Cell phones and kids

[FourScore]

Poll question: Cell phones and kids

I have a question about cell phones and kids.

My child is entering middle school next year. At the orientation meeting, the school discussed their cell phone policies. During that discussion, it was revealed that about 2/3 of the students possess cell phones. I have been adverse to getting my child one because, first of all, I am a stay-at-home parent who drops him off and picks him up from school every day, so he doesn't need one. Secondly, if he needs to contact me for anything, the school provides a phone for the kids to use. And thirdly -- and probably most importantly -- I'm concerned about possible long term health repercussions.

My good friend (a Republican - grrr) has a child the same age as my boy who also wants a cell phone, but she decided to get him an IPod Touch instead (which I also won't do). When I told her why my kid won't get a phone, she started mocking me for being concerned about possible long term health issues surrounding cell phones for kids. She claims it's all a bunch of bull and cell phones are completely harmless.

Where do my friends at DU stand on this?

Would you get or have you gotten one for your child, and if not, why not? And how old is your child.

BTW, another couple I am friend's with got their child a cell phone in third grade, but they both have to work full-time and their child must go to after school activities. They want him to be able to call if he needs to, but he is not allowed to use it to call his friends. Mostly he plays games on it.

[coffeenap]

1. We got one for our daughter in 7th grade when we

began to let her stray from our sight at the movies, small stores, a walk with friends in our quiet neighborhood, etc. It made me feel much more secure, to be honest, and let me give her a bit more freedom than I might have otherwise. Plus, texting is the way kids in our area communicate and although we don't do much of anything just because other people do, I did decided this one had more benefits than drawbacks. Texting keeps the phone away from their heads, and even now at 15 her time on the phone is about 75% texting, 25% talking. YMMV--good luck!

[FourScore]

7. That makes alot of sense.

That is always a balancing act -- allowing freedoms but feeling it is as safe as it can be.

I would just want to stress to my 15yo the importance of not texting or using the phone while driving.

BTW, what is YMMV?

[FourScore]

27. I CAN'T EDIT THE OP ANYMORE, SO PLEASE READ THIS AS WELL...

Does anyone else worry about the consumerism issue? I do worry greatly about this "gadget du jour" attitude. First it was a Game Boy, then a DS, then a GameCube, then a PS , then a PS2, then a Wii, now a phone. It's not that these gadgets are overused by my kids, because they're not. I worry about "I want it, so Mommy or Daddy buy it for me". Where does it stop?

This kind of consumerism concerns me in our society. Anyone else?

(FYI -- I do try to balance this kind of consumerism. I do NOT give my children every gadget. They get some things, they don't get others.)

[Duke Newcombe]

64. I find that making them take a stake in the consumerism...

makes them better consumers, as well as weeding out the impulsive "I wanna" episodes. When your child has to pay for a percentage (or all) of the gadget that they simply "must have", you'd be surprised how often they'll either downsize to a more reasonable request, or defer the impulse altogether. A great lesson in being a judicious consumer, discerning between "needs" and "wants", and delaying gratification.

[PunkinPi]

37. YMMV = your mileage may vary. n/t

[FourScore]

46. Ahh. Thanks. n/t

[madaboutharry]

2. My son is in middle school and I got him a cell phone.

He understands the purpose of this cell phone is so that we can call each other when he is not at home and one of us has something important to say. Days go by without him using it.

If your child is responsible, I can't see a problem.

As far as long term health concerns, we don't really know. But using a cell phone a couple of times a week, I believe is not a threat.

on edit: What Coffenap says about texting is true. And that is an entirely different issue!!!

[FourScore]

9. That's how my friend's who work do it.

I just don't see the reason to get my son one right now. He WANTS one, but that's not reason enough. I do think today's consumerism of electronic gadgets is staggering.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Mine got his in HS for the same reason

and it wasn't until he was in maybe jr./sr. year that he used it for much of anything except for me to call him or for him to call me - for a ride home, usually.

