What age is Good for Giving A Kid a Cell Phone

[AfineAKA]

Ok, I know every kid is different and situations may or may not necessitate giving your kid a cell phone, but I'm thinking about giving our daughter a basic/inexpensive cell for her birthday this month. So I was wondering what do you guys think is a good age for giving your kid a cell phone, if ever.

FYI, when I called Sprint to turn my service back on (due to a recent Lockline issue) they threw me a bone about a promotional going on right now that includes a free phone, 3 months free service and $20.00 a month afterwards for the addditional 3rd line. She would share the minutes of the lesser of our plan of 300 minutes a month (which goes virtually unused anyway since it's my hubby's phone).

[Mantichora]

I think it all depends on the kid. 10 would be my bottom line with limited usage. They have to start somewhere.

BTW, Aida is one of my favorite operas!

[dboogie2288]

I got my own cell phone when I was 17 and working at BBY....I wouldn't go any younger than that in my own opinion. I had the phone, the bill was in my name, I paid for it, and that was the bottom line. Of course at the time I was on a BBY employee plan of 15 dollars a month for 250 anytime minutes. And that was a HUGE PLAN!!! Lol.

Just my thoughts, if they need a cell phone, they can pay for it. You may also consider a pager, I know its kinda taky, but www.beepers.com has a t900 for free right now with a contract.

[acunn1]

[. You may also consider a pager, I know its kinda taky, but [url]
Unfortunetly here in NJ , it is illegal for a kid under 17 to have a beeper due to alot of drug dealers using kids to hold the drugs. My daughter got her first cell phone at 13 and so far has followed our guidelines on usage and not run me over my minutes on a shared minutes plan. She knows she will lose it if she goes over alot. I like the peace of mind knowing she can always get in touch with one of us ( me , wife or sisters.,)

[Yummi]

I got my little sister her own phone last summer when she was 13. Her summer schedule demanded it. She has the 300 a/t plan. She has never gone over her minutes (knock on wood).

I would say 10 is WAY too young. My son is 10 and in 4th grade and should never have phone.

Also, at this age they are getting an allowance so you make it their responsibility for any overages in the bill and any accessories. The Nokia is the best way to go because its cheap and it has lots of accessories.

Just my opinion.

[SusanMarie]

I tend to agree with yummi,
my daughter is turning 12, she is very mature for her age, (due to situtions we need not to go into)
She has no phone in her room.
and has never seriously asked for a cell, however she now walks from school to my friends house, so for my piece of mind I am considering getting her one, emg use only.
under 10 is way to young, a child that young should not be where the would be without adult supervison anyway, so why the need of a cell:?
Just my 2 cents.

[Deval]

i think age 13-15 should be the starting age...

that being said...i got my phone when i was 17 working at RadioShack with my $20 employee plan for 240 peak minutes, and 1000 n/w

[Matt]

My 12 year old never mentions getting a cell phone in seriousness, sometimes jokingly.

When he is 16 I'll consider it, but he'll have to pay for it. Either by a job, or various chores.

I am a firm believer in teaching kids a solid work ethic regardless of how much money the parents have.

[TWucker]

Wirelessly posted (AU-MIC/2.0 MMP/2.0)

personaly i think 12 is a bit young. . . 16, or whatever the driving age is in your state would be is a good age to in wireless imho

[dustman81]

I wouldn't get a kid a cell phone until he or she has a job to pay for it. If they get one when they are 16, I'd tell them to use it only when the car is not moving. 16 year olds don't need anymore distractions when they are behind the wheel.

[usfhett03]

I see alot of parents coming into my store and adding lines to their account for their younger children. With so many extra activities for kids to do, (sports, school activities) parents feel alot safer when their kids have a phone for emergency purposes only. Something to uses to call and tell them when to get picked up, checking in, things like that. I think you have to be at least 16 or older though before you start using cell phones as a more frequently as adults.

[bshrode]

I got my first phone when I was 16. It was an AT&T prepaid phone. I got it because I was tired of waiting for my parents to get me one. I was working and I paid for the cards. It may be the best way to start out is with prepaid, then your kid will never have to worry about not having the money to pay the bill. I had it for a year, and then I got a contract in my mom's name since I had no credit history, and got an AT&T Nokia phone, which I had for two years before leaving AT&T for Sprint with a Sanyo 6200.

