Children and cell phones.....
By speedy1279
@speedy1279 (2665)
United States
October 22, 2007 6:53am CST
On Sunday my stepson called to tell his father that he got a cell phone. My husband seems fine with this, he said, "As long as his mom is paying for it I don't care if he has one." I disagree! I don't think he is old enough for one. He is only 10 years old. I don't feel like he is responsible or mature enough to have a cell phone. The reason why, well he can't even remember to take a shower or brush his teeth on his own. We always are having to remind him. So I don't see how his mother seems to think he is ready for one. I mean he can't even take care of his own body, how could he be responsible enough to have a cell phone? Now I understand if a child is mature enough and takes a lot of responsibility on thier own. But I really don't feel like my stepson is. The other thing that bothers me about this is safety. With his own cell phone he can make whatever phone calls he wants. Thier is no stopping who he calls or who he gives the number out to. Plus he is in school most of the day and it's against school policy to bring cell phones to school. So for half the day it is going unused. It really seems pointless to have one. Also, I really think this kind of purchase for my stepson should have been discussed with his father before purchasing him a cell phone. I think my husband should have had a say in it. But his mother didn't consult my husband at all. Now I understand that she don't need to consult him on everything that she buys him, but a cell phone, I feel should have been discussed with my husband. Cell phones are not toys!!!
So, I want to hear from everyone on this subject. I want to hear both sides, those that are for children having cell phones and those that agree children shouldn't have them. Please tell me why you feel the way you feel. What do you think is an appropriate age for a child to have a cell phone? Why or why not?
4 people like this
20 responses
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
22 Oct 07
OMG I have such major issues with that!! My niece got one for her 10th birthday and I think its just silly to be honest with you....The only reason IMO a child would need a phone is when they are out with friends and the truth is they could just use their friends phone or a payphone if they need to call home...Kids having cell phones especially at such a young age is IMO just ASKING for trouble...My son has been buggin me for one for the past 3 yrs now (he just turned 14) and I keep tellin him no..he then has offered to buy it and pay for the charges etc himself and I still won't let him..HE'S 14 what the hell could he possibly need a damn cell phone for? To cut into his already lacking attention span in class? to stay up late on a school night in his room texting ppl?? he doesnt need one, IMO majority of the kids and teens that have them DON'T need them...they are trouble causing, a waste of money and nothing but an added aggrevation as far as I'm concerned
2 people like this
@speedy1279 (2665)
• United States
22 Oct 07
I totally agree with you! I don't think children should have them until they are age 16. Then I could see them having one because they are driving age and it could come in handy if they breakdown and there isn't a phone near by. Plus at age 16 they can pay for them themselves. My own two kids will not have them until they are 16 and that is only if they go get a job and pay for it by themselves.
2 people like this
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
23 Oct 07
A lot of my students have cell phones (I teach 6th grade) because they walk home from school, or they have sports practice after school and have to call their parents to tell them to come pick them up. In my opinion, that is reasonable; however, I understand your outrage. It is a little silly that a student who can't keep up with a pencil between classes is allowed to have a $100 cell phone! I plan on getting my kids the cell phones that can only call certain numbers and 911. They definitely won't be getting an expensive one though. I had a student a couple of years ago that got a razr before even I did!!
2 people like this
@missybal (4490)
• United States
22 Oct 07
I don't think a 10 year old should have a cell phone unless it's one of those new ones that only has like 4 phone numbers that are pre-programed for emergancy use. No child should have any real full cell phone until they are old enough (like at least 17/18 in my book) and have a job to pay for it themselves. Yes she should have asked your husband first. However I think that it will resolve itself in no time because he will either have it taken away from him from the school or he will run up the minutes and his mother will get an outragous phone bill. When you go over the minutes you are allowed those things cost an arm and a leg, and at 10 years old it's a safe bet he will do it.
1 person likes this
@missybal (4490)
• United States
22 Oct 07
I had another thought. My husband has brothers that are a great deal younger than him. They live with their mom and she has her mind set to make them hate their real father. When he has visitation she sends a cell phone with them and calls all the time. She's been doing this since they were 8 years old. Their father tried to get the courts to stop her from calling them 24/7 but he can't get the money up to go to court against her because she keeps taking him to court. It's her way of making sure she knows everything that happens with their father. Maybe this is why she gave him a cell phone. Children forget things easy unless you ask close to when things happen. She is most likely using her own son as a spy.