He was always very responsible - we got a pay as you go one, and we didn't give him more than a small alotment of time. He understood that the purpose was not his entertainment or socializing, but for our convenience.

I'm hesitant about a child entering middle school, myself. That's a tough age. But individual children are so different in their approach to any new privilege and its attendant responsibilities.

Healthwise? We just don't know, do we? And yes, texting is much, much more it now. My older has a plan now with unlimited texting - that's most of what he does, and though I'll never, ever learn to do it like he does (left thumb only no less!), it's fine and it's not running up the phone bill!

[ensho]

3. I wouldn't get a cell phone for my kid for more reasons then health

I do think there is something to the brain tumor warning

and

I also wouldn't let them have TVs or PCs in their bedrooms.

that's just asking for trouble.

the TVs and PCs should be where the adults can see what the kids are watching/doing.

parents who say 'I trust my child' are wearing rosy glasses.

as Judge Judy says "teens lie".

[madaboutharry]

6. I don't understand what you think they are lying about.

Sometimes a phone is just a phone. I like the fact that I can call him after school to ask him what time I need to pick him up after track practice.

[ensho]

12. Judge Judy worked the children's court for years and she knows

teens will lie about whatever they don't want to talk about with their parents.


its a known fact that grown men lie all the time to women. like boys don't witness this?

I raised 2 boys - kids lie. and were punished for it.

yes, there is the rare kid that didn't lie. I was one of them. (didn't stop my father from thinking I lied)

when one of my sons was in his 40s he told me of a thing he did as a kid that shocked me speechless. and made me realize that our long relationship was a fraud.

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Yes. No computers or TVs in our kids' rooms, either

I agree with that.

Trust goes both ways, and it's an evolving thing. We've tried to impress our kids with that idea. When they behave in a trustful way, they'll have more freedom. When they betray trust, they'll have less.

That's part of why I'd trend toward a later age for a phone. But again, it's very much a YMMV thing.

[Shrek]

4. I'm not concerned about health issues but I still wouldn't get one for my child

If he wants one then he can pay for it himself.

I don't consider a cell phone to be a parental obligation like nutrition or a safe place to live.

[Ms. Toad]

5. Ours got one when she started to drive.

Same time she got a credit card. I didn't want her out on her own without the means to contact someone or pay for whatever is necessary to make herself safe in an emergency.

As to the health risk, there is some evidence that extended frequent cell phone use is correlated with an increased risk for acoustic neuromas (a type of brain tumor). If all the phone is used for is emergencies or brief check-ins I don't think the risk is that high. If he's going to spend hours on the phone every day with his buds, personally I'd hold off.

[flamingdem]

8. I-phones apparently have a lower SAR rating

I would research the SAR (radiation emission) rating of any phone you buy.

[havocmom]

13. Medically? I think they MIGHT find cell phones risky. But they do seem dangerous to the intellect

Seeing young kids (have seen plenty of 8 year olds with their own phones) yakking instead of BEING where they are worries me to death.

Not interacting with what is in their immediate surroundings makes them less observant, which is a bad thing on many levels. If they are not paying attention as they ride their bikes across streets... and yes, I see it every day the weather is nice and I live in a really tiny town (8x6 blocks small!) or fail to notice some detail that would normally trigger caution, they could get into some serious danger.

They are missing all the life lessons that surround them and are to be noticed when young. They are not learning to observe what is right in front of them, instead they are paying attention to what some voice is telling them. My god, what a danger THAT is. Not much of a leap to figure out how so many people believe what the guys on radio tell them and simply miss what is going on in their own lives.

Kids need time to process what they are learning, and we are not just talking school lessons here. Kids need time to think, hear their own voice if they are really gonna learn and not just be led around. They need some 'quiet' time to sort things out, think things through. They do not need constant chatter getting in the way of that time.

