Want to keep your kids in line? Confiscate their phone

 

Almost two-thirds of teenagers say having their mobile taken away is the worst form of punishment.

Mums and dads are turning to mobile phones when it comes to keeping their kids in line.

A new study by T-Mobile has found that mobile phones are top of the pile when it comes to items teenagers value the most that are confiscated by their parents.

Over 90% of teens now own a mobile phone, according to the mobile network’s study, with 74% saying their handset is their most prized possession.

Six in ten of the 1118-year-olds questioned identified having their mobile impounded by their folks as the most frustrating form of punishment over the traditional likes of having their pocket money cut or being banned from watching TV.

This proportion rose to eight in ten among 11-18-year-olds who have a smartphone such as a BlackBerry - the Research In Motion devices are popular with younger people as they offer the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) instant messaging service as well as internet access.

Ben Fritsch, head of propositions at T-Mobile UK, said: “The mobile phone has become an essential piece of kit for British teenagers, enabling them to keep in touch with friends in all sorts of ways - calls, texts, instant messaging and social networking - so confiscating a teenager’s phone is like getting several punishments all at once.”

Racking up a big mobile bill was the most common reason for 1118-year-olds having their mobiles commandeered by their olds. Recent research from T-Mobile found that a third of teens overspend on their monthly mobile bills, with almost three-quarters of folks having to pick up the tab.

While 15% of those quizzed said they’d had their phone confiscated almost once a month over the last 12 months, craftier kids ain’t letting that keep them out of the loop - one in ten have a second phone their parents don’t know about.

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