Raising connected kids
For many parents today, handing a child a first mobile phone feels like a milestone wrapped in mixed emotions.
On one hand, it offers reassurance. A quick message after school, a call during an emergency or an easier way to coordinate family schedules can provide peace of mind. On the other, it opens the door to a digital world children are navigating at increasingly younger ages.
As online learning, messaging, streaming and gaming become part of everyday childhood, parents face an important question: How can they give their children the independence they need while still providing proper guidance?
The answer may lie not in limiting technology altogether, but in introducing it thoughtfully and building healthy digital habits together.
Children need to understand that having a mobile phone comes with responsibilities, from managing their data and screen time to choosing appropriate content and communicating safely online. Parents, meanwhile, need practical ways to remain involved without constantly hovering over their children’s digital activities.
One option available to families is Globe’s GPlan Junior, a postpaid line designed for dependents ages 7 to 20. Offered as an additional line under an eligible Globe Postpaid plan, it allows parents or legal guardians to manage their child’s connectivity while giving young users room to communicate, learn and access age-appropriate digital experiences.
The plan includes unlimited calls and texts, 100 minutes of landline calls and 10GB of all-access data with rollover and data-swap features. It also provides access to Messenger Kids and Mobile Legends, as well as selected video, social and gaming apps.
Families can choose one app from each category, with options including YouTube Kids, Netflix, Disney+, Viu, Viber, WhatsApp, Roblox, Discord, PUBG and Call of Duty.
Through the GlobeOne app, parents can monitor data usage, check remaining allocations, manage Data Swap options and choose their child’s unlimited apps. A parent-managed postpaid account also removes the need to regularly reload credits or keep track of expiring promotions.
More importantly, such tools can become starting points for conversations about responsible technology use instead of serving merely as restrictions.
“As children become more connected, parents are looking for solutions that keep up with their family’s evolving needs,” said Jo Anne Illescas-Pique, senior director for Globe Postpaid.
Digital responsibility can also extend to money management. Eligible GPlan Junior subscribers who successfully register for GCash Jr. may receive GCash vouchers, providing parents with another opportunity to teach their children how to save, spend and manage digital money within a supervised environment.
