Back-to-School Smartphone Tips for Families

There is no “right time” or “one size fits all solution” to buying your kids’ first phone. However, when the time does come to get one, it is important to discuss phone responsibility and boundaries with your children. If it’s your child’s first phone, remind them that a phone is a privilege, not a right. Discuss ahead of time what the consequences will be for misuse of the device.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when heading back to school this Fall:

• Program emergency contacts into the phone, and communicate with your child who to call in an emergency.
• Follow the school rules. Go to the school or school district’s website to determine the updated phone policy.
• Remind your kids to never text, send an email, or use apps while driving or riding a bike. Incidents may occur at any time, even while walking and texting, so encourage them to pay attention to their surroundings.
• Discuss the consequences of sending inappropriate photos or videos, which, in addition to harming someone’s reputation, could result in criminal charges if the offense is serious enough. Emphasize the importance of personal privacy and respect for others.
• Web browsing rules apply to phones inside and outside of the home. The website and content that are off-limits at home are off-limits on school property too, whether the content is blocked or not.
• Lastly, at night time if the child is reading on their device be sure to enable “night mode” to reduce eyestrain.

As parents and guardians, it’s your responsibility to teach your children about phone safety and best device practices.

Device-Free Family Time

Remember to designate device-free times for your family during the week. This may be at the dinner table in the evenings, on a weekend trip to the mountains or over a bowl of cereal in the morning as you talk about your day ahead.

Need a phone? Learn and Earn up to $300

Aquila Standard has some great news this back-to-school season. Get your kids the latest phones with Sprint® and get up to $300 in cash rewards. Here’s how:

• Give them the latest phone with Sprint. Sprint’s best-unlimited plan now includes Hulu.
• Get up to $300 in cash rewards as a benefit of credit union membership for new lines you activate with Sprint.
• Current Sprint customers receive up to $150 in cash rewards every year for lines transferred into Sprint Credit Union Member Cash Rewards.
• Bonus: You’ll receive up to $150 in loyalty cash rewards every year for lines activated or transferred.

Sign up today to start enjoying your rewards!

Here’s how to sign up for Sprint cash rewards:

1. Become a Sprint customer and mention you’re a Aquila Standard member.
2. Register at LoveMyCreditUnion.org/SprintRewards­ for your cash rewards.
3. Allow six to eight weeks to see cash rewards directly deposited into your
   credit union account.