How to help your kids protect their gadgets

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With school right around the corner, kids and their electronic devices should be prepared. Teaching kids how to properly care for their gadgets will ensure they last longer and will save money in the long run.

Aimee Swangler’s kids, ages 13, 15 and 17 have all experienced that “uh-oh” moment when their electronic devices broke. A number of her kids’ cellphones and iPods have succumbed to cracked screens and battery issues.

Swangler says it’s important for kids to understand the costs associated misusing their electronics.

Mark Keehr, owner of Grand Forks Pawn Shop, recommends parents start out with older model devices for young children to gain handling experience before spending money on pricier items.

“The younger they are, the less they realize how delicate it is,” said Keehr.

Swangler recalled when her 13-year-old daughter received a phone earlier this year for her birthday.

Her daughter dropped it, and “the cellphone broke right away the next day,” she said.

Keehr has seen his fair share of parents at the pawnshop, looking for replacement devices.

Because “just dropping it and breaking the lens” is all it takes, he said.

Here are some tips

•Help kids understand that contact with various elements can affect the performance of their electronics.

•Advise them not to leave these items in the car where temperatures can get extremely hot or cold.

•Make sure they’re mindful to not play with gadgets near water.

•Consider a protective case that can alleviate impact from a fall or offer protection from liquid.

•Kids should also understand just how expensive these items can be. Try to show them by letting them pay for a portion of a replacement or explain how many weeks of chores it would take them to save up for it.

•Keep in mind, no matter how cautious they are, kids will be kids and electronics will be breakable. “They kind of all go through those phases where they break them,” Swangler said.

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