Would you let your ten year old have a cell phone just to be cool?
By snoopy04
@snoopy04 (718)
United States
July 9, 2008 2:33pm CST
I recently upgraded to a new cell phone because I wanted a better one with more stuff on it. I was able to get a really good deal online so I went ahead and bought it. Well my ten year old daughter Erica asked me what I was going to do with my old one and I told her I was going to keep it just in case. She then looked at me and said can I have it. I told her no because she didnt need a cell phone, I could afford to put her on my account, and she needed supervision which I knew her dad wouldnt do. I asked her why she needed one and she said because all her friends had one and it was the thing to do. She didnt want to be uncool. I told her that wasnt a valid reason for which she said I was being mean and unfair and that all her friends would laugh at her. Well I said the answer was still no and end of discussion. So she sulked and pouted but when her dad brought her back the next weekend she was over it.
I dont believe I was being mean or unfair, I think kids have to many liberties and to many gadgets at their disposal. When Erica is older and can show me she is responsible enough then I will consider it. But I am not buying her a cell phone just because she wants to be cool like her friends.
I was talking to my sister-in-law who gave her 12 year old stepson a cell phone because all his friends had one and she thought it was the thing to do. She said when he went down to her dads for a week he downloaded 160.00 worth of music and other stuff on his cell phon. They called her because he had signed up for some package and he needed her permission to do it. I asked did she take the phone away and she said no,she just put parental control on it. When I asked why he had a cell phone she said she wanted him to be cool like his friends, you know just the thing to do.
So am I being unfair, I dont think so. What do you think?
6 people like this
31 responses
@meiyeec511 (405)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 08
If I have kids, I wouldn't let them to have a cell phone just to be cool.
Cell phone ia the tools for communications. Most the time, kids will be in school, after that will be home, there is no purpose for them to hold the cell phone.
If the kids have the cell phone just to be cool, I think they may become very materialistic in the future.
The parents have to educate the kids, not just buy anything for them only. The kids need to be taught appreciation.
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
9 Jul 08
the only reason I would give a cell phone to a child is for emergencies. Like the t mobile 5 thing, that would be best for a child so he or she doesn't go off dialing some number and getting into trouble or something, but it all depends on the child, if they are responsible enough.
But I would never give one to them just to be cool
@cathylmg (283)
• Singapore
10 Jul 08
I will not give my son any handphone even if can can afford it. Giving him a handphone is an easy thing to do, but the potential cost incurred if he misuse it is greater then you would have expensed. I ever heard of 1 kid choking up with a handphone bill of $2000 dollar just for SMS to his friends. I am definately not going to let it happen.
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I don't think you were unfair at all. I personally don't think kids that age need a phone either. My daughter got her phone when she graduated from high school because I knew she would be going to college and on the road and would need one. I got my 15 year old son one this past Christmas. I made sure he understood the rules of when and when not to use it before I let him have it. He and my daughter are both on our family plan and we have the five faves program through T-Mobile so they can talk unlimited minutes to five different people each. But they know that to talk to other people it must be on the weekend unless it is extremely important. My daughter sells makeup and skin care products so sometimes she uses extra minutes to talk to customers but that is acceptable.
They have both been really good about using their phones properly. But I just think under 15 years old is just too young to have one, but that is just me. Thanks for listening!!
Shelia
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
10 Jul 08
Dear friend,
I hope it is a part of new technology the use of new technology and speedy lifestyle according or in relation to technology may arise a generation gap. May be this gap may tend not to understand them and more over it would be better to check they are going in the right path at the initial stages itself may be eliminate the negative side or negative behaviours at the root level itself. But if we have well understanding the present generation I hope the matter would be simple as the parents having a better relation with the friends of their child who could talk and express his feeling without any hesitation. May be they wanted to get that acceptance from every where may be from those who they love.
@XDarkBoyXX (97)
• Canada
10 Jul 08
i think a 10 year old should not have a cell phone..... she might be too young. And she might not take good care of it as much as she could. So I think you did the right thing.
@tarheelnancy (1317)
• United States
10 Jul 08
My children don't have cell phones and they won't get one until they're old enough to get a job and pay for their own. I can't afford all the latest and greatest gizmos and gadgets. If they want them they'll have to buy them themselves.
@ctv101103 (859)
• Philippines
10 Jul 08
No, I don't think you're being unfair. I wouldn't give a 10-yr old a cellphone either. Unless, of course, he/she really needs it.
@jovenmuana (17)
• Philippines
10 Jul 08
i will not let my ten year old have a cellphone just to be cool or in. cellphone can put my child in danger.
