Chances are your children will start asking for a cell phone sooner than you anticipated. As with much of today's technology, there are positive and negatives associated with giving your kids a phone of their own.

It's a good idea to establish boundaries with your children before signing up to any calling plans. Mobile phones have become the new route to acceptance, but they can also be used by peers to bully and intimidate. Consider letting your children use a ‘family' cell phone at first, which means you can check the call register and texts regularly, and help deal with any nasty ones.

When you decide they're ready to have one of their own, ensure they understand how they'll pay for it and what rules come with the responsibility. They should see the phone as a privilege, not a right, and be aware that you retain the authority to control its use.

You may think (or they'll tell you) that your kids have the upper hand when it comes to technology, but teach text and phone skills just like you would any other manners. Pass on these hints for peace of mind:

Text etiquette

Turn off the phone during movies, meals and at bed time.

Don't feel you have to respond to texts instantly.

It's rude to text or play with the phone while someone's trying to talk to you.

Texting from someone else's phone without their consent is a dishonest thing to do.

Be extremely careful about letting someone else send a text from your phone.

If you get an insulting text or obscene picture message, don't respond. Delete it from your inbox and your mind. If someone does it to you once, it might have been a one-off inappropriate joke, but if they do it again, tell your school and your parents straight away.

Think before you text. Texting in anger is as foolish as emailing or talking in anger.

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