Cell phones? Yeah, not convinced they are medically safe, but observation tells me they interfere with healthy childhood.

Not gonna argue with the flame throwers who will come and tell me I am hard on kids. Sure, the rationalizers can come up with a laundry list to prove kids NEED cell phones. Too many of them would rather give in to the whining and be a popular parent than look at how they too often avoid the work of actually parenting. Kids need parents, not enablers. Kids do not have the life experience that gives them perspective to make life-style choices. Parents are supposed to do that, gradually loosening the reins as the kid grows, learns, stretches. Kids need friends and attention but they need parents and attention from parents more. Giving them devices to fill the void of parental attention, whether TV, cell phone or so many activities the kid doesn't know if he/she is coming of going is not healthy.

FWIW

[Ron Green]

16. What you said. The definitive post in this thread.

[havocmom]

19. Why, thank you. I usually get lam-blasted for such rants, but it is early yet

;)

[FSogol]

14. My sons, aged 17 and 12 do not have cell phones and have never asked for them

The 2 reasons parents give for giving a cell phone to a kid are: safety and status

Safety:
I approve that my sons don't have phones since, I want them to make good decisions and to not rely on technology. If they get locked out, they can go the library or a neighbor's house and call or wait. Your kids should know what to do in any situation. Calling Mommy will not always be possible, so teach them that early.

As for phones as a status symbol? Glad my kids don't fall for that crap.

[Spike89]

15. Part of their environment...get him/her one

Everyone (including me) tends to focus on the negative aspects of rude cell phone users, time-wasting activities, and potential cheating in school with these devices. The reality is that before long, your kid will have a cell phone and if he/she isn't taught how to use it responsibily, then we'll have more fuel for the negative stereotypes.

The health concerns are pretty mild, I'd be more concerned (but still not really concerned) about the effects of watching moderate amounts of TV and video games. Get the kid a headset, teach them not to keep the thing up by their ear for long periods of time, just in case.

Bottom line, cell phones are for real and are much more than a simple talking device for today's youth. They will only continue to become more and more integrated into every part of their lives. By the time your kid is in college, it's a pretty good bet that a cell phone will actually be a full-fledged information device with more power than most PCs today and anyone without one will be severly challenged in many situations.

[FourScore]

18. Even an 11 year old?

I do think we run a risk of over-indulging our kids with the "gadget du jour" way of thinking. The "he wants it therefore he can have it" mentality is a bit unnerving when it comes to parents and gadgets for their kids. If a parent is buying it for safety reasons or because it makes them feel better, that is one thing. But...to get him one just because he wants it isn't enough of a reason for me.

I also don't think there is a small window of opportunity to learn cell phone ettiquette. That can be learned at any time.

[havocmom]

22. I know some 5 years olds with cell phones.

Generally I see them calling mom and begging for attention. 'Mom' does not seem to be getting the message.

[FailureToCommunicate]

67. Sure. Look, they won't be on it long enough to worry about health issue. And if

you want the peace of mind -for both of you- get one.
Get a plain jane no extras one and they won't need to show it off.
They lose them, or damage them also so ya don't want a costly one.
Course you still have to convince them to leave them "on"...
But all in all its definitely been the right decision.
(We held out awhile back when they said "but ALL our friends have one", so we lamely replied "then use theirs")
Their safety trumps all other issues, IMHO, and cell phone helps with that.
Fewer panics at Inaugurations, etc.

[Dappleganger]

17. You're the parent.

Just do what you think is right. ;)

We have four kids, two in high school and two in middle school (now). The older two are on our family plan but with limited minutes and accountability for all of their phone calls. They pay for their text plans. The older middle school girl has a pay-as-you-go phone for emergencies only, and yes she's had to use it. The other boy doesn't, he barely remembers to tie his shoes.

The three older ones have ipods, games, whatever. We don't restrict unless it interferes with school and and they are proven good students. The younger one plays some video games but does have restrictions, however he prefers to just play outside.

