What age for cell phones
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4 after 1 vote
At what age do you think it is appropriate for kids to get a cell phone?
I used to be one of those parents that couldn't justify it till they had a lot of extra curricular activities that required they be in contact with me. I finally broke down and bought one for my son on his 13th birthday because his step brother got one from his mom the year before.
Now I must say I wish I had done it sooner. It is incredibly handy to text them reminders that I'll pick them up from school, or come home for dinner and such. Now that he has one, I think it's more for me than for him.
I used to be one of those parents that couldn't justify it till they had a lot of extra curricular activities that required they be in contact with me. I finally broke down and bought one for my son on his 13th birthday because his step brother got one from his mom the year before.
Now I must say I wish I had done it sooner. It is incredibly handy to text them reminders that I'll pick them up from school, or come home for dinner and such. Now that he has one, I think it's more for me than for him.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by pacwp on -
My husband and I are trying very hard to live simply and that means that our children are going without the essentials of teendom. They have no ipod, no cell phone, blackberry and we feel they will be better off in the long run.
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Permalink Reply by Viki Stanley-Hutchison on -
I've never been big on the "I have to have one because everyone else has one" thing. But 15, almost 16 yo, ds is getting one this month, as he and I are taking a HS fieldtrip to New York City in December and I want to know that if we get seperated he can get in touch with me immediately. If it weren't for that I probably wouldn't get him one yet.
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Permalink Reply by Tracy on -
It's funny how it changes... with our oldest we made her wait, not so patiently, until she was 13. (February)
Later that year we got our newly 10 year old daughter and nearly 11 year old son each one for Christmas... Boy was the 13 yr old mad! LOL!!!
Sad thing is my 10 year old is more responsible and mature than the now 14 year old!
In this day and age I won't let them go anywhere without their phones. Even to the local store, so they can go to their departments and I can go to mine, then a simple call or text to let them know we're leaving!
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Permalink Reply by Vianney on -
We got one for my son this year because our school moved an hour away from us. He attends a private school and he would be taking a school bus to and from the new location.
Did he need one not really, but I wanted him to have one in case of an emergency. In the day and age we live you never know what may happen and I don't want him to be in a situation where he has no phone or way to communicate.
He's had his phone for a few months now and I love it! We have had a couple emergencies and thank goodness he had his phone on him so we could communicate and make alternate arrangements.
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Permalink Reply by Dana Neal on -
With the lifestyles of two parent households and kids in every activity imaginable a cell phone is needed. I agree with the maturity level of the child, but I also agree with where are they and what do they need. It is beneficial for parents and great for kids, but the necessity is important in these days. My boys don't have one yet, but my step daugther got one for Christmas from her mom...went over her minutes a FEW times too many and doesn't have the phone any longer.
I will be considering it very soon!
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Permalink Reply by Eve Phoenix on -
My son's dad got him one for when he's at football practice or other places and he needs to get picked up or they get separated. My son is 8, which I think is a little young for a cell phone, but he does not take it to school, since his after-school place picks him up, and if he had an emergency at school, they would call his dad or me. He did pay part of the cost of the phone and the intial minutes on it out of his allowance. It is a pay-as-you-go phone, so he can't order minutes on his own, since he doesn't have a credit card or debit card, and he doesn't go shopping without one of us. As long as he doesn't abuse it, I'm OK with him having it for emergencies. With very few pay phones around, and us not wanting him to randomly ask strangers to use their phones, he does need some way to contact one of us.
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Permalink Reply by Mama Grimtribe on -
The phone we got her was a firefly. You get 6 outgoing call buttons and no texting features.
Her phone was basically for her to call us when plans went awry or to see if we were en route fetching her at a social or school event. This was a test for her as well. If her cell gets stolen or lost, then we know it may need to be a while longer before we upgrade her to something with more features. Also, as she has two other school aged siblings, it can be passed down.
