QOTD: Does Your Child Have a Cell Phone? Why?

[JMcEntegart]

You most likely remember days when the lucky kids at school were the ones with phones in their rooms. There may have been one girl or guy with their own private line and they were envied.

QOTD: Does Your Child Have a Cell Phone? Why? : Read more

 

[dameon51]

Once my kids reach the age where they are going out with friends without parental supervision I would like them to have a phone. For me that was an very young age, but I know the times are changing. Maybe 9 or 10 years old now?

 

[Tyellock]

I don't have any kids myself, but I teach teens, cell phones are the biggest distraction, even walking they are not paying attention to where they are going or what they are doing

When I was growing up, if I wanted something, I had to earn the money myself to buy it

I think that's the right age for anyone to get a cell phone, when they are responsible enough to get it themselves.

 

[drudometkin]

Got one for my daughter when she was 8. Gave her my wifes old LG chocolate and added $9.99/mo to the bill. Well worth the money.

 

[Onus]

I don't have kids, but if I did, I agree with dameon51 that it would not be before the child would be away unsupervised, and it would be a very heavily restricted phone, only able to call limited numbers; anything more is not necessary for a CHILD, and I don't want any surprises on a monthly bill.

 

[jAckyra]

No kids yet, but if/when I do, I will fully support their having a cell phone as early as 'possible'. And by 'possible' I mean, whenever they can pay for it themselves.

 

[HibyPrime]

I'm of the camp that it's not a bad thing for a 12-13 year old to have a cellphone, provided you set 'budget' limits - meaning you can call 5 minutes during the day and 30 mins at night, and a limit of 5-10 texts a day or whatever.

A cellphone for a kid is only bad if the parents don't be parents, just like everything else.

 

[scione]

Hm, I can say that I am 15 and I dont have a cellphone, although all of my friends do. It is a major inconvenience for me as im usually always out, lol. Its to bad that my parents wouldnt agree to buy me a phone until I can pay the bill myself.

 

[pozaks]

My 8 year old wants a phone, but he's not getting one yet. He can't afford it, and he's not ready. Most of his friends have one though, and most of those are pre-paid my-first-phone type deals.

Also the childless posters, who are letting everyone know what they think they would do, are annoying as hell. Have some kids, raise them, then let us know what decisions you made. Your speculative parenting advice is useless.

 

[masterasia]

Cell phones cause brain tumors.

 

[totheshed]

I think they should be able to have a cell phone when they are able to use one. I had a phone in 4th grade and I paid for it every month. My sibling went to another school so it was a safety issue for my parents. If I had kids I would get them a phone at the age they asked for one.

 

[turbolover22]

My 5 year old is always pretending she has a cell phone. She'll be playing in the toy room blissfully unaware that she is being watched and she'll say something like, "My boyfriend just sent me a text. He asked if I want to go on a date." She tells me all the time "Dad, we can't be BFF if you don't ...... " She even used LOL once.


My wife and I don't even have a cell phone. For better or worse, cell phones have forever changed the way kids grow up now.

 

[waylander]

I have to agree, at the age when they are unsupervised (taking the bus or walking a good distance to school). Limited numbers they are allowed to call and GPS tracking enabled.

 

[proxy711]

I see no reason a child or teen needs a cell phone until they start driving or have activities that make them very independent. ie they start high school, have a part time job, or after school sports etc.

until then use the home phone. or do what my generation did once the internet was in every house hold, use AIM or whatever online IMing service you wish to use.

 

[sailfish]

12-15 for the Firefly phone when they're out and about with friends, 16+ for non-restrictive phone if they pay the monthly fees.

 

[jonpaul37]

When i have kids, you bet they will have cell phones when they are in the double-digits but they will also be GPS'd and monitored 24x7, especially if i have a daughter. Also, they will work for it some how/some way.

