Cell Phones: How young is TOO young?

[Edwin1961]

Even though I do not have a family, I was taking my morning walk and listening to the radio. The DJ was commenting that his daughter’s second grade were on a field trip and some of the kids had cell phones.

How young is TOO young?

Cell Phones should be given to young children IF they are on a trip or away from home and need to call to either be picked up, in danger, or if the parents’ need to call them for an emergency on their end. Once the child comes home, the cell pnone is put away until another event occurs and the child needs to use it again for a reasonable situation. This way, the young child learns that the cell phone is a tool and not a toy and can’t be abused.

IMO teens today may or may not have the discpline in using a cell phone, especially if they are driving!

So how young is TOO young?

 

[bogeyjlg]

I am 21 and I don’t have a cell phone. No highschooler needs one.

 

[LovedOne]

In our house our kids do not get a cell phone until they are DRIVING. It is a real blessing knowing they have the phone in case of an emergency. And knowing we can get ahold of them anytime when they are out.
It’s worked wonderfully.

 

[spacecadet]

my sister had one to call when she got back to school from away games during marching band season. i think that is a good reason to have one. but i wouldn’t i wouldn’t let my child take it to school unless they were driving and then i’d ask that they leave it locked in the trunk. i don’t think any high schooler should have one at school

 

[Rob_s_Wife]

I think they are too young if they can’t pay the bill with their own money.

 

[kaymart]

I got a cell phone when I was 46I think its a good idea if a teen has after school programs, and the like, but from personal experience DO NOT put them on your plan, get a card type for minutes and tell them X-amount of minutes for month, if they run out, they learn not to abuse the privledge of having a phone. It is also good for a driving teen to have one in the glove box but stress do not drive and talk even with a “hands free” device. In my case my son used the phone so much it took months of a payment plan to pay it off :bigyikes: ,this is why I totally recommend a calling card phone.

 

[Karin]

bogeyjlg:

I am 21 and I don’t have a cell phone. No highschooler needs one.

Totally disagree…my 14 y/o son commutes 45 minutes to high school on NJ Transit and Light Rail…I want him to have access to 911, or me if it is needed.

 

[Wolseley]

Considering the number of people I encounter who are:

A) Driving a car and talking on a cell phone, weaving in and out of traffic and creating a deadly hazard for everyone else on the road;

B) Carrying a cell phone and having it ringing loudly and/or talking on it in movie theaters, libraries, classrooms even in church; or

C) Talking on a cell phone in a public place loudly enough for everyone around them in a 35-foot radius to clearly hear every word they’re saying,

I would have to say that no one should be permitted to carry a cell phone any earlier than the age of 85.

 

[kaymart]

Karin:

Totally disagree…my 14 y/o son commutes 45 minutes to high school on NJ Transit and Light Rail…I want him to have access to 911, or me if it is needed.

I agree with you in todays world our kids need to keep in touch with us. Calling card phones are the best for teens. They learn to conserve their minutes. It can actually be used as a teaching tool too.

 

[LSK]

bogeyjlg:

I am 21 and I don’t have a cell phone. No highschooler needs one.

Welll…we got Ryan one when he got his drivers’ license…but his use is very restricted and monitored, it is on the Family plan and has the walkie talkie feature so that any of his ‘parental units’ can contact him at any time. It is not allowed at the dinner table, it is turned off after a certain time at night, does not have a text message feature…it is really for emergency use only and it has been a blessing on several occassions.

 

[LSK]

Even though I do not have a family

and just for the record…yes you do have a family Edwin, and if you EVER say that again…you’re grounded:tsktsk:

 

[joeysmom]

Karin:

Totally disagree…my 14 y/o son commutes 45 minutes to high school on NJ Transit and Light Rail…I want him to have access to 911, or me if it is needed.

I give our son our cell phone to bring to school because he takes the bus home. He knows this is to call me to let me know he is leaving school and for emergencies.

 

[SMHW]

My (almost) 16 year old has a cell phone because she attends high school in another city and it is very useful for US, her parents, to be able to contact her regarding car pools and after school events. At least where I live it is now hard to even find pay phones. And they don’t allow me to initiate the contact.

There is a new cell phone which is designed for younger children which doesn’t have a normal keypad. It can be pre-programmed with something like 20 numbers. There is one button for Mom and another for Dad. I guess the other numbers are put in a phone directory. The user can only send and receive calls from those 20 numbers. (911 would also work.) It works on a pay as you go plan. You can find it in most department stores.

I personally think a lot of adults would be well served to have one of these kind of phones.

 

[Karin]

SMHW:

My (almost) 16 year old has a cell phone because she attends high school in another city and it is very useful for US, her parents, to be able to contact her regarding car pools and after school events. At least where I live it is now hard to even find pay phones. And they don’t allow me to initiate the contact.

There is a new cell phone which is designed for younger children which doesn’t have a normal keypad. It can be pre-programmed with something like 20 numbers. There is one button for Mom and another for Dad. I guess the other numbers are put in a phone directory. The user can only send and receive calls from those 20 numbers. (911 would also work.) It works on a pay as you go plan. You can find it in most department stores.

I personally think a lot of adults would be well served to have one of these kind of phones.

We looked for a phone like this but could not find one…can you tell me the make of it and who offers the service…thanks

 

[LSK]

Wolseley:

Considering the number of people I encounter who are:

A) Driving a car and talking on a cell phone, weaving in and out of traffic and creating a deadly hazard for everyone else on the road;

B) Carrying a cell phone and having it ringing loudly and/or talking on it in movie theaters, libraries, classrooms even in church; or

C) Talking on a cell phone in a public place loudly enough for everyone around them in a 35-foot radius to clearly hear every word they’re saying,

I would have to say that no one should be permitted to carry a cell phone any earlier than the age of 85.

 

[catsrus]

Originally posted by Rob’s Wife
I think they are too young if they can’t pay the bill with their own money.

You took the words right out of my head.

 

[KiwiCatholic86]

I agree. Phones for emergencies are one thing but if they want one for social calls, they should buy it and pay the bills themselves. I didn’t get one till I started working longer hours at 18.

 

[SMHW]

Karin:

We looked for a phone like this but could not find one…can you tell me the make of it and who offers the service…thanks

Hi Karin,

I don’t know what the rules are about posting info on brands and such so I sent you a private message with some info.

 

[kaymart]

KiwiCatholic86:

I agree. Phones for emergencies are one thing but if they want one for social calls, they should buy it and pay the bills themselves. I didn’t get one till I started working longer hours at 18.

This is why a pre-paid calling card is the best, when my kids were young teens I controled it, be it $10 or $25 (money earned by doing chores, one if wanted more he had to buy it himself.) Now at 20 he has his own contract and his own bill:thumbsup:

 

[Katie1723]

Unfortunately, I think cell phones are teaching our children how not to talk face to face. We are raising a generation of kids who only know how to push buttons and talk into something. What happened to the face to face communications? And if a child HAS to have a phone, they should NOT be allowed to use them in school.
~ Kathy ~