When to get your child a cell phone

"Getting Good Grades just to get a phone isn't going to help you... I'm in 7th Grade, in Algebra, Taking the SATs And ACTs In January, Straight A's all my life, i'm 13, and I don't have a phone... you have to prove to your parents that your responsible enough. My parents think I can get 1 around 15."

"I just want a phone that's all I ask. I'm 13, I make all A's(even excepted into a program where I take an early version of the ACT) And I still don't understand why I can't be rewarded for my tremendous effort. It's clear my parents could afford it: Nice huge house, 2 computers, 2 flat screen HD tvs, and my XBOX 360(I got 2 years ago) but they say they can't handle 1 cell phone(as my dad has the only other cell phone in my family) I asked my friends in each class who had phones and who didn't and it came out that 1 out of every 35 people don't have a cell phone, that's sad... In a world where we're community is linked by phones, I don't have one... This completley and utterly sucks..."

"Well here is my thought on the kid cell phone thing I persanly think that kids should not have cell phones until they are like 15 or 16 years old I mean I got my first phone when I was 14 but now I am 16 but whatevar I mean if like if u really think that your kid is responsible enofe to have say am iPhone get them something like an iPod touch first then see how good the treat it (FYI that's what my dad did with me and now I have an iPhone 3GS) but yea the only reasen I would not get a tween or early teen (13-14) a phone is that with this generation of teens they act very Braty and arageny all because they have phones another reasen y I don't think that you g teens should have phones is that if they have a boy or girl friend they might just send them some inapropreit (like jailbait) things if the phone has a camera I'm just sayen but yea "

"I want one too, gettin' one this Christmas & I'm 12:)"

"so at what age should children get cell phones it doesnt say"

"I'm turning 12 yrs old in 3 weeks and I get all A+s and I've NEVER had anything lower. It's so irritating when All of your friends have phones and you don't... I once met a girl who would soon get to be my bestie that asked if she could text me after school... you don't know how embarresing it is to have to say 'I don't have a phone :('! People actually make fun of me after school cuz I don't have one :( My dad says he would consider it in HIGH SCHOOL! HIGH SCHOOL!!! Is he nuts? I really hate the harrasment I endure and think I deserve a phone. PS- I am more mature than 90% of my grade... My parents even say so... But whatever good things I do and no matter how hard I try, I'm never rewarded. It stinks! Anyone else have the same issues?"

"On the subject of COST, there really is no reason to break the piggy bank for kids, by that i mean teenagers, to have a phone. Yes, they should have one, but they don't need the bells and whistles. At Walmart I got my 13 yr. old a pre-paid StraighTalk which costs me $45 a month for UNLIMITED text and talk. Her model can be web enabled, but that's up to every parent to decide. In our case, she can have her gab fests, which mainly consists of texting, at a price I can afford. Better yet, the StraighTalk is carried on the Verizon network, which according to Consumer Report Magazine ranks top for least dropped calls coast to coast, so I know I can reach her, for my own sanity, any time I need to."

"Personally, I think you should skip out on the Firefly and those kinds of phones, and wait until the parent is ready to give their child a real cell phone. I don't have one yet, but once again, it is going up on my Christmas list. A parent knows when a child is ready for a phone. I think if a kid complains that all the other kids of cell phones and they don't, then they aren't mature enough for a phone. A lot of my friends have, or are getting cell phones in the near future. And from what I've learned, the more I complain, the more immature I sound. So, don't complain. If your parents are in a good mood, maybe casually bring up the subject, but CALMLY. Just remember, the parents are the ones who decide when a kid is mature enough for a phone. So, make sure to act mature, and act like phone or no phone, you're happy."