My older sister was lucky enough to get a phone for her 14th birthday, but her boyfriend moved to Panama and she didn't realize how expensive it is to call there on a cell phone. My parents took it away shortly after the $400 bill arrived. I guess she ruined it for me, but I didn't care. I didn't mind paying for it. It was kinda nice to have something that I was responsible for alone and not my parents.

I truly believe prepaid is the best way to start out. Then you learn how many minutes you talk a month and learn the boundries you need to stay in. You should look into Virgin Mobile. They have really good rates (for prepaid) and their phones run off of Sprint's network. http://www.virginmobile.com/

-Bryan

[dfwtxpatrick]

I gave 3 of my kids phones when I went to work for SPCS 3.5 yrs ago. Listing ages at time I gave them a phone.

Son -18 (kicked him off after using 900 atm in 9 days!)

Son - 16 (has done great except first time school got out, thought "no school, use phone!") (no problems since then.)

daughter - 13 (originally to stop her from tying up home phone, back then had lots of nw minutes, now they are free, use em girl.) (btw, she uses about 3k-4k nw minutes each month.)

[vporter]

I think 16 is good because that way they have a job to pay for it, teaches the value of money and responsibility. There are too many spoiled kids around that don't know the value of anything! Plus most kids are obnoxious...do they really need a cell phone to add to it? Besides adults with cell phones are obnoxious enough (myself included :p ) Honestly though, my 10y/o nephew has one and that blew my mind. Hell, he already has a PS2, Xbox, GBA games for all and new nikes almost every other week. He honestly has more gear than I do and I'm 24 w/ a job!! Hmmmm...maybe I should ask my brother to help me get a job were he works?? :)

[SingSongBird]

I am not GETTING my 13 yr old a cell phone, she's going to have to earn it herself, pay for it and keep it. She will be 14 this summer and she will be getting a job pushing carts at the local wal-mart or kroger. That is if she wants a phone.

[Maokh]

Probably "10 and over" ... or even younger.

Whenever my kid starts soccer practice, staying over at friends houses, doing stuff on their own, etc.

Depending on how responsible this child is, i would probably start out by locking the phone, limiting it to a specific set of numbers. Nearly every phone out there lets you do this. And with plan features such as unlimited family calling and pcs-to-pcs on most carriers, i dont see why i should worry.

So it would probably be a couple of bucks extra a month and a free phone....well worth it i think. Its cheap, and im not going to "charge" my child for calling home and day-to-day communication needs.

It might also teach a little responsibility to go over the phone bill with the child, so they can relate their actions to real financial impact (or lack there of).

[Robert K.]

First of all, I don't think there is any particular age in and of itself that makes it "appropriate". It comes down more to the situation.

My older daughter is 11, and she has had her own mobile phone for a couple months now. We sometimes let her watch our other daughter (almost 9) for short time periods when other arrangements can't be made. She is allowed to call only me or my wife... or numbers that I have put into the phones address book (my parents, my brother, wife's parents, etc.). This isn't restricted by the phone itself, but it's not really an issue (it takes about 10 seconds to review the call detail for her number on the bill).

The phone was only $20, and shares minutes on a Verizon plan (with my wife) for $20 a month... so the cost isn't a big deal.

So far it's working out very well :)

p.s. We don't have a landline phone at the house... and haven't for a couple years now.

[AfineAKA]

Thanks for the replies and insites regarding the right age to give a kid a cell phone, we decided to wait until our daughter's 13th birthday. :)

Unless things change she will have yet a few more years to contemplate her cell phone and have something to look forward to.

I came to the conclusion that there is no real right time or age to give a child a cell phone. Each individual and situation is different as well as parenting styles and the maturity of the child are major factors in reaching a decison.

P.S. She turned 10 yesterday and we gave her a hellava fun "Cheetah Girl" birthday party!

[macaddiict]

For some reason I just don't like the idea of pre-high schoolers with cell phones.

First of all, what a pain for a kid to have to remember to carry and charge a phone all the time. Even small phones seem huge in my pocket... they'd be gigantic to a kid. Also, you have to consider how often adults [me anyway] drop, scratch, damage, and otherwise torture their phones... I can't see a phone lasting long if an active kid kept it on him/her all the time... especiailly since most of Sprint's phones still have an external antenna... *snap!*

I realize this is a generalization, but some generalizations have their place... I can't think of even one time when my friends needed to use their cell phone for something important back in high school. Seriously. Most calls were just to chat or figure out where to meet someone. To talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. To say things that you wouldn't say in the house within earshot of mom and dad...

