How old is old enough...?
Answer:
My OLDER (16 and 14 yr olds) children each got one! My ex-husband did this to BUY their love...cause all they wanted was a cell phone...THat was when they were 14 and 12! Way TOO young in my opinion!! 8 yrs old?! TOO young!! At that age they are still "babies"! My daughter (my oldest) is the worst butter fingered kid...she drops that phone at least a dozen times a day! My son..will put it down and forget where he left it...for days!! Now he wants them to be responsible for the bill?! He's a F-ing NUT job! His step daughter has one too and she's only 10...STILL too young! I didn't get my FIRST cell phone until I met my CURRENT (keep him on his toes!) husband over 5 yrs ago!! We live in the city where all you see is kids with cell phones attached at their hands and ears...tech messaging all the time...instead of doing homework, chores etc...I'd wait and tell her MAYBE when she's 12 or older...and that's a BIG maybe! and when she asks why?! Use the standard..."cause I said so...that's why!" :)
high school at least
Get a child cellphone that can only be used to call parents.
my brother is 11 and i gave him a prepaid cellphone, just so if he is goin gto be late from walking home from down the street he can call.i dont think sticking your child on a family plan is necessary but its not bad to have especially since even school isnt completely safe anymore.
I wouldn't let a nine year old have a cell phone. What do they need it for? I don't think they ever "NEED" it till they get to college. They're only going to rack up HUGE text messaging bills, and not able to pay for it. High school students are one thing, but a 4th grader, no way in my house, and parents who say they should, need their heads read.
It would depend on the child. Whenever you believe he/she is responsible enough to know when to use one and when not to. As a parent you should be worried about a child losing the phone very easily.
That said, I don't think any child needs a cell phone. I made it through without one...there is no reason why they can't either. In fact, I still don't own one.
My answer is "when they old enough to pay the bill" otherwise it would be a phone so they could call if there was trouble or they got caught out ... but 8 and 9 is just waaaay too young ... once you feel your child is old enough and responsible enough to be going out on there own with friends to the mall or whereever or starting to date ... then a phone becomes a practical addition ... as I said before ... in case something goes wrong ...
I was also shocked to see elementary kids with cell phones when I was picking up my nephew one day. It's ridiculous, I mean I can understand the importance of being in touch with parents...and perhaps close friends, but some of these kids are going to use them for the wrong reasons. I wouldn't get my kid a phone until he/she starts to drive.
8th grade
your child cannot own a cell phone, you bought it. Id recommend a pay as you go phone. Its similar to an allowance. It should be for emergency's but you know kids.
so I say if chores are done and homework is finished they can earn more time on their phone.
as long as s/he can already understand how to use cellphone.
In my opinion, kids don't need cell phones. But they do have some of those specially made for kids phones, like the Migo and even Disney has a little wireless service of their own. Their phones let you restrict who and when your children can call and some have built in GPS locators that let you locate your child if needed.
When she's old enough to pay the bill.
I loan my son my cell if he's in a situation where he might need to call me (when he goes camping with the scouts or walks to a friend's house).
But, if you are supervising your child properly, a child doesn't need one. If it's to talk to friends she can use the house phone.
I've heard stories of little girls text messaging older boys (teenagers/men) with their cell phones. I wouldn't put my child at risk like that.
Its a hard one and the real answer is that it depends on the child.
But in general I don't like children having cell phones and I would like to say 15 or 16 years old.
My oldest is only five so I don't know how I will feel when he asks for one in 3 years or so.
Safety is always a worry and to be able to get hold of me by phone is a big plus then again owning a cell phone can have its own dangers these days.
So I have to stick to my first answer that it depends on the child .
When you can hold a job and pay for it yourself...
when ur parents say ur old enough
The latest toy. I did ok through the 60's 70's 80's 90's and now without one. You don't really need one do you? I do believe there is merit to the theory of "You can have one when you can pay for it yourself". however.
