Reach a compromise with your little gadget guru. The problem most parents face today is that most kids already own these electronic devices, so the peer pressure on those who don’t is unbearable. Deciding when to give a child a mobile phone or a portable video game player is an individual family choice that depends on a lot of variables.

Take into consideration the cost of buying the unit plus everything else that you have to pay for after initial purchase. Is a phone plan or game cartridges within your monthly budget? There are now a lot of inexpensive mobile phones (and even cheaper second hand ones), but it is the usage of the unit that will cost more as the days go by. Portable games and cartridges are quite pricey and you can be sure that your child will ask for more that one game to play with. Take this opportunity to teach your child about compromising.