Just remember that there were always be someone who has more than you, and someone who will have less. The sooner we stop noticing who has what the better.

[Initech]

20. I find it disturbing that like 8 year olds have cell phones now.

Seriously I didnt get my first one until I was 18. Shit that makes me feel old now.

[Dappleganger]

52. I didn't get one until hitting 40...

hopefully that makes you feel a little better. ;)

[havocmom]

21. Another thing to consider: flashing with nude pics on cell phones

My daughter is pushing 40 so I was surprised to learn about this rather disturbing behavior among many school aged cell phone users. They take pictures of themselves in states of undress, then 'flash' others at school by way of coming up and showing the pictures for the reactions they get.

Harmless childhood prank? Perhaps. But disruptive at the very least and one wonders what they do next if this crap gets a pass.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

56. yeah, girls used to do that with polaroids too

I don't think you can blame cell phones for that!

[havocmom]

57. Evidently, it is becoming a problem on many campuses.

I don't think most of the kids involved even know what a polaroid is. They were pretty bulky to tote around to the rest room, where as a cell phone...

[Romulox]

23. Tell him you'll buy him one of the models which can only call pre-programmed numbers

Bet he won't want it!

[FourScore]

24. Ohh...that's cruel. n/t

[Lyric]

25. There is a middle ground.

My nine-year-old carries a prepaid cell phone in his backpack during school terms, and also whenever he's going to the other side of our mobile home park. We don't have a car and cannot pick him up or drive him down to meet the bus a 1/2 mile away, so we got him the phone instead, so that if anything ever happens, we're only a button-push away. We decided to do this because of an incident in which LyricKid came home frantic because he thought a car had been following him. It scared us both enough to have a serious discussion about giving him a cell phone, and the prepaid phone is what we decided on.

It has no "cool" features. No camera, no internet, it's not a "flip" phone, there aren't any cool cartoon characters on it--it's just a small, plain black cell phone that looks exactly like this:



He is not allowed to text message or call ANYONE with it except in case of emergency, and I have the call lists and message inbox/outbox PIN-locked so that he can't erase them in an attempt to hide calls or texts. He doesn't know his own phone number, and I have no intention of telling it to him. In fact, he can't even access the phone settings without his PIN, which we have not and will not give to him. The phone is pre-programmed with eight numbers--our phones, my Mom's phone, my stepfather's phone, my sister's phone, and three very close family friends who I can trust, and who have agreed in advance to act in our stead if there's ever an emergency and he can't get through to a family member. Since his minutes expire after 60 days, we let him use it to call and talk to his cousins in Virginia and to Grandma to use them up the day before they're due to expire, but otherwise it's never been used.

It's possible to have the convenience of a cell phone for a child without allowing said child to use the phone whenever they like. I just wanted to mention that not ALL kids with phones are using them regularly. Some of them, like our son, have them for emergencies and nothing else. I think our solution is a good one, and because it's a prepaid phone, there's never any danger of him "running up" charges if he somehow magically figures out how to get past the security PIN and disobeys us. He has only the minutes on the phone, and nothing more.

:hi:

[FourScore]

29. Excellent post. Thank you.

:hi:

[Dramarama]

69. That's what I have :)

[riderinthestorm]

26. We got the phone for my 5th grader but we had compelling reasons I thought

My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV, Grade IV lymphoma. We are in an outer ring of Chicago suburbs and when he was admitted to a study at the University of Chicago (2 hour drive, one way), we knew we were committing to many hours of traffic, drive time and unexpected delays.

My fifth grader needed to have some way to know every day, if she was taking the bus home cause we made it back in time, or whether grandma or another caretaker was going to be picking her up. The school secretary was relieved we weren't going to be using her as our daily personal messenger service. The school principal and her teacher knew we were getting her a cell phone and why, and completely backed us up.

