At what age should children receive a cellphone?
@vicneedscoffee (1259)
United States
May 29, 2008 2:07am CST
Okay, this is a bit of a rant. I coach my twelve year old daughter's soccer team. She plays in the senior level so the kids are around her age or older. Some of the kids have cellphones, no big deal. Tonight we had pictures so I had some teams from the younger levels around me. There was a bit of standing around for them while we got them organized for the cameras. In the midst of this some were bored and yakking on their cellphones, normal for teens, right? However, I was totally amazed by the ages of the kids with cellphones. I swear some couldn't have been over seven.
Who in their right mind gives a cellphone to a kid that can barely tie their own shoelaces?? It just dumbfounded me. Now, I have on occasion given my phone to my daughter, but I must be really old-fashioned because she still does not have her own. Which leads me to my question, how old should a child be before they get a cellphone?
2 responses
@athinapie (1150)
• Philippines
29 May 08
I know a lot of kids as young as 5 years old who already have cellphones. They don't know how to send text messsages yet but they know what buttons to press when they need to call their moms and dads. I think that it's not really about the age when a child should get a cellphone but it's about the maturity or when he or she is ready for that kind of responsibility.
@vicneedscoffee (1259)
• United States
29 May 08
I agree about the maturity. My thing is...a kid that young should be under adult supervision pretty much all the time, so why do they need cellphones? That is what I can't get past. Just seems silly to me.
@athinapie (1150)
• Philippines
29 May 08
Yes, adult supervision is indeed necessary. After all, there are a lot of bad things that can happen when kids that young have cellphones. I think you get the idea.
1 person likes this
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
29 May 08
i have a two year old son, and i think i will only give him a cellphone if he has a job to pay for it. i mean here in our country there are pre paids and post paids cellphone lines. i have a pre-paid one. if i dont load it i cant text or call so the phone has no use. someone will text me if i dont have load then i can not reply. if my son has his own money to but himself his own load then i will but him a cell phone. but if he will ask me money for the load then i wont buy him a cell.
@vicneedscoffee (1259)
• United States
29 May 08
You mean you aren't buying him one for his third birthday? 
I agree with you, a kid should have to earn the phone.
I agree with you, a kid should have to earn the phone.