The ability to stay in touch with your children as they become more independent gives you peace of mind, but it does pose a question: When is your kid ready for a cell phone? And what kind should you get? Here are some tips to help you decide.

Need vs. Want
If your child sees a cell phone mostly as a toy or status symbol, consider waiting. But if your kid spends lots of unsupervised time with friends, attends after-school activities alone or has an after-school job, you’ll probably want a way to keep in contact—especially in an emergency.

Features
Decide what features you want your kid’s phone to have. Most parents want to at least be able to put 911 on speed dial and to program their contact numbers into the phone. But if you don’t want your child to use the phone for texting or for surfing the Internet, keep that in mind when deciding which phone model to buy.

Level of Responsibility
Consider your child’s level of responsibility. Cell phones are small and expensive to replace, and even adults misplace them all the time. Is your kid mature enough to keep track of a cell phone? (Even if so, consider protecting that phone with insurance, just in case.)

Boundaries and Plans
If you do decide to buy a phone with features such as texting or Internet access, look for a plan that keeps you in the driver’s seat. Verizon Wireless offers Parental Controls, which let you block certain numbers, allow you to filter Internet content and enable you to determine when your kid can use the Internet. You can even limit your child’s ability to make purchases on the phone. In the end, take some time to choose a voice, text and data plan that matches how you want your child to use the phone.