Well, you have to see what your child needs. I have 4 boys and the oldest is 10. We bought a emergency cell phone for him. It only dials our cell numbers, the home number and 911. Heonly carries it when he goes somewhere where we are not with him. Other than that I see no need for my son to have a cell phone. I can't say at any certain age I will give them one. IT will depend on their needs.
my young boys have a cell phone they are 8 and 6, its called a FIREFLY available at verizon and target..you program 4 numbers in it and 911 and they only numbers they can call are one of the 4..which is my husband, me and granparents. This way if they are at school or a friends house or what have you they can always be in contact with me, its for emergency purposes only.
I have a 15 yo girl that is a freshman in highschool and she does have real working cellphone for the purpose of letting me know when she leaves a friends house or that she arrived their safely. to call home after sports practice, to call if she has detention etc and also in the event of an emergency she can always contact us. but there are restrictions on her usage.
I didnt get my own cell phone till I was 14
I really haven't thought of this issue yet so your question really hit a nerve. I think 14 to 16 year old would be time to get a cell phone, depending on maturity of the child. An 8 year old could have a cell phone to call programed numbers by their parents though.
When they can support it financially. I will not flip the bill on a cell so they can have it attached to their 24 -7, once they can buy it, then they can have one.
in this day-and-age i think parents give their young children a cell phone for their safety, so if there ever in any trouble, or lost, or the bus drops them off too early, then they can call mom/dad before some weirdo takes them!!
In most cases I see these days, I would let a child have use of a cell phone when they become active in after school activities or take buses once they reach middle school.
Notice I say "the use of" a cell phone.
It is 'want' v 'need'. They have become a fashion accessory. If your child is ever required to wait for you, it would be a need but, presumably, this does not yet happen.
Never give a chile that young a cell phone. Unless it is one of those call home ones. Otherwise they could rack up your bill calling Russia or something. A child that sees ''the in thing'' such as having cell phones, is called being cool, and trying to fit in if he/she wants one. Other words that child wants to fit in the crowd like the rest of the kids.
I got my first cell phone when i was in 8th grade. My mom felt this was a good age because this was when i started going out more and hanging out with people more and if she needed a way to contact me she had it. I find it completely unnessecary to have a cell phone when your 9 years old. they should at least have some sort of responsibility before they are given something like that.
mine 9 year old wants one b/c his 11 year old cousin has one. I told him no b/c he dosen't need one not until high school or he has a job and can pay for it him self.
i'm thinking that the parents are spoiling their kids and their excuse is "Safety reasons"
I don't have kids of my own yet but I'm struggling with that same issue. I watch a niece after school more days than not, and she's 10. She's dying for a cell phone.
Of course after her mom said no and her dad said no, she asked me. As if I would get her one after her parents said no!
She says everybody else her age has one. I find that hard to believe but apparently they do! Everywhere I go little kids have cell phones.
Finally we agreed that when she's 11, which is nearly a year away since she just turned 10, she can have a Firefly. Those are the phones that can only call like 5 numbers ... mom, dad, home, 911, and someone else that you program in.
She'll have to be happy with the Firefly until she's 14, because her mom just decided that's the minimum age she'd get her a cell phone. And even then I doubt she'll be allowed to keep it all day and all night ... probably just when she's out at the mall or something.
I can't fathom giving an 8-year-old a cell phone.
The youngest I have seen was FOUR! The woman across the street who's on welfare and gets disability for all the kids and Medicaid and who knows what got her FOUR-YEAR-OLD a cell phone. Ugh.
I wouldnt let mine have a cell phone until they are able to help pay for the bill themselves. That is just how I feel about that. My 7 year old asked me for a cell phone last week! He says all of his classmates have one and its not fair. He wants one too. Well, I dont know what to tell him, but he isnt getting one. I cant see how 2nd graders are given cell phones. Crazy. ( I dont even have a cell phone. I dont find it necessary. I do have a Tracfone that I keep in the car for emergencies, but I dont tote around a phone and have it up to my ear at all hours like I see everyone else doing)
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