So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

[Wrongway221]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

I work in a middle school and while it isn't every kid, I would say the majority have their own phone.

My thoughts as a parent are if you get your kids a phone make sure that it is not a camera phone (we have had multiple incidents where kids were sending "erotic pix" of themselves to a boyfriend). The temptation and access is too easy.

Also limit the texting. The amount of time kids spend texting back and forth is unbelievable.

A parent I work w/ who has two high schoolers told me that the expectations at home are that the phone is left in a common area of the house at night (not in their bedroom) and that mom and dad have the right to check messages, pix, etc... at any time.

Also remember, most of us who grew up in the 80's and early 90's (or earlier) were w/o any sort of mobile phone and survived just fine.

[wsu_gb23]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

kids don't need a cell phone. I got my first cell phone when I was 22. Kids are spoiled brats these days. If they can't buy one with their own money, then they don't need one.

[auburntigersfan]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

kids don't need a cell phone. I got my first cell phone when I was 22. Kids are spoiled brats these days. If they can't buy one with their own money, then they don't need one.

Parents give kids phones to make it easier for them, the parent. I got a phone going into 7th grade, I could text my mom when to pick me up from practice, if she needed to ever bring me something to school, if practice got canceled, when my friend was going to bring me home, ect.

Phones really make life easier for parents, and as a 7th grader I'm pretty sure most kids use it to contact their parents just as much as they do to contact anyone else.

[DC]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

A) When they start driving.

B) When they can afford it.

Same here. I won't be paying for my kids cell phone bill. He/She better get a damn job and take care of that "luxury" themselves.

Not initially, but after a while

[headrulz101]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

lol I wish my parents would've given me a cellphone in my teens. I had to wait until I was old enough to get (and pay) my own phone/line.

Nowadays, I'd say give it to them as early as grade 7 and make some rules that they must obey.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

My parents never paid for my phone or my monthly bill, and I've had one as long as I've had my job.

[oakfan162]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

I would say as soon as they start hanging out at places that don't have landlines (i.e. other kids' houses, or they stop having to ask permission, have you set up playdates, etc. Basically when they get to the age where they could reasonably be out of contact from you for a period of time.) And honestly, if they are into afterschool activities, it can be a godsend for scheduling.

My advice would be to get a small plan, limited texts and pics, and make your child understand overage charges (i.e. make them do extra chores or other punishments).

[funky_chicken]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

Parents don't give their kid a cellphone. If the kid wants one they can get a job and pay for and the bill each month.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

didn't get mine until freshman of college (2002).

[DC]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

My advice would be to get a small plan, limited texts and pics, and make your child understand overage charges (i.e. make them do extra chores or other punishments).

Or pushups or running some stairs in the rain

[TIm]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

I would say 13 is a good age...However, I would get them a pay as you go phone. That way I would be able to control the minutes, talk time. If I got my kid a phone plan I wouldn't want a suprise bill.. When they turn 15 they can get a job and get their own plan...I growing up around 13 had a pager LOL!!! but I bought my own 1st car, got a job and bought my own things.

[CMH]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

My parents never paid for my phone or my monthly bill, and I've had one as long as I've had my job.

Same here with the exception of one year.

I had my first cell phone senior year of high school. My dad gave it to me. I used it mostly to contact my parents when I was out.

Next year I went to college, I gave them back the phone and picked up my own and paid the bill.

It's crazy to me because I made that choice, but my sister and brother did not. My sister's phone was paid by my dad all throughout college. My brother just graduated college and I think my dad pays for his bill by sending him money.

Yet, according to my dad, I'm the inconsiderate child. Never understood it.

[CMH]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

I would say 13 is a good age...However, I would get them a pay as you go phone. That way I would be able to control the minutes, talk time. If I got my kid a phone plan I wouldn't want a suprise bill.. When they turn 15 they can get a job and get their own plan...I growing up around 13 had a pager LOL!!! but I bought my own 1st car, got a job and bought my own things.

I agree with this. I'm not sure what my options will be when I actually have a child old enough to use a cell phone, but if I could buy a phone that couldn't send text messages then I would.

Is there a way to have a phone only send and receive texts from one number or selected numbers? That would be a good feature for parents.

[superjames1992]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

Parents don't "need" to ever give their kids a cell phone. If they want to, fine, but it's not a necessity. People survived for thousands of years without them and there's no way that's any different today.

[Pete1210]

Re: So At What Age Does A Parent Need To Give Their Kid A Cell Phone?

7th grade for my kids. That's when they started playing sports after school and being out more with friends, so the phones help us keep in touch, call when practice is over, etc.

It's not too bad cost wise since the extra lines are $10 each. If they go over minutes they pay for it.