That said, it's been 18 months now that she's had it, and she's never abused it. She texts A LOT but that's becoming more and more the way middle schoolers communicate. She knows I "own" the phone which means I have full access to it at anytime I want to look at what she's texting. And I do that. I will take it from her mid-text and scroll down to check.

Like another poster said, I love the security about it now as well. She can go to the mall and walk around and I know I can always get a hold of her. She knows she'll lose the phone if she doesn't pick up a call from me which is why I would advocate that YOU own the phone and pay the bill. If/when your child buys their own phone, you lose control. They "own" it and imho, there's a line there that's established regarding their independence that I wouldn't want any middle schooler assuming they'd crossed yet.

[dorkulon]

28. Kids are harmful and I would definitely not get one for my cell phone

:crazy:

[Vidar]

34. LOL

[aroach]

71. Thanks for the laugh!

My kid recently left her cell phone in St. Louis. We live in Springfield. Definitely not good for the cell phone.

[Taverner]

30. If you use a headset, all fears of cell phones go out the window

And keep in mind, its a way to get in touch with your kids

My kids are getting cell phones as soon as they enter 5th grade

[Arugula Latte]

31. One observation: Kids tend to text waaaay more than they talk.

So, I doubt there are that many kids with a cell phone pressed to their skulls for hours on end, like some adults do.

[FourScore]

32. That sems to be the consensus here on this thread. n/t

[tabbycat31]

50. this 29 yo texts more than talks

simply because I HATE talking on the phone.

[Ex Lurker]

68. a friend who is a teacher says kids are able to text

with the phone in their pocket, sitting at their desk with the phone in a purse or backpack, etc, etc. He caught a girl texting in his class-WITH HER MOTHER. Parents give kids phones and then both kids and parents bitch and moan when the school tries to put reasonable restrictions on their use.

[marlakay]

33. My daughter got one for both of my grandkids 5th & 7th grade

I told her she was nuts, especially for the 5th grader. Their school collects them at the beginning of the day in boxes which are put in principals office from each class, that was elementary school, i don't know what they will do in middle school.

I am watching my grandkids now and they text just a few times a day to their parents and rarely to friends. They don't take them anywhere with me except when we traveled here.

I have a cell phone but I am not like my daughter who while i was visiting her was constantly calling her husband or he called her 20 times a day. I think having no privacy is awful. Sometimes I leave mine home just for that reason. If you take it with you people expect you to pick up so screening calls doesn't work.

Call me old fashioned but it was so nice in the old days to leave the house and just say I will be back in a few hours. And no one called you 5 times while gone. No wonder people are so stressed out.

[FourScore]

35. Yep. When I disconnected my old plan...

It was so nice not to be bothered that I let 3 years go by before I finally got around to getting a new one!

:hi:

[dorkulon]

41. I really miss being unaccessible.

I hate my cell phone. I hate not having an excuse not to pick up or call right back. They are great in emergencies, but dear god sometimes I just want to be left alone. And I really, really hate texting. I can't imagine how all of this constant chatter is going to affect these kids as they develop.

[proteus_lives]

36. There are valid reasons.

Safety, keep track of them, etc. It could also be a responsibility lesson for him. Give him limits, make me aware of the consequences if he abuses it. Make him work off any extra charges for too much talking or texting. I think it's important to "de-fetish's" this type of things. Show him how to handle it as a tool and take away all the mystique from it.

My nephew (who is also 11) just got one. He campaigned hard for one and after he got straight A's for a year my sister got him one. That may be a good way to do it. Make it a goal and set a series of tasks for him to do.

(I didn't get a cell phone till college. Damn kids!) I just had to say it. ;-)

[ZombieHorde]

38. Cell phones can be annoying, but they don't seem to be harmful except

when they are being used by drivers.

Since you mentioned it in your poll, both kids and many adults love Wiis. You can download many of the classic games directly onto your Wii, such as Zelda and all of the old Marios for about $5 - $10 each, though the new games cost $30-$50.

