Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

I was having a conversation at work and we were talking about Cel lphones and what age would you give your child a phone? One of my co-worker said 9 years old

Call me crazy but really 9 years old??

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

It's getting younger and younger. I can't predict the future, but I am sure I will be giving DD some sort of phone when she is around that age. Of course, it would be programmed to only call home or police. Not to call friends on a whim!

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

To each its own. But I will not be giving DS a cell phone until he's at least of driving age. I survived without a cell phone until I was in college. I don't think its necessary for a young child to have a cell phone.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

see I'm on the fence. Its hard for me to say "wait till he is driving". He will be the product of working parents and we may not always be around. I honestly don't see 9 as super young. I had a beeper at 14. (OMG, beeper, so old!!)

I guess it would depend on the situation. Luckily from what I hear boys aren't as into the phones as much as girls are.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

A few of my dd's friends have cell phones and she is 10 ! She asks me all the time when can she get one, and I tell her when she is 16 ! Needless to say she wasn't happy ,but she will get over it I didn't get one until I was 27 !

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

I'm going with ...when they're old enough to pay for it.

edited to add: I'm also aware of the "never say never" rule. It's easy to say what I wouldn't or would do until you're in the situation.

Message edited 11/10/2009 1:54:20 PM.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

They will not get a real cell phone until they go away to college, or can pay for it themselves. When they start driving they will get one of those that calls me, DH, home, grandma, and the police. I may give them the programmed one sooner during middle school or early high school in case of an emergency. I just don't see a need for it. I wouldn't have a cell if DH didn't demand it.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My 3yo has a BlackBerry so she can tweet how her diaper situation is.....


j/k

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My DS has three cell phones. An Elmo phone, a pink one that he stole from his girlfriend and one shaped like a penguin.

He won't need another one until he will be on his own for longer periods of time - like in high school. Then maybe I'll get him a Mickey phone or something.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

I live in Merrick and see kids talking on a cell phone while walking to elementary school all the time...I also know a few 16 yrs. olds with BMW's Why you would give a 16 yr. old a car like that is beyond me...and than people wonder why their kids are driving 100 mph and die in car accident

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Posted by GoldenRod

My 3yo has a BlackBerry so she can tweet how her diaper situation is.....


j/k

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Dunno

I would LOVED to say never or until she can pay for it. I dont use my own cell phone so if its a lead by example, I just MAY have a chance.

Then again with my kid twin brothers and my little sister I see how that's going to be a tough battle.

I like knowing about AJ all the time, where is she, what's she doing, etc. I watch her on video at daycare. Call my aunt when she has her etc. I dont think that will change when she goes to school. I also am a worrywort, I want her to be able to call ME whenever or however she needs to. What if I can't pick her up and send someone else, I dont want a secret word to passcode, I want to say "AJ, Ruben is picking you up" end of story. After 9/11 and the blackout I see how cell phones in grade schools may be attractive. What happens if a stranger approaches her, what happens if she's in a situtation she NEEDs to get a hold of me.

I never had these options, I get that, but it doesnt mean just cause I didnt have them, that she shouldnt. I didnt have a computer to do homework in grade school but I know she will. I had the old fashioned library and encyclopedias.

More and more pay phones are becoming IMPOSSIBLE to find. I wanted to call my father in HS (yeah im old) and couldnt cause the school wouldnt allow it (they were wrong and were trying to calm me down before I told on them) but if I had a cell, I could have taken care of that.

I remember VERY clearly in 4th grade I got in trouble for not doing my homework and had to stay after school. My father swore if I had to stay one more time Id 'get it' when i got home. Well my teacher basically lost my homework, assumed I didnt turn it in, and kept me, when she found it, I cried. I had missed my bus and I knew I was in for it. She had to drive me home, but the moment my father opened the door I was in trouble. Thankfully she had the guts to explain. But if I had a cell phone.

I dunno. I see lots a pros and only con is laziness and abuse of the phone.

I hope to hold out as long as I can, but I dunno. I'll probably give in and get her one. At the very least to call home and for 911.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

When they can pay for one, they can have one. Why a 9 year old would need a cell phone is beyond me. Its not like I will be dropping a 9 year old off at the mall telling them to call me when they are ready to be picked it.

Personally, Im not a fan of cell phones in general. I'm just not into the 24/7 accessability. I mean if you call me at home and I am not home, why do you need to call me on my cell phone? Apparently I am out and about doing something. Sure, if it is an emergency, call me. But otherwise, leave me a message at home, and I'll call you back.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My nephew is 9 and has a cellphone. Both my BIL & SIL work full time...and I don't know how that factors into it so I don't know why I'm even mentioning it...maybe so my SIL can get in touch with him directly? Anyway, I can hardly imagine he is sitting on the phone chatting away so I think it's just for that reason. I don't see myself getting my kids one at 9 or anytime soon after...I don't see the need - if he's at a friends or with a friend, I can reach their parents cell. I don't see that 9 is old enough to be really anywhere else that is unreachable.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My ds is 11, hes had a cell phone for AT LEAST 3 years,..maybe others have a different situation then us, but i like him to always be able to reach me when he is with my ex husband, and vice versa..and sometimes my ex has a tendency to not answer his phone..
Anyway, now that he is 11 though, EVERY SINGLE FRIEND of his, has one..and has for the last year if not alil longer..his bff has an IPHONE..he asked for one for Christmas and i told him to take it off his list lol

He did abuse the text messaging privledge ONCE..(he uses this to contact me or his dad quickly since we're on the road often with his travel baseball situation) apparently a girl got his number and was texting him non stop..i read them, it was actually really her just annoying him, but regardless..

Anyway..i see it as necessary..for us..and our lifestyle..but to each his own

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My DS will be 13 and has had one for the past 2 years. He's never abused it, and it makes me feel better when he's out with friends and what not, and he's really good about answering and calling to check in so for me I think its a good thing!!

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

DD is 8 1/2 and has a few friends that have cell phones(she is in 3rd grade)
I told her is was not up for discussion until junior high.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Posted by headoverheels

My DS has three cell phones. An Elmo phone, a pink one that he stole from his girlfriend and one shaped like a penguin.

He won't need another one until he will be on his own for longer periods of time - like in high school. Then maybe I'll get him a Mickey phone or something.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Why would a child need a cellphone???? A 9 year old doesn't really need to be reachable at the drop of hat. First, speaking as a teacher, they aren't even allowed in school. Second, for those that say they want to be able to reach their children when they are out my response is.............shouldn't you know where your 7,8,9,10 year old is at all times anyway? Why would you need to track them down with a cell?

I don't think times are as different as everyone makes them out to be. Yes, we didn't have cell phones when I was a kid and yet somehow my mom always knew where I was and we all survived. Why should it be any different now? What would really warrant the need for a child to have a cell? And people wonder why children grow up too fast these days. My DD will not have a cell phone until she's in high school and would have more of a reason to possibly need one.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

I will reserve my judgement until my kids are 9 and I can say for sure!

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

My older son is in 3rd grade and is 8 years old. Several of his friends already own cell phones. One (that I know of) has a blackberry.

I don't feel like passing judgement on other parent's decisions - but MY son is much too young for the responsibility of a cell phone and he simply has no need for one at this point in his life.

I hate to commit myself to what I feel would be an appropriate age - because every child is different and every situation is different... but if I were to 'guess' what age I'd probably cave and get my kid a phone.. I'd say somewhere in the early teens.

Re: Spinoff to kids growing up fast let talk Cellphones?

Posted by GoldenRod

My 3yo has a BlackBerry so she can tweet how her diaper situation is.....


j/k