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Are you kidding? No way would I let my ten year old ahve a cell phone. Maybe a sixteen year old, if THEY were paying for it, or working off the payments, but no way would I just give them one! At that age they don't need it.
@zhaosonghan (1039)
• China
10 Jul 08
I agree with you that the kid shouldn't have a cell phone.If the kids really need a cell phone to do something and we can buy one to them,but i think it has no things for a kid of ten years old,she doesn't need it at all except just be cool.If my daughter ask me a request like this,i don't agree with it,i don't want he/she will have a bad habit what she wanna and she will be have it.
@Marley76 (109)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I did get my children cell phones, not to be cool but to be use in special cases. I got them prepaid cell phone, with a low amount. So they cant download all kinds of stuff or ring up a high bill. They are allowed the phone when they leave the house and that is all. It has come in handy a couple of times they have called me to let me know that their school bus had broken down and they would be home late from school. I can call and check on them when they are playing at their friends house. They also have GPS on them. So I can track where the are from my cell phone. I like the fact the have phones. I did sit down with them and we talk about proper use of the phone, that it is not a toy and all that. By the way my children are 13, 9, 8 years old. And so far we have not had problems.
@shlooper (309)
• United States
10 Jul 08
You are defiantly being fair. Actually, my parents wouldn't let us get a cell phone until we were old enough to contribute to the plan. That way we would use our minutes and other features more responsibly. I understand now how some kids want cell phones not for the calling, but also for the pictures and movies and whatnot that they can do. In which case, I see no problem with letting her have your old phone, I just wouldn't put any service on it. Cell phones cost money, and I think that the younger generation just doesn't seem to understand that.
@MrHappyAsthma (212)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I am 16 and I have a phone but I got it like last year. Everyone is getting a cell phone now earlier and earlier. I do see little 10 year old walking around with a cell phone and that is outragous!
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
9 Jul 08
no way... definitely not... why would they need a cell phone at such an early age anyway??? i can't understand it... i don't own my cell phone until i was 20 years old and that is also because i was studying overseas and my parents can contact me easier if i have a cell phone... prior to that, they never give me a cell phone as well... so i think you did the right thing... you don't have to have a cell phone in order to be cool... and what is the definition of being 'cool' anyway??? is it showing off what you have??? i really don't understand the children nowadays... take care and have a nice day...
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
9 Jul 08
My 15 year old doesn't have one yet. He does not seem to be responsible enough. If I do give in, it will be prepaid.
@graceandowen (1637)
•
9 Jul 08
to be honest i think i would be inclined to let my children have a mobile phone, not to be cool tho, i dont think that is a valid reason.
I think they are an invaluable source when you are in need to contact somebody, saying that tho i wouldnt be letting my 10 year old far out of my sight so cant see how they would need to use one regularly.
i think it would come in handy at school and after school clubs etc or when they are at their friends house. It would give me piece of mind i suppose.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You know.. I don't even have a cellphone, and neither does my husband although he really could use one. So of course my children don't have one. I can't trust my 11 year old to do his chores without constant nagging, and the few video games he owns are constantly being taken away for misbehavior, so there is no way on earth I'd give him another gadget.
What baffles me.. he has a friend who calls here on occasion and leaves a message on the machine to call him back on his cellphone. I was dumbfounded when I heard a 11 year old child had a cell phone.
I agree with you there is no reason for a child that age to have a cell phone. I think things are just getting out of control with kids getting their every hearts desire.
My kids would consider me a mean and unfair mom, and you know what... I'm proud of that. It means I'm doing my job right!
@ctobler0609 (361)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Just to be cool? No. For safety? Yes. They have the phones now for children that you can set up for them to only be able to dial out certain numbers and they can not text or anything like that. When I was growing up, all the kids had pagers (I may have just dated myself). It was the "cool" thing. My mom would not let me have one because that's all it was good for was being "cool".
@tzuria (31)
• United States
10 Jul 08
When I was 11-12, I had a cellphone. Of course, this was 1999, and noone else had one. My parents worked a lot and went far for their work, and it was a good idea for all of us to have one. I was responsible with it, then again, there wasn't much to do on those old Nokias! :)
I think it's okay for him to have a cellphone, but any extra charges, he needs to pay for himself. Disable the internet on the phone too, because then they can't get into all those expensive things too. Set a rule ("if you want texting, you need to pay me for it" or "if you go over your plan, you need to pay me the difference") and STICK TO IT. The problem with parents these days is that they won't stick to any punishments they tell their kids they will do. If you stick to what you say, and your kid goes over their plan, they will be paying for it (literally, lol) and will understand.