If you have $90 (on top of what you spent on your Wii), the Wii Fit really gets young kids moving and they love to play the exercise games with mom or dad. Middle school kids and high school kids may be too cool for Wii Fit, but young kids and adults like it. The Wii Fit weighs you and keeps track of your goals and progress on charts and calenders.

We have wireless internet in our house and our Wii automatically connected to it which gave us access to some free Wii channels. The news channel is a globe you can spin with a 'hand' and point at a country to read some news articles concerning or from the chosen place. It is not super bad ass, but it is pretty good.

The Wii does not play music or movies and the graphics are not as good as the PS3 or the Xbox360, but the Wii is cheaper than both those systems. For hardcore gamers, such as lovers of online shooters, the PS3 and Xbox360 is better, for everyone else, the Wii is better.

We have both a Wii and a PS3 and we love them both.

[flamingdem]

43. The top brain surgeon at Cedars Sinai thinks they might be harmful

He was on Charlie Rose and said this. He uses a device to keep the radiation away from his brain..

[Bethany Rockafella]

39. Usually if the parents don't purchase cell phones for their kids is because they can't afford it.

Otherwise, they probably would purchase a cell phone.

[FourScore]

40. That's a very judgemental thing to say.

And I find it to be incorrect. There are many other concerns.

[Dappleganger]

53. No

There are plenty of people who can afford it yet choose not to for plenty of other reasons aside from cost. Many people have different priorities than you do but that doesn't mean they cannot afford it. Your post is quite judgmental.

[Just Saying]

42. I voted to play it safe.

But, I think it's more the issue of they don't need it. If one does get a phone (or ipod or ds) for their child, I hope that they teach them good manners with it. This is of big concern with me as my small children grow up. Neither is old enough for electronics...yet, but even if/when they are, I hope that we can teach them not to tune out the world around them. Even with adults, I feel like nobody is dealing with those around them - the here and now - because they're talking on the phone, texting, playing video games, listening to their ipod, etc.

[LWolf]

44. Other:

I am both a parent ( of adult people) and a middle school teacher.

I am ambivalent on the cell phone issue, for a variety of reasons. I'll share my thoughts:

1. I don't know about the health issue. I think the jury is out on that one. If you are going to provide your child with a cell phone, and you are concerned, provide a head set and teach the child to keep the phone at the hip.

2. To be honest, my experience with middle schoolers is that they don't spend that much time actually making phone calls, holding the phone to their ears. They are texting and taking pictures. Many parents get unlimited texting, but strictly limit the minutes of call time their kids get.

3. As a teacher, I'm glad that my school has the following policy: phones are turned off and in lockers until the bell rings at the end of the day. Phones out of the locker, or turned on, are confiscated and turned into the office. Most middle schoolers use their phones primarily for socializing. Some of my students, despite being told every day for their entire school careers, still want to call home 30 minute before the end of the day because "they don't know where they are going." (Bus or pick up.) Generally, the truth is that they've set up an after school social arrangement and want permission, lol. I let them call from the class phone on my desk.

4. Some people think their kids should have phones for security purposes. I can't speak to that, having never worked at a school that was at risk of an armed intruder. I have a cell phone in my pocket; the kids know it, and I have allowed them to use it to call home when the phone lines are overloaded. We also have a hand held radio in the room, and pressing one button on the phone opens a line to the office so that they can hear everything that is going on. I feel like that's enough security.

5. Finally, I have to express an opinion, and then reluctantly acknowledge the other side. The opinion: I think the obsession with texting is dysfunctional and perhaps dangerous. I am disturbed by a generation of young people who can't tolerate any kind of solitude, of being in their own heads, for any length of time. Somebody needs to teach these kids to meditate. ;) I say that because it isn't just a social norm; many truly are absolutely obsessed. Dangerous because of the rise of "sexting," and of sending pictures and information that can be posted on the internet, destroying privacy.