"It depends on how much time your child spends away from you. In elementary school they are still dependant on you, but in middle school they are going to the mall, or over to a friends house. Maybe even to stay after school for a project or game. That is when you need to weigh your options. If they are not good at responsibility please get them a pre-paid phone ($20-$100). Take baby steps. The pre-paid will give them the opportunity to show you they will not lose or damage the phone. The pre-paid will also teach them how to manage their minutes. I suggest the AT&T pre-paid because for $25 you can get unlimited texting for a month, then you can add more money for them to call you. This phone also works great for punish and reward systems. Please do not get your young children a phone with a camera. It is becoming a norm for peers to push each other into taking pics of private parts (which can be done in a bathroom stall), and forwarding them. Discuss this stuff with your chil! dren on what is appropriate behavior. Your children definitely need one when they start driving, but again discuss appropriate behavior regarding driving and talking (or texting and driving- YES they do it). A phone that has a GPS is a really great idea, you can always know where they are at, it is a big safety factor. Kids do not need phones with internet capabilities. They can check their facebook, or email from a computer. Facebook has an option that will allow them to update their status and see everyone elses status without internet hookup, but you will need unlimited texting for this. Bluetooth allows them to share ringtones and pics for free. It is a great application. AT&T also has minimal charges for downloading ringtones which is great for rewarding a clean bedroom or great report card. If any of you parents need any guidance or have questions regarding cell phones and your kids, please feel free to email me. I have raised 2 into adulthood, and have 3 more teens a! nd an elementary age one to go. I have learned alot through tr! ail and error. I will freely share my experiences. P.S. Do not tell your children their phone has insurance. Let them know that you are only buying one phone for the year. (My daughter found out that when she wanted a new phone, she only had to 'accidently' damage her phone to get a newer model that she liked. She knew that I needed her to have one to communicate with her, so she would just drop it in the toilet at school to get a different model. (I fixed this problem, though. Her 3rd phone was a cheap prepaid phone with no camera or bluetooth capabilities. She then had to wait until her birthday for a better one)). "

"i think its really important for a younger child to have a phone especially in today's day and age. I heard Virgin has a new low income 10$ for 120min plan that i am heavily considering for my younger son. I need to know more about it though does anyone know the details?"

"I think the age to buy kids cell phones depend on the maturity level of the child. Having said that, I think prepaid phones are the ideal for kids. As a parent of a 10 yr. old boy who just got a cell phone, I love not having to worry about the possibility of my son talking/texting all night or crazy phone bills. I bought him a Net10 phone..like the simplicity of the plan. There's no contract so if he misbehaves, I can take the phone away from him without having to pay a penalty. I also use it as an opportunity to teach him about budgeting. So far, this is working well for us. "

"I didn't get a phone till I was 15 and that was only because my other friends started driving and I was with them. And even then it wasn't a necessity. Just helped my parents worry less. People went without cell phones for a long time. And if you are not driving or old enough to have friends that are, you aren't old enough to be without an adult long enough to need one. Between internet and school how much more time do you need to sit around and talk to your friends? And it cost money every month. Dear Lord I sound like an old woman now, but it's the truth. Parents don't get enough thanks for what they do."

"Sooo????? When should a kid have a cell phone???? Its wat this article is about and it doesn't even talk about it. "

"I turn 13 in a month and im going to be in the seventh grade and i still dont have a phone. I have only made one b+ in my life and the last time I lost something was more than a year ago. How do i tell my parents in a nice way that i want one."

"hey im 11 and im trying get a cell phone! my parents could easily read this! i didnt get all A+ and one B+ for this!"

"Well for one, the point is kinda useless for kids under 13. But at the same time if their friends have it and they never see each other any more due to activities,sports etc. and they still wanna talk 2 their friends why not? If you can find a good phone with a good plan then go ahead. Kids love to text"

"i dont think kiddie phones r usefull im probly gonna get a flip phone and i do 3 activitse that my parents dont go 2"

"wow i am 21. i had my firsdt cell at 16.... to all those children out there you dont need a cell phone till you DRIVE!!!!!!!! i know its cool and all your friends have it, but your parents should know where you are all the time. ITS SAFE!!!! when you drive and you have an accident then a cell phone comes in handy.. not when your 10 or 12.. perents these days ohh boy....."