Honestly, after all the stories she has told about kids cell phones getting stolen at school, I'm really glad we didn't get her an expensive one. I call her school The Thieves Den and won't let her take anything to school that we can't replace readily.
Personally, if they can foot the bill for cell phone minutes, then it's their phone - do as ye will. Until you get a job, it's my phone. My phone is for me to contact you and you to contact me. Not for your friends to call and tell you that some boy is going skating on friday. Or Text you that Abigail has on the cutest top everrrrr. Which is why I think the firefly is the greatest cell phone invention ever.
Love you, Snook.
Paisley said:Our daughter had a cell @ 12. She was heading into middle school and wanted a cell phone. We told her if she could earn 20.00 a month over the summer we would add a line for her to our plan.
She had 25 bux in her purse when we ordered her phone.
Times turned -as they have for everyone- and we lost our phones. When we get them back, I'm reasonably sure she'll get hers back too.
Next year we'll have 2 kids in HS, one in MS and one in elementary. Our teeny one is prepping for Headstart.
Our Tribe is so large, we'd need 2 family plans to accommodate us all. Still haven't figured that part of it out, but it may be in our best interest. Ms Ma'am has the house phone grafted to her ear 80hrs a day ;)
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Permalink Reply by Anne Mayhew on -
I think I'll give cell phones to my kids when they are able to ride the public transportation on our small island. Maybe age 11 or 12. We do not have good cell service where we live so won't help now but will when they can move around more independently.
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Permalink Reply by Jamie on -
I was one of the parents who said my child had no reason to get a cell phone. However I did buckle because he has awesome grades. I however only allow him to call people in his plan (Verizon) and me. He normally calls me right when class is dismissed and he has gathered his brother and sister. He has no interest really to talk on the phone and even his conversations are "to the point" with me. "Mom, I am out, where are you"? 'Come pick me up". He does not have text messaging as I think that he does not need it. Sometimes though, I wish I could text message him and let him know I love him or other little things. He also does not have access to his Voice Mail as there is no need - he can see who he has missed calls from.
My other two kids ages 8 and 6 will probably not get one as long as they have their brother in school with them.
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Permalink Reply by Jeannette on -
My son just turned 12 and when we got our new phones in July we gave him one of our old ones. This is what we let him have it for, going out in the neighborhood on his bike if he is going to a different place that he originally told us, he calls. He can call anyone he wants to but it is a pre pay phone now so if he uses up the minutes he has to get more with his own money. We also do not let him take it to school either. oh and it works well when you are in Walmart and he is in the toy section and I am in the clothes or food I can call him and tell him where to meet me. He does not abuse it and he feels cool because he has one now. He also takes lots of pictures with it so he loves that feature.
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Permalink Reply by Desiree Stanley on -
We've told Honey bunny (8yo) that she will get a cell phone after she turns 12 yrs old. But it makes sense for kids a bit younger to have one if they are going to be doing sports, dance, or whatever and need to have a way to contact mom or dad.
Some of her friends have cell phones right now. One has a Palm Treo 650!! Which I just don't get. She's in 3rd grade! What do these kids need phones for?
Most of the time Honey bunny is with me at our office or at karate (and I'm with her) so there is no need at this point. We'll see in the next couple years...
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Permalink Reply by Dana Neal on
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You know, you are right, if your kids are basically right under your noses..and at that age they..they really dont NEED one...a Palm Treo...I still don't know how to use my palm pilot.
Desiree Stanley said:We've told Honey bunny (8yo) that she will get a cell phone after she turns 12 yrs old. But it makes sense for kids a bit younger to have one if they are going to be doing sports, dance, or whatever and need to have a way to contact mom or dad.
Some of her friends have cell phones right now. One has a Palm Treo 650!! Which I just don't get. She's in 3rd grade! What do these kids need phones for?
Most of the time Honey bunny is with me at our office or at karate (and I'm with her) so there is no need at this point. We'll see in the next couple years...
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