Moms Talk: When Should a Kid Get a Cell Phone?
There are advantages and disadvantages to having your child linked by phone to you — and others, too — wherever they may be.
How young is too young to use a cell phone?
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I have to say right here that it wasn't my idea to give my son a cell phone when he still was in elementary school.
But I quickly grasped its advantages. Even if he was just a few doors down, I could call him to check in, or order him home, without yelling out the back door. Or trying to track him down.
And, in a way, it taught him something about the world of wireless. Try ignoring that, no matter how old you are.
Then, of course, he got a little older and tried ignoring phone calls from M.O.M. At that point, since I was paying for the phone bill, I firmly informed him that he would take my calls — or his service would get cut off.
There also was the debate regarding texting. I was accused of being a Neanderthal because I flatly refused to sign a middle schooler up for texting. (I did manage to get a real deal by signing up the college student earlier for texting because I also realized that a then-cheap flat rate for unlimited texting on my plan would save money on phone bills, as well as being a necessity for an older student in the 21st century.)
But a middle schooler? As I saw it, it was simply too much of an opportunity for getting disciplined in school. Or texting the wrong message. Or getting the wrong message.
And why did he need to hear from kids who all too often were sitting in my living room, anyway?
Apparently, however, that attitude put me very much in the minority. What about you? Did you sign up your student for unlimited texting in middle school? Earlier? What was your reasoning?
Last year, a student seminar held at William Annin Middle School talked about cyber-bullying. Texting was a major tool for achieving that goal, or otherwise passing troublesome (and possibly law-violating) messages. And there it was, as evidence, in writing.
Another presentation on internet safety, this one for parents, was held on Tuesday night, courtesy of two PTOs. Did you go and what did you learn?
I finally provided son No. 2 with texting in high school. Unlimited. My adviser at Sprint (I bother to drive to Flemington to talk to the people in the know about my phone service decisions) flatly told me that just signing him up for a limit of 350 text messages per month was courting extra charges.
So when did you get your child a cell phone? Have you? How long will you wait? Did you block incoming texts (as I managed to do for a few years) or put on some other extra brakes on how the technology can be used?
Let us know what you think by posting a comment on the end of this article. I look forward to hearing from you!
PS. Do you think your student could even LIVE without a cell phone at this point? I was amused to see during our video story on how local teens said they were preparing for Hurricane Irene by charging their cell phones ahead of time so they could talk to their friends during the storm was a top priority.
How old was your child (children) when you got them their first cell phone? Was it useful?
Tell us in the comments.
Linda Sadlouskos
12:47 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
How old was your child (or your children) when you got them their first cell phone? Did it work out? Was it useful, or did it cause problems?
Colleen Epple Pine
1:35 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Similar to potty training-I think the child will know when s/he is ready! Seriously! If the child is not able to communicate (with YOU) as needed during the day regarding plans or updates, then this added communication is needed. By Middle School, it is a basic staple! Not only do we want our kids to reach out to us, but we may need to reach them. This fast-paced world leaves our kids with after-school activities being canceled or being scheduled when we least expect it and transportation is always an issue. Our family has even come up with code text such as: "D5" (Driving now, five minutes from you or "H" (Here now). And in keeping with text codes of our local police codes, we also use "20?" (What's your location" and "ETA" (What's your estimated time of arrival?). There's no escaping it, and it's really a major convenience in the end. Like anything else--moderation is key and understanding it is a privilege and not a necessity! That's the life lesson here.
Madhavi Saifee
6:33 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Great Ideas Colleen on the text codes. My older daughter got her first phone when she was 11 and as the younger ones reach that age I find that the time for a phone is getting earlier too. It is also a matter of how much time they are away from you (not including school) and carpools and rain outs etc Since kids these days have more activities than we ever did at that age, it is very necessary for them to be reachable and safe.
Sharon Maroldi
7:07 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
M kids are very young a toddler and a baby. I had a coworker whose son was very popular in high school and clearly spent more time texting than he did on his studies. I guess, for my kids, it will depend on when they are ready and mature enough to take care of it on several levels. 1. The phone itself needs to be cared for 2. They need to use it appropriately and not let it detract for school or life in general 3. Like someone else said, if I called I would expect it to be answered. And, I'd want them to use a hands-free piece, because the jury is still out on radiation exposure.
Carly I
11:16 am on Tuesday, October 25, 2011
@Sharon I think you have it right on the mark! I listened and convinced myself that I was getting my son one for all the right reasons, including the saving money by going for a bigger text package. My son disappeared into the technology and social networking world in a flash. And at that point it was far more difficult to retrace my steps than if I'd just started him on a Tracfone(and stuck to my convictions).I would have saved a lot of money, and had a child that actually looked you in the eye and participated in a conversation. And a good thing you still consider the effects of radiation-it could be years before we see the true effects.