"i have a iphone and im only 11 so i think cell phones ae good"

"im 14 i dont see why 9-12 year olds should get a phone because who are they gona talk to. everyone in my class has a phone and i feel left out. Anyways... little kids look like hotshot brats with their own cell phone ( 4th grade-6th grade) so ya thats my point "

"thank you for the important information. "

"im 13 since august and i really really want a cell phone. i believe at my age i am very much responsible to have one. everyone in my grade has one and i am so left out. i hope my parents realize i am responsible enough and old enough. plz parents at least 15 kids should have a cell phone. with everyhthing so busy in high school and extra activities."

"I need a cell phone!! All of my friends are getting cell phones for Christmas and if I dont I'll feel really left in the dust. I want the LG enV2 in maroon and I know I am old enough and mature enough, I just hope my parents see that!!!"

"I am 10 and I got my phone for my 10th birthday, the very first month I went over my minutes, then got my phone taken off me, then got it back and it happened again the next month! I was ok for the next few months but then one month I went over my texts AND minutes and got my phone taken off me, that month is this month, I write this on 27th ocober 2008 and I dont know if I am getting my phone back or not. I will tell you if I am when I do or dont! My point is that this is the kinda stuff that can happen if you or your children get given phones at a young age, they need to learn their lesson with phones and I obviously have not learned mine, I have almost learnt my lesson. So if you ever get a phone, dont get put in my position!"

"I have a daughter who is very 'thirsty' for freedom. I started her out with the Fire Fly which she had for a year. She was responsible with it. i moved her up to my cell phone company with the same phone as mine, and she was ecstatic. She has handled it fairly well. We had one incident of buying games (which I had the cell phone company disable) and what I like, is the GPS (I have Sprint as my carrier) which has given me peace of mind when she just walks 5 doors down. I do agree with Mr. Nadar about the fact that the cell phone companies see this as the next cash cow. However, I also live in the 21st century, and while I am not paranoid, I am realistic (or so I believe) and her safety with responsible freedom, is of prime importance to me."

"Thank you for your great part about the cell phones. I did read the whole article on the phones. But my favorite one is the CHILD PSYCHOLOGY. My son recently got a cell phone for his birthday. We only got him a minute phone, but he wanted a pre-paid plan. My answer to him he needs to have a job first. He's only 12 years old. We did spent 25.00 on his first minute plan. I did tell him this should last you for a couple of months. He just rolled his eyes at me. So he did use his minutes up in 2 weeks. He know text messaging dose take up alot of minutes. So he told us that he needs more minutes, I told him that he has to use his owe money if he wants more minutes. It's been about 2 weeks since he ran out of minutes. And until this day , he thinks I am going to buy him more minutes. I am going to stick to my gun. bye for now Tami and Zack"

"I'm 12 and I had a phone for what 3 years! I call my friends, family and text like crazy! My cell fone is my lyfee!! the first month i got it I wen't over my texting plan and my parents had to get me unlimited texting in result of it! They didn't care because my whole middle school has a phone and we text when ever we wan't 12 at night or 7 in the morning! That and myspace is my communication line. you guys are like oh call from home blah blah blah...... I need a fone because i need to contact friends whereever im at. This year almost everyday I tlked to my friend for like 2 hours and was on the fone for about 3hrs everyday total and i send about 100 texts a day plus recieve that amount! So kids need fones so that they can have like there own lines and not hogg the house fone. Plus i have verizon and so do like ALL my friends so we talk free! My parents don't give a crap what I do on my fone, I go on myspace on it, text, call whoever and whenever I please! I have to keep up ! ! with the stuff at skool. my whole skool is a text-a-holic so if you dont have a fone your an effin loser! becuz that means you have no life! whatcha gonna do call on the house fone? No thats GAY! So at 10 ( i got my fone and my home fone bill has been low. I have a family plan and my dad OWNS his own mortgage business so we have like 10,000 minutes total my mom dad and I! Oh and the girl below Im going into &th and in even 5th!!!! grade I was talking and hanging out with friends without my parents. So you can shut that ugly little trap of yours, cuz if ur just getting a life the summer of 7th grade then ur a gay fag! I wouldnt wanna hang with you! Ever heard of myspace? Facebook? Texting? FRIDAY NIGHT? PARTY'S????? so i NEEDD a celley cuz if i didnt id be lostlike that gay fag below =] TAy' what is your problem, your a snotty little brat and i hope you lose your expensive perfect little phone and your parents realize what a problem you are and make you pay for it! I got my phone when i turned 12, and i wasnt in need of one until then, if you were alone before than your parents are just irresponable for not taking care of yOU! GET OVER IT, JUST BECAUSE YOUR SO NOT PERFECT IT DOESNT MEAN EVERYBODY LIKES A SNOTTY LITTLE BRAT!!! and i'm 13 and i dont even USE my fone that much... its turned OFF right now so i can think! and i do have a myspace, a facebook, and some other stuff, but do i obsesess with them? no, check them maybe once or twice a week... U ARE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO GET A LIFE"