I ended up getting a cell phone for myself when I left to college because my car was starting to get some ideas and I was a few hundred miles away from home. I got a Virgin Mobile phone, which was great [other than their stupid advertising]... but found myself using it to find out where friends were, make plans, get directions, etc. and the only time I ever needed it the phone was no help at all (no service).

I think a Virgin Mobile phone would be a good idea for your teen along with their first car. You could give them $20 Top Up Card a month and once they use that up they'd have to shell out for any other talking they wanted to do. Then, when you send them off to college with a tear in your eye, it would be time to set them up with a plan that will give them night and weekends and some daytime minutes. While I pay for my own cell service now that I'm in college, I think that would be a great thing for parents to do if they have the resources.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I think giving your kid a cell phone takes away from their childhood in a way. It should be a milestone that they can look forward to and be ready for, not something they get when they're still getting down their multiplication tables =)

Best,
Stephen

[AfineAKA]

Macaddit,

I can understand how you feel, but I am one who believes in empowerment. I want to enable my children and I will do what I feel I need to do to do to accomplish just that.

I sorta equate giving a cell phone to giving a kid a quarter for a phone call if they need to reach a parent. Problem is, there are few pay phones around these days.

And their keeping their cell phone priviledges or losing them is really up to them. Just because you give them something like that does not mean they keep it no matter what.

Paying for an additional mobile phone is no biggie and it may well help in the communications with a parent and child and that in itself may prove to be invaluable.

[dfwtxpatrick]

All the posts are very informative and have valuable information.

As stated, it is really dependent on the family, situation and circumstances.

For sure, I know 12 yr olds that I would give a credit card to before I would give my 19 & 21 yr olds one, not to mention a mobile phone.

[kush_14]

personally i got my phone when i turned 16 and was able to start driving...for the first few months it was free b/c my parents paid for it, but afte about 3 months i got a job and have been paying for it since then (im 17 now)

[alexkhan]

I'm 15 and my parents pay for mine (its just and add-a-line) and I only use about 100AT mins per month (more data than voice.) and another 2-300 in night/wknd

I got it last April (@14 yrs). I think thats about the right age to get it, when kids are doing more extra curricular activities and can use it to stay in contact. In my opinion, kids in elementary and middle school don't really need it - as they are around their parents more and don't really need access to a cell phone

But then, it depends on the indivuidial situation...

[AfineAKA]

You go Alex,

15 with a camera phone, that's what I'm talkin bout! -LOL

[alexkhan]

No no no.... I started off with an A460 (thats what my parents got for me) It was the second cheapest besides the lg1200, but I convinced them the lg1200 sucked too much since it was single band. I was like COOL!! it has the wireless web!!!!!

After I got bored with my a460 and it 'broke', i bought an a500 from Bestbuy, but while it was still under the return period I exchanged it for an a620 (which I had to pay the difference my self on)

But i'm still surprised to see people around my school with the windows smartphones from at&t. Most of them don't even know it has internet access on it, and just use it for calling anyways

Originally posted by AfineAKA
You go Alex,

15 with a camera phone, that's what I'm talkin bout! -LOL

[AfineAKA]

I meant that as a good thing.

If you're gonna have a cell, might as well be worthwhile. Tho today I picked up this "HotShot" kids pda digital camera for my daughter from ToysRus (she had a gift cerfiticate).... piece of junk. I'm taking it back.

So by the time I'm ready to get Gabby a cell, it will probably be a camera phone since they are so cheap now. Plus I can have her send me pics of what's going on. -LOL

[alexkhan]

Yeah, if I have one might as well get a good one

[rollingon26s]

I would say high school is a good time to get a phone. I got mine the summer before 9th grade and use it everyday (I am a junior now).

[kazakaz]

my cousins, one 16, and one 13 have had cell phones for a couple of years. They both use virgin, though. That way, they can learn the responsabilty of using a cell phone without racking up a huge bill. If they go over their minutes, then the phone shuts off and they need to buy a new card.

[AfineAKA]

Originally posted by kazakaz
my cousins, one 16, and one 13 have had cell phones for a couple of years. They both use virgin, though. That way, they can learn the responsabilty of using a cell phone without racking up a huge bill. If they go over their minutes, then the phone shuts off and they need to buy a new card.
Now that sounds like a win-win plan!