 

[treefrog07]

At 16, when she was allowed to drive without an adult-driver in the passenger seat. But she was not allowed to talk or text while driving - she had to pull into a parking lot. Did she do that every time she answered? I'd like to think so - she's had one accident and one ticket in her nine years of driving (she paid with money from her job).

 

[dertoter]

Man, i remember getting a cell phone when i was around 16 or 17 and it was ONLY because my parents wanted to keep tabs on me (little sister got her phone at a younger age, 12/13). I think it really depends on the type of family you're in because my family was super controlling growing up unless it was just against me since i was the experiment . Now that i'm much older i'd say that it really depends. Who knows what it will be like in the future when I have a kid. I think 8 is far too young to be honest. The firefly phones the article describes isn't that bad of an idea though just so if there's an emergency the parents could be contacted. Kids are smarter now a days though too.

 

[accolite]

Hell my little girl wants one at 4 years old, but there is no way she is getting one until she gets to the employable age, that way she pays for it herself.

Until then she can play with my old cell phones all she wants.

 

[HalJordan]

As a parent, I don't see anything wrong with giving your child a cell phone if your concern is safety. I see it as just another tool to help you keep an eye on your kid. With that said, would my daughter get a locked down 3 or 4 year old, recycled, free with subscription, LG POS? You betcha! She can have a Smart Phone with all the bells and whistles when she pays for it! Or conversely, I may just lend her a deck of cards, and she can win what she needs from the other kids...

 

[surfer1337dude]

My nephew is 5 years old and has his own cell phone... Mt sister and her ex. live in 2 different states (she is the one who lives away from her son....legal battle, whole diff story) so she bought him a cell phone that can only call a couple of numbers (verizon phone, and can only call her cell/house, his fathers cell/house and certain emergency numbers).

I got my first cell when I was 17 (incase something happened while driving to call for AAA or 911 really)

 

[lo_vaquero]

[citation][nom]scione[/nom]...Its to bad that my parents wouldnt agree to buy me a phone until I can pay the bill myself.[/citation] Even though it may not seem like it, you'll thank them in the long run. This will teach you discipline and you'll respect that phone (and it's bill) a lot more when you have full ownership over it.
[citation][nom]hibyprime[/nom]A cellphone for a kid is only bad if the parents don't be parents, just like everything else.[/citation] +1 agreement

My wife and I both have pre-paid phones, but we just donb't get into the cell phone thing. Perhaps too many years working for Sprint PCS to get through College. =)

We let our oldest kids (11 & 9) take the phones when they need them or for the "safety reasons". We will not be paying for any kids cell phones. They can have phones when they can afford them.

Also, no smartphones for them until 16. Before then they can have basic phones for phones calls.

I know, I'm old-fashioned and a bit of a luddite - And I'm a computer engineer - but there are just too many ways for some things to undermine parenting and cells phones are one of them.

 

[killerclick]

Why shouldn't kids have cellphones? It's just a way to communicate, like writing or speaking. Sure there is a cost involved but you can reach your kids wherever they are and they can reach you. If kids can use the land line in their home, why shouldn't they use a cellphone?

 

[cekasone]

If I a kid, I would keep them on a Pre-Paid phone for emergencies only.

 

[lo_vaquero]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]Why shouldn't kids have cellphones? It's just a way to communicate, like writing or speaking. Sure there is a cost involved but you can reach your kids wherever they are and they can reach you. If kids can use the land line in their home, why shouldn't they use a cellphone?[/citation] A valid arguement. Much of the problem lies in the parents. Many parents don't teach the kids proper responsibility and behavior. Nor do a lot of parents make and enforce rules with cell phones. Personally, a lot of the problems would be solved if parents simply make thier kids pay for their own phones and plans.

A person will value and respect something a lot more if they have an investment in it.

Also, just like smoking drinking and driving, cell phones do require a certain level of maturity and responsibility. How that translates to age will vary. I know 10-yr olds who can handle a cell phone and 19-yr olds who shouldbe prohibited from one...