"Well I am a 12 year old girl and what I think is that if the child does not get into serious trouble and does fine in school why not. Last year when I turned 11 my parents let me go to places like the mall and the state fair by my self,so of corse I ran into times when I did not have a cell phone to cantact my parents. You can guess that did not help the situation at all. So If you find that your kid is responsible and can venture to places by themselves I would say that they should have to have there own cell phone.12-13 is the perfect age to get a cell phone,perferably a pay as you go. You as a parent can get the first card of a higher amount and then after that Your child should pay for the continous amounts.But when you do buy the phone dont get the cheepy,get the phone kids would be excited about. But make sure you lay ground rules like, they should not go on the internet, or buy ringtones and backrounds without your permision.Let them talk to thier friends on it and no! t just for emergincies,because they might end up getting board with it,but always know who they will be calling on it. So if your kid is about 12 let them have that cell phone you will see that it will help in the long run."

"I'm 12 and I had a phone for what 3 years! I call my friends, family and text like crazy! My cell fone is my lyfee!! the first month i got it I wen't over my texting plan and my parents had to get me unlimited texting in result of it! They didn't care because my whole middle school has a phone and we text when ever we wan't 12 at night or 7 in the morning! That and myspace is my communication line. you guys are like oh call from home blah blah blah...... I need a fone because i need to contact friends whereever im at. This year almost everyday I tlked to my friend for like 2 hours and was on the fone for about 3hrs everyday total and i send about 100 texts a day plus recieve that amount! So kids need fones so that they can have like there own lines and not hogg the house fone. Plus i have verizon and so do like ALL my friends so we talk free! My parents don't give a crap what I do on my fone, I go on myspace on it, text, call whoever and whenever I please! I have to keep up ! with the stuff at skool. my whole skool is a text-a-holic so if you dont have a fone your an effin loser! becuz that means you have no life! whatcha gonna do call on the house fone? No thats GAY! So at 10 ( i got my fone and my home fone bill has been low. I have a family plan and my dad OWNS his own mortgage business so we have like 10,000 minutes total my mom dad and I! Oh and the girl below Im going into &th and in even 5th!!!! grade I was talking and hanging out with friends without my parents. So you can shut that ugly little trap of yours, cuz if ur just getting a life the summer of 7th grade then ur a gay fag! I wouldnt wanna hang with you! Ever heard of myspace? Facebook? Texting? FRIDAY NIGHT? PARTY'S????? so i NEEDD a celley cuz if i didnt id be lostlike that gay fag below =] TAy"

"I just turned 13, and I am just now getting an LG Shine(My first phone). I dont think anyone under 13 should get one. Im going into 8th grade this year. Yeah, sure, 7th grade is a good level to get your child a cell phone, but 8th Grade is more appropriate. You go out more, hang out more, you get a girlfriend/boyfriend, etc. I think the only reason a child under 13 should get one, is for after school parent pickup or after school projects. Other than that, I dont believe a child under 13 would have the responsibility to have a cell phone. Like I said, I just turned 13, and I am maturing now, so I am able to get one. To 11/20/07, YOU'RE ONLY 10!!!!!!!!!!!!! You arent's acting at ALL mature with your whiney crap, SO GIVE IT UP!!!!!"