1 person likes this
@navincp123 (442)
• India
23 Oct 07
kids sud be given cellphones only after they are mature enough to differentiate wat is rite and wat is wrong....
1 person likes this
@pedowii (39)
• China
22 Oct 07
Since I'm just 19 and don't have much experience,I don't know whether she should buy him a cell phone.
But now that she has bought him hte cell phone,it belongs to him.I think he should keep it. If you are worried about this,you may well educate him how to use a cell phone properly.
2 people like this
@sanell (2112)
• United States
22 Oct 07
I have mixed emotions about this subject only because it is true that you can benefit with having your child with a cell phone. However, I think at his age, the cell phone should be one that has a lot of restrictions on it. They sell these cell phones that only have three or 4 buttons on them. They are programmed to call certain people or the police. They also have those that have GPS locater on them. If I did not know where my kid was or if she did not getr home when she was suppose to or did not call me when I had requested her to then I could at least track her down, and hope that she IS with her cell phone.
That would be the GOOD thing about cell phones.
The bad thing is to just get them a phone where they can dial out and take incomeing calls from anyone. I would not want the bills to get too high in minutes and the like.
1 person likes this
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
23 Oct 07
I will probably give my kid a phone around ten, right when I am teaching them to ride the bus and take the paratransit on their own; important skills for any disabled person.
I think a cell phone is good practice for having responsibility. Mom can always check his calls on-line, so she CAN check who he talks to and when.
1 person likes this
@hardworkingmom (1130)
• United States
23 Oct 07
I feel the some way your husband do. Only because my stepson is 9 years old and his mother brought him a cellphone because she claim that she can never get in touch with him(my stepson)but that is a whole different discussion LOL, anyway my husband said the same thing she brought she put minutes on and its up to him to keep up with it if he loses it its on him not us. And my stepson is the nastiness little boy I know, he too don't like to brush teeth wash butt keep room clean etc.
Plus speedy you have to look at it like this she is trying to compete with your husband I hate to say it that way but must of the stuff you wouldnt purchase for a child that age she is going to do because she wants to be #1 in her son's book and trying to out do you and your hubby. So don't try to get to much in the middle all if its a dieing need other then that as long as your with your hubby its going to always be something going.Reguardless if she have someone else or not. And if she does have someone else that is a whole another discussion too.
I've been there going there and still there until my stepson turns 18year old and probably still get a little drama. Don't worry its going to be just fine.
1 person likes this
@RosieS57 (889)
• United States
22 Oct 07
My twelve year old has one. It is pre-paid Virgin Mobile. The phone itself is cheap, too, so status has nothing to do with it.
He can use it on the school bus and can call me if the bus will be late. He calls when he's on visitation with bio-dad because nasty stepmother won't let him use 'their' cell phone.
His little buddies don't constantly call in the middle of our calls on our house phone.
Plus for emergency use and bicycling use and skateboard use, it's an electronic leash on my kid. If he doesn't call me back when I call him and can't get through he's in BIG trouble. Mom always gets priority for calls since I pay the cell bill. It is limited...when he uses his allotted minutes he's done until the beginning of the next month.
If you do it this way and for these reasons, I heartily recommend it. Check out Virgin Mobile.
@shicolate (48)
•
22 Oct 07
it seems that you are quite passionate about this issue, with kids one exciting toy is as good as the other. and they do have one thing in common, they break or lose them, the only thing the mom is done is basically wasted her money to indulge the child with a cell phone for the sake of getting in fashion with the rest of growing kids generation. i do not agree with buying a cell phone for a 10 year old but it also depends on the circumstances. if for instance the child goes to school far from home and have to catch a bus, it is important that you are aware of where they are and by having the phone for emergencies is one good reason despite their capabilities of dressing themselve. anyway! i don't know if this will help you, good luck!
1 person likes this
@miaocecilia (80)
• China
23 Oct 07
i think you're right,kids should't have cell phone.i think the safety and radiation should be concerned. the appropriate age can be 16 or 17 above,they can look after themselves at that age. a 10 year old child is too young to have a cell phone.