The other side: I hear that there are phones that parents can put filters on, and phones that can track a teen's whereabouts (assuming they keep the phone with them.) I think it provides a slightly bigger measure of security for parents in a busy era, being able to reach their children and check on them at any time.

Also, there is a fine line to walk when cell phone possession is part of the social norm; it may affect their social experiences.

Those are my thoughts. I raised my boys without cell phones, and didn't have too many problems. I was pretty strict about knowing where they were and what they were doing, and being able to find them, at all times. Their social lives depended on that, cell phones or no.

My 9 yo grandson? He'll probably have a cell phone when he hits middle school. I can guarantee, since we know him pretty well, lol, that his will be locked down with every filter and parent control available at the time.

[FourScore]

45. This is the best response yet!

The school you work at has the exact same policies as the middle school my child will be attending. (Are you in Ithaca, perchance?)

Otherwise, I agree with everything you said. Thank you so much.

[LWolf]

51. I'm on the left coast, lol.

The Pacific Northwest, just east of the Cascades.

Glad it was helpful. :hi:

[janx]

61. Most of what you say has great merit, but I have to disagree with this:

"The other side: I hear that there are phones that parents can put filters on, and phones that can track a teen's whereabouts (assuming they keep the phone with them.) I think it provides a slightly bigger measure of security for parents in a busy era, being able to reach their children and check on them at any time."

And granted, I know you referred to this as "the other side." I don't exactly know what that means, but I gather that you are looking at the situation from different angles.

Eventually, parents have to be able to trust children. Wherever they go, what they do, etc., we need to know, but we need to know it from them, not from some GPS system. How can children grow in responsibility if parents are breathing on them all the time? How can they learn about honesty and trust? They will make their own mistakes, but the solution isn't a GPS system, in my opinion.

They need some "free range" in order to make their own mistakes and learn from them.

[Ex Lurker]

72. perhaps its not so much about not trusting their children

as it is not trusting the people they come in contact with.

[LWolf]

73. The "other" side, in this case,

is the case made by those who have a different opinion than I do, lol.

You make another great point for "my" side. ;)

[SmileyRose]

47. 3 siblings w/kids all required kid to wait until driving to have a cell.

I know that sounds backwards. Cell while driving is a bad thing. However. The kids spent years watching Mom and Dad refuse the answer the phone while driving - then pulling over when safe and returning the call. The cell the kids were given when ready to drive solo had 20 minutes per month. Kid was specifically told if their are no leftover minutes at the end of the month, driving privileged are revoked unless there is a good reason. Parents can monitor minute usage via the net for all of the phones. The phone is intended to be emergency communication with the parents only.

The reason they did this is to make the kids interact with the natural world around them, not technology.

[Toucano]

48. Proliferation of cell phones among children is a symptom of affluenza.

My position is that when a child can pay the bill themselves, they can have a cell phone.

[tabbycat31]

49. not a parent so take my response with a grain of salt

I have a cellphone, which is my only phone.

My 15 yo cousin got her first cellphone at age 11. It's one of those cheap pay as you go phones (now she has a top of the line one and a huge bill to go with it). She was given $10 worth of minutes/texts a month, and anything else she had to pay for. I've given her minutes for xmas/her birthday before.

I would never put a kid on a family plan. Not if you paid me to.

ETA they originally got it for her because of afterschool activities and no bus home from school.

[Dappleganger]

54. We started ours off on pay-as-you-go.

The older teens couldn't go on our family plan until they had proven to be responsible, and they pay for their own text plans.
The youngest teen is on pay-as-you-go and it's only for emergencies.

[seaglass]

55. Both of my kids have cell phones and I found them extremely

beneficial in coordinating sports practices, games, friends, dinner plans etc., middle school through high school was hectic and having cell contact helped keep things sane!

