Is a phone for your kid on the holiday shopping list? Read this first

CNN — Your child has been asking for one for so long, and the holiday season might be the time –– especially if the gift will make this Christmas or Hanukkah magical. “Parents have an incredible opportunity to be influential in their children’s use of social media,” Everett said. “That’s why we want to do what we can to empower parents so that they feel like they can have a role with it.” Online concerns to consider When it comes to devices that can access the internet, obvious risks abound, such as being exposed to content that isn’t age appropriate, meeting strange adults or being bullied, said Dr. Hansa Bhargava, a pediatrician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and chief clinical strategy and innovation officer for Healio, an information company for health care professionals. “Then in eighth grade, maybe … they’re hanging out with different kids, or trying to fit in with a different group or impress somebody in particular, and they may start making more mistakes.” You may have to change the boundaries, safety measures or even take the phone away entirely, Fagell said, and that’s OK. “They’re also going to have a much harder time sustaining balance with regards to getting schoolwork and other things done.” For safety, you may want to have rules around the privacy settings on children’s phones and the people they can or cannot interact with online, Fagell said.