@Countrymom (371)
• United States
23 Oct 07
Okay, I can see two sides to this. One, the child is not mature enough to make the appropriate decisions on when to turn it on and off and when he shouldn't be using it.
On the other hand, I can see where a single mom might need to be able to be in touch with her child at a moments notice. Work schedules might change or perhaps she needs to get in touch with him for another reason. Perhaps he is alone for a short time after school or he walks a great distance to and from. From a safety perspective this makes sense too.
All in all if she is paying the bill for the cell phone, and your husband is not, let her learn this lesson should he run the bill up. It won't take long for her to change her decision!!
I feel that when teens begin venturing out more and more or have their own job that its time to consider a communications device whether it be a cell phone or a pager that says call home. Until then I don't want my kids to have them.
We just got my 13 year old son a cell phone. Its a prepaid phone and he is allocated 60 minutes every 90 days. If he runs over that he has to buy more. I use it when he is walking to and from school or the store or at a friends house and its time to come home (the friends ignore their phone) so it does come in handy. He watches his minutes closely and knows that when he is out he is in trouble unless it is mom that used up his minutes. I keep track of how many minutes I speak to him and he knows this so he is extra careful and does not have conversations with friends etc. In fact he isn't allowed to give out his number at all!
@unicorns89 (6)
• United States
23 Oct 07
My mother got me a cell phone once I entered middle school. I was involved in many activities and sports. I never knew what time they were going to over for sure, so when I knew that they were getting close, I could call her so she could come pick me up. As for sports, away games could take a long time. When I did not have a cell phone, my mom would come at the time they thought we would be back at school. Sometimes my mom would get there early and sometimes we would get to school early, so she would be late. Now that I am older, it is a great way to communicate with my mom. I can easily call her and tell her where I am and what time to expect me home. I am a responsible teenager and I never went over on my phone minutes. Now, I think that every person should be given a trial run and if they know the rules and still break them then they are still too young for the cellphone.
1 person likes this
@magikrose (5429)
• United States
22 Oct 07
My son is 12 now but he has had a cell phone since he was 10. What you should do is look at the cell phone and see what kind it is. There is such a thing as a childs cell phone. It is called the FireFly. It has NO numbers on it at all. It has an address book that a parent or guardian has to program for the child. It also has the call and hang up buttons as well. On the side it has a button in case of emergencies since it dosnt have any number buttons on it. It is an excellent cell phone for a child. Last I knew Cingular had the Fire Fly cell phone. you might want to check with the childs mother as to the cell service she has and suggest this cell phone to her.
1 person likes this
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
22 Oct 07
As for what is the appropriate age...I would say that depends on the maturity of the child and the reason for them having it....if this cild is coming home to an empty house and there is no home phone then I could see the necessity for them having one....I do agree that at 10 yrs. old, most children have no need for a cell phone and there are many many dangers out there that can occur...I slso feel that this should have been discussed with your husband as it is a major thing for a child this age.
1 person likes this
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
23 Oct 07
I think this age is way too young to have a cell phone. I do know they make a cell phone that you can only program like 4 different numbers into it. In this case if the child is active in different activities and needs to be in contact for pick up and such then it isn't a bad idea. Otherwise, let them be old enough to pay for it and then they can have one. I think way too many kids have cells and I think they are too young for it.
@crazy_ol_lady (1014)
• United States
22 Oct 07
Hi Speedy,
If the child is responsible enough, or if the parent feels the need to track down their child for some reason, then it would be OK for a child to have a cell phone.
A family plan is not that expensive and the family can share minutes. So the child would need to be taught how long, and how often they can use their cell phones. In emergencies, it could really come in handy.
If the child is not responsible once they have been taught about the phone, it can be taken away to teach them further.
My grandchildren have cell phones to call home in case of change of schedules for pick up from school, and safety on the way home when they ride their bikes. Our schools forbid cell phones in classrooms, so they have to be responsible enough to turn them off during class, or they will be taken away.
IMO it depends on the parents as to how important they feel that their child have a cell phone, and how much they are willing to pay for it.
Happy posting..
1 person likes this
@ck0098 (88)
• China
23 Oct 07
This problem seems like two-edges sword like PC games. In my view, little children should not have cell phones because they may waste time on playing games, chatting and showing cell phones rather than using them to communicate.