But...I read this really fascinating article in the NYT's Health section a few weeks ago that really got me thinking, especially about texting, I think there is some truth to it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/health/26teen.html?_r=1

Texting May Be Taking a Toll

"The rise in texting is too recent to have produced any conclusive data on health effects. But Sherry Turkle, a psychologist who is director of the Initiative on Technology and Self at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and who has studied texting among teenagers in the Boston area for three years, said it might be causing a shift in the way adolescents develop.

'Among the jobs of adolescence are to separate from your parents, and to find the peace and quiet to become the person you decide you want to be,” she said. “Texting hits directly at both those jobs.'

Psychologists expect to see teenagers break free from their parents as they grow into autonomous adults, Professor Turkle went on, 'but if technology makes something like staying in touch very, very easy, that’s harder to do; now you have adolescents who are texting their mothers 15 times a day, asking things like, ‘Should I get the red shoes or the blue shoes?’ '

As for peace and quiet, she said, 'if something next to you is vibrating every couple of minutes, it makes it very difficult to be in that state of mind.'

'If you’re being deluged by constant communication, the pressure to answer immediately is quite high,” she added. “So if you’re in the middle of a thought, forget it.''

[AlCzervik]

58. my daughter has a cell phone, they text, they hardly ever call each other, i suggest

unlimited texting if you do get your child one.

[knitter4democracy]

59. My young children have them for safety/emergency reasons only.

I would never, ever, not in a million years have gotten them cell phones, especially not as young as they are, but for them telling me of how their father was leaving them home alone in his apartment for an hour or so with no phone or anything for emergencies. One time when he did that, there was a fire, and they couldn't call him or 911 or me, and they couldn't get anyone in the apartment across the hall, so they bunkered down in their bedroom as the apartment filled with smoke hoping Daddy would get home soon (yes, I thought they knew not to do that, but apparently, they panicked). I got them pre-paid emergency cell phones the next day, and from what I hear, he doesn't leave them home alone anymore because they tell him they'll call me (the fire didn't teach him that).

I think it's ridiculous for kids to have them, but in divorce situations where there are safety issues, what choice do we have?

[surrealAmerican]

60. My kids got cell phones when they started high school.

They didn't really need them until then.

Another concern I had about getting them when they were younger was theft. A child with a phone is an easy target for thieves. Ipods are a similar concern. Depending on where your children go by themselves, you may want to consider this.

[janx]

62. He doesn't need a cell phone unless and until he can pay for it himself.

If you have ways of communicating with him when he is not with you, then he doesn't need a cell phone--at least for the time being.

Most students, in middle school, high school, and early college, use cell phones to text their friends, and occasionally their parents (lol). The cell phone in this instance is a toy.

[Duke Newcombe]

63. You're the parent...

If you don't wish for your child to have a phone, then no phone for now. You are always able to re-evaluate the situation. It matters very little what Billy, Sara, or Brandon's mom/dad/parental unit do. Your house, your rules.

[fortyfeetunder]

65. Rare use for now....

I just got a basic phone for the kid that has stereo player capability (gave one micro SD to record songs). But limited online and text access. It's practically useless at home because we live in a dead zone....so it's used when we are out and about as a locator and for emergencies.

[madeline_con]

66. I think you have to be on it 24/7 for any ill effects. n/t

[aroach]

70. We have no land line, so...

My child is ten years old and has had a cell phone since she was eight years old.

[etherealtruth]

74. I am the mother of a (now :) 8th grader and 11th grader

I have "extra" cell phones for my children. The cell phones sit on my kitchen table in a basket. When my children have activities (granted, at this point in life it is daily)I hand them a cell phone so that i may contact them (or they may contact me) if necessary.

The cell phones are doled out for their safety and my convenience. (I am also the mother of a 27 year old .... I can remember trying to find a kid after the movies, a football game ... I can locate them quickly and with little stress for me)