21% of kids 8-10 have cellphones

[jcat]

I used to think that only kids who were driving needed cell phones, but if you think about it, it's the younger kids who sometimes have to call home for a ride, are out playing and forget about the time, get scared during sleepovers or camping trips, etc.. Now that things like the Firefly or Cricket are available, why not have that added "protection"?

Our 14-year-old nephew, who lives in the U.S., has had the latter for well over a year, and it's great. I can call him from Europe, although he can only make local calls, and we can send each other text messages. His older sister, brother, and step-father have also switched to Cricket to keep down costs.

I think it's all right to give younger children pre-paid phones, and have them pay for their calls/text messages out of their allowance. If they overdo it, they'll learn pretty fast to use the phones sparingly.

 

[menasmom]

Originally Posted by DaNishl

36% for the 11-14 set and these numbers have more than likely risen since the study in 2004. Meanwhile, adults in a lot of countries are just now getting them.

http://www.freshbite.info/fnews_1217296400_10556.htm

that's because kids nowadays are spoiled beyond belief. I know this isn't going to be a popular statement with many of you, but tough noogies.

 

[whisky'sdad]

I remember when this exact convo went on when pagers were popular.

 

[greenvillegal]

OMG I didn't even get my first cell phone until I was 20! And even then I felt like I had to explain it to my parents. They were very against them when I was a teenager. My DBF's 10 year old daughter is begging for one.

I agree that non-driving teenagers do not need a cell phone. I wasn't even allowed to be anywhere where there weren't adults around that my parents knew until I was late in my teens. If you give your kid a cell phone, it should just be one of those ones where you can only call home, or your parents' cell and 911, and it should have a GPS on it.

I'll tell you that my kids won't even have a need for a cell phone until they're 15. And at the rate we're going, they can just borrow one of their friends' phones until then.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

Had my little niece not had a cell phone- she would not have been able to get ahold of me to pick her up the day her school had a bomb threat and had to be evacuated. (her parents were at work and she couldn't reach them).

She also would not have been able to get ahold of me the day we had a nasty tornado near our area to pick her up.

I am VERY pro cell phones. Payphones are pretty much non-existant in our area now and if you don't have a cell phone, you're pretty much without help in an emeregncy. I see them as a means of safety and will absolutely make sure my children have one someday when i feel it's appropriate.

Now with her cell phone comes set rules by her parents on who she can talk to and how often she can use it and what it is for,etc. She is very responsible with it. (she's 13 but she's had one for several years now.) Now she has a regular cell phone because it was cheaper to get her the real thing with the family plan and phone service that they had. But i believe if my nephews get one anytime soon my sister is planning to get them firefly phones.

 

[butzie]

Well, I have a plan that lets us have 3 phones (hubby has his own through work). This is earthquake country and there are lots of fires this year, so I am glad that our son (13) has one. The kids are not allowed to turn them on during school unless there is an emergency.

Do any of you still have a phone that doesn't require electricity? We still have one that is not portable and therefore will still be on if the power goes off. So, cell phones work when the power is off.

 

[clixpix]

Originally Posted by menasmom

that's because kids nowadays are spoiled beyond belief. I know this isn't going to be a popular statement with many of you, but tough noogies.

You know, people have been saying this generation after generation.

It was said about you, it was said about me, and it will be said of all future generations. Kids are always going to have more or at least different, than the generation before. We had "more" than our parents, and they had "more" than their parents.

'Twas ever thus.

 

[mzjazz2u]

I think in this day and age, I might consider getting my kids phones if I had young children. But i'd get them one of those that you can program so they can only call 911, mom, dad, maybe an auntie or other family members in case of emergency. AND I'd make sure it had GPS on it!

This might have been better served in the IMO forum? Or maybe not....

 

[yam102284]

Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

I think in this day and age, I might consider getting my kids phones if I had young children. But i'd get them one of those that you can program so they can only call 911, mom, dad, maybe an auntie or other family members in case of emergency. AND I'd make sure it had GPS on it!

If I had a young child, I would probably get them a cell phone, but only one of this firefly type ones. With things going on these days with natural disasters, bomb threats, and all sorts of dangers, I would want my child to be able to get in touch with me. But I wouldn't want them to have access to call whoever they want or text and run up charges. The only people a young child should be able to call is their parents, 911, and another relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle.) IMO they shouldn't be able to call friends and such who they just saw all day in school.

 

[goldenkitty45]

I'm with the group that kids do not NEED to have a cell phone. Sure its a convience and there are lots of good reasons a cell would come in handy in an emergency, but there are enough adults out there with cell phones, that the kid can borrow in an emergency to call their parents.

There's a big difference between needing a cell phone and wanting a cell phone - I would say the need is 5% and the want is 95%