Thanks

[dustman81]

Originally posted by kazakaz
my cousins, one 16, and one 13 have had cell phones for a couple of years. They both use virgin, though. That way, they can learn the responsabilty of using a cell phone without racking up a huge bill. If they go over their minutes, then the phone shuts off and they need to buy a new card.

That's exactly what I'd do instead of giving a kid a post-paid phone where they could rack up huge overage charges. That teaches them responsiblity and makes them budget their minutes.

[kazakaz]

Originally posted by AfineAKA
Now that sounds like a win-win plan!

Thanks

Anytime. Seems to work good too. They have both had them for over a year now, and never had any complaints.

[NeonElixir]

I dunno. I got my first cell when I was 14 or 15. I had one of those 2-way pagers for a little bit before that. My first plan was with Verizon... free phone after rebates and I paid $20 a month for 100 anytime and 1,000 n/w minutes. I've always paid for my own cell phone.

[dumwaldo]

i wanted to get my 9 year old nephew a toshiba 2032 and add him onto one of my 2000 minute plans but my sister wouldnt let me. so i got him a non connected PDA instead (viewsonic v36) and made my sister promise that i could get him a cell phone when he is 13.

BTW
he already had a sony clie peg-s300 that my father had given him like half a year ago and demonstrated that he could be responsible so i wanted him to have a PPC because i thought it would be a more 'fun' device.

peace,
dumwaldo

[Marlon_JB2]

Hope you don't mind another kid stepping in here...

I got my first cell phone in 2001. (Age 14) It was a hand me down prepaid phone from Omnipoint (Voicestream, and now T-Mobile). My mom had just gotten a contract with Sprint. I was in charge of recharging it when I needed to. Never used it anyway. So, I just let the company disconnect it. Prepaid can get expensive.

My second phone I got in '02. (Age 15) Another prepaid phone. I was going out of town on several school trips, and my parents decided that they needed to get in contact with me whenever possible. What they didn't know is that prepaid doesn't work very well away from home. :) After Northern Ohio, you can forget calling me, and I can forget calling people.

My third phone, which I just received on 2-20-04 (For the same reasons, school trips), (Age 16), is an Add-A-Phone from Sprint. I'm not supposed to pay the Add-A-Phone charges, but my mother doesn't mind when I give her the money anyway. I still don't use my phone(much)! Only minutes I ever use are PCS to PCS. I have used, this month, and whopping 3 minutes in Anytime minutes, (Month starts on the 3rd of every month). 8 off-peak minutes, and 240 PCS to PCS minutes.

I've been seeing kids with cell phones since about 6th grade. Most of them only use it to show off anyway. They never used them. Me? Didn't get one until 10th grade. Never took it to school to show off because it wasn't much to show, and I'm not that type of person.

Throughout all of this, I have never asked for a cell phone my entire life. They have just been forced down my throat, or given to me.

[AfineAKA]

Marlon,

I commend you on your maturity and responsibility. Somehow tho I suspect my now 10 yrs daughter will be in the "showoff" catagory. -LOL

P.S. Waldo, I'm with your phone plan at 13 years. (You're a cool uncle)

[alexkhan]

Marlon,

I commend you on your maturity and responsibility. Somehow tho I suspect my now 10 yrs daughter will be in the "showoff" catagory. -LOL


LOL... there's some kids at my school with camera phones & web-enabled phones that have no idea how to use them.

[fone freak]

each member of our family has / has access to a cell phone. Our family seems to be on the go all the time anyway, so we have 4 add a phone lines. The youngest person using the phone is 11. (but her older brother keeps it.)

[TechGeek]

I think it depends on the maturity level. I see adults every day who don't deserve one (maturity and responsibility), yet they still have one.

If the kid is mature and responsible enough to use it and understand it, then go for it.

But also, like all things in life, they should work for it. Cut a little out of their allowance, or make them do extra chores until they can get a job to pay for it themselves.

Also, if you do give your kid a phone, make sure he doesn't become a brat with it, I've seen plenty of those, kids running into the store acting like they're all that because they have a phone and acting like he is our boss.

