My 10 year old has a cellphone and has had for several years. His phone and my phone are linked together. Any texts etc he receives, I also receive. Everything on his phone is also on my phone. It doesn’t take five minutes after he has gone to sleep to pick up his phone and see what he has been doing. The majority of apps I can check what he has done on my own phone without his ever knowing I checked up on him. He does not have a FB account. Browsers and apps such as YouTube have search histories, playlists, etc. It’s not that difficult to monitor a phone that is linked to your own. He takes his phone with him to school and leaves it shut off inside his backpack until the day is over. He has his phone on the bus. He has his phone when he gets to my parent’s house. He has his phone if he goes bike riding or playing around town with his friends. He can call me if anything happens.
It is 2020 not 1950. There are bullies, predators, and stray animals. There are adults who purposely injure children. There are adults and children on drugs in many areas of the country including rural areas. There are human traffickers. Your kids are not safe to just go outside and play like they were decades ago. Your kids need a phone to call you if they need you.
Middle of the Muddy Road 