning (slowly) how to be digitally responsible, and it’s fun to text with him while he’s riding the bus or at lunch during school.
Jack will be 10 years old in a few days, and while Michael was mature enough to own a cell phone at 10, Jack isn’t quite there yet. We allowed him to install iMessage on his iPad and he sent 40 or so messages to Michael and several other family members within 30 minutes.
We have, however, started talking about what kind of phone we would get for Jack when the time comes. Michael’s first phone was the Pantech Jest. We loved the simplicity of it, and that it was easy to navigate. Easy for Michael, but more importantly, easy for me. I want to be able to check his phone every night without becoming frustrated.
When Pantech reached out and told me about a new phone they have, the Pantech Vybe, I jumped at the chance to tell you about it. The Pantech Vybe is a durable and easy to use phone for kids, and I highly recommend it as your tween’s first phone.
Purchasing your tween’s first phone is a big deal. You want something that can withstand their backpack and a few accidental drops. Something they can easily use, because what good is a phone that they can’t call or text on? And as I mentioned before, you’ll want something that you can easily navigate. A frustrated parent won’t check a cell phone if it’s too difficult.
Enter the Pantech Vybe.
It’s affordable and easy to use. It’s made to take a few drops and a live in a messy backpack. Sold exclusively at AT&T, you can add it to your monthly rate plan without breaking the bank.
- Slide-out keyboard
- Large touchscreen display
- Quick camera button on the side of the phone
The coolest feature of the new Pantech Vybe? In my opinion, it’s the Dual User Mode, which allows parents to easily access the features/areas they look at most. You can switch back and forth from full mode to easy mode so if your child wants to customize their screen, they can do so.
When it’s time for your tween to get a cell phone, it’s important to give them your expectations. We did this by using a parent/child contract. I have one especially for my teen with a smartphone, and I recently made another one for tweens–perfect for those with new phones. Here’s what the contract looks like, but I’d recommend using this for ideas and creating your own.
If all of these rules aren’t applicable to your tween, that’s ok–pull the ideas that you like and make up some for your home!
No cell phones at the dinner table is non-negotiable
I liked pantech on facebook