[The 8]

there are definately some youngins' running around with phones these days.... i was watching the Learning Channel the other day and the woman was giving birth to twins.... THEY BOTH CAME OUT WITH CELL PHONES!!! i wonder how good of a reception a fetus can get in a uterus??

[syn92]

my son is 10 and he wants his own celly...his best friend has one, and he's on sprint too...both the boys are in the same situation though...parents are divorced and there's lots of soccer activites going on...carpooling & whatnot...whenever we go out i usually give him my t-mobile phone, just in case we get separated, we usually do, he goes to the video games & I shop the rest of the store (it saves me from hearing him whine abt everything he wants for at least an hour). he's pretty responsible with it...i would like to get him an add-a phone since everyone he needs to talk to is on sprint...i like it better when he has a phone on him...i like the peace of mind...his dad doesn't want him to have one, but oh well...i had started him out with a pre-paid, but i would always forget and let the minutes expire...he turns 11 this yr...he might get a phone of his very own...who knows...

[DreamSiren007]

I honestly think that if kids are old enough to take care of their stuff, and their lifestyle involves a lot of activities and/or traveling... they can handle using a cell phone. However, they should be limited to prepaid plans only to train 'em how to use their minutes and money wisely. It's when they have their own jobs that they should be free to choose whatever plan they want, as long as they know they'll pay for it.. and not their parents.

[alexkhan]

I honestly think that if kids are old enough to take care of their stuff, and their lifestyle involves a lot of activities and/or traveling... they can handle using a cell phone. However, they should be limited to prepaid plans only to train 'em how to use their minutes and money wisely. It's when they have their own jobs that they should be free to choose whatever plan they want, as long as they know they'll pay for it.. and not their parents.
I agree with the first part about being responsible, but why should kids have to pay for their own phones? Their parents pay for their food, clothes, education, etc. IMHO thats just one of the extras- like having a computer or tv. Now, I'm not saying I think parents should buy their kids seperate $100/month plans, but add on, and pay for add a line

[DreamSiren007]

I agree with the first part about being responsible, but why should kids have to pay for their own phones? Their parents pay for their food, clothes, education, etc. IMHO thats just one of the extras- like having a computer or tv. Now, I'm not saying I think parents should buy their kids seperate $100/month plans, but add on, and pay for add a line

Yea, I was about to add that alternative, too. But you know, there are kids out there who got "great" jobs and wanna go all-out solo... know what I mean?

[alexkhan]

Yea, I was about to add that alternative, too. But you know, there are kids out there who got "great" jobs and wanna go all-out solo... know what I mean?
well im in highschool still, and I'm the add-a-phone on my mom's line. It's the 2000/$100 plan, so we get the second line free anyways... so my total costs are $5 vision+taxes. I don't really see my self (or really most people my age) needing more than this... and i just use like 300 minutes a month.

what do you mean by "great" jobs? until I make $50k+ a year, i dont mind having someone pick up the bill :D

[DreamSiren007]

well im in highschool still, and I'm the add-a-phone on my mom's line. It's the 2000/$100 plan, so we get the second line free anyways... so my total costs are $5 vision+taxes. I don't really see my self (or really most people my age) needing more than this... and i just use like 300 minutes a month.

what do you mean by "great" jobs? until I make $50k+ a year, i dont mind having someone pick up the bill :D

It's good that you're not as high-maintenance as some people I know... lol.
By "great" jobs, according to some of my friends from the SoCal area, jobs that give you a decent paycheck and nice tips. I guess they have this "independence" thing going on... and they talk on their phones forever.. day and night. So it makes sense for them to pay their own bills, or otherwise, risk getting in trouble with their parents. Don't mean to generalize...

[alexkhan]

Well my parents thought I didn't need a phone until highschool, so in 8th grade I took my dads old at&t phone and got prepaid service on it. The whole $0.25ish a minute thing really sucked, but my parents realized how useful it was, so they said if I could find a good deal to add myself on to either of their plans, they would let me get it. I got an A460, because the catch was that I had to pay for the part that was not covered by the rebate ($30), but they would pay for the actual service (since it's only like $10/mo)

Alot of my friends got phones between 7th grade and 9th grade, but I see the occasional 10 year old showing his friends how his a600's screen swivels around. LOL

[Marlon_JB2]

Alot of my friends got phones between 7th grade and 9th grade, but I see the occasional 10 year old showing his friends how his a600's screen swivels around. LOL

And that's exactly what I was talking about regarding the show-offs!

"Look Tommy, my cell phone's screen turns!"

"Wow, cool!"

I have a cousin who actually begged for a phone. He's nowhere near responsible @ 15, and sat his N400 under a light bulb. He never keeps it charged, and just throws it around. His case was pure jealousy. The rest of his siblings had one, even his twin sister, but I still don't think he's mature enough for his phone.

[shumacher]

Well, I got my first beeper right before my 18th birthday. My first phone was with Sprint when I was 21. I've always paid my own phone and beeper bills, and I even put my mother on my account shortly after I got my phone as a secondary line. I wouldn't put anyone else on my account. I trust myself and my mother, and that's it.

Here's some tips for parents. First, Nokia and late model Sanyo phones support locking a phone to phone book entries only. For younger kids, you can put in each parent's number, the school's number, a few other relatives, maybe the best friend's mom, and perhaps the soccer coach.

For older kids, consider giving a seperate plan and keep an eye on the minutes until you're certain they won't break the bank. Let them know that the phone isn't to be used while driving, or at least, invest in a proper handsfree kit. If you give an allowance, make it clear that the allowance is going to cover any overages before they get paid.

Young or old, be sure to set up your account for detailed billing and look at your child's usage. Ask your child about the numbers you don't recognize. Look for usage during school hours or late at night. Don't be afraid to take the phone away, change the lock codes, or further restrict the line. Don't even play with 911 calls. Consider starting your child out with a non-contract line - Sprint does that. Don't let them set their outgoing message - this lets undesireables know that they have the number of a child. Let them buy their own faceplates. Tell them to never give their number out.

[Tranceport]

You people make my parents look awesome, thank you for that...

[shumacher]

You people make my parents look awesome, thank you for that...

By the way, I'm never having kids. Ever. They're messy, noisy, expensive and they leak. Ugh.

[Maokh]

Bah .. kids are cheap, and if you buy quality diapers, they dont leak.

Kid hater!

[shumacher]

Bah .. kids are cheap, and if you buy quality diapers, they dont leak.

Kid hater!

Bull. I guarantee they'll leak after a couple of days or the adhesive will wear out. Then I've got a mess and I'll need to buy another diaper!

And kids aren't cheap.

I don't even like buying Tamagotchi batteries, I certainly don't want to buy those little bottles of nasty carrots.

[Robert K.]

I gave my 9 year old daughter her own mobile phone about a month ago.

I got her the Samsung VI660 (free through telesales), and Sprint was kind enough to set it up as a zero charge per month add-a-phone. I pay the $5 a month so she can get a free game d/l each month (well, $5 towards whatever she wants), so it works out to being much cheaper than her owning a Gameboy. As soon as the Treo 650 comes out she will get my wife's Samsung VGA1000 camera phone... which is the same phone my 12 year old daughter has :)

p.s. They aren't allowed to use the phone to call anyone but one of our 4 lines, unless they ask.

[AWESOM-O]

Man, I didn't have a phone until I was in my second year of college (19) and could pay for it on my own. The only reason I eventually got one is because it was cheaper than calling cards, due to a long distance relationship. I see kids that are clearly in middle school and sometimes elementary school with cell phones and I am like why the hell do they need a cell phone they only know their parents....We have enough people running all over the place having conversations nobody wants to hear in public. Imagine how annoying it will be to hear 10 year olds talking about who likes who at school. I dont think I could take it *shudders*.

[AfineAKA]

Man, I didn't have a phone until I was in my second year of college (19) and could pay for it on my own. The only reason I eventually got one is because it was cheaper than calling cards, due to a long distance relationship. I see kids that are clearly in middle school and sometimes elementary school with cell phones and I am like why the hell do they need a cell phone they only know their parents....We have enough people running all over the place having conversations nobody wants to hear in public. Imagine how annoying it will be to hear 10 year olds talking about who likes who at school. I dont think I could take it *shudders*.LOL, I relented and got my **cough** 10 year old a Nokia 3595 about a month ago for a few reasons:

1) Although the phone is for emergencies, I like being able to communicate with her if the need arises.
2) It's a T-Mobile prepaid so no monthly charge or worry about a bill.
3) The Nokia is color and came with some cool games on it.
4) Speaking of games, my daughter likes to play games on my Treo and the price of her cell phone was less than a color gameboy.
5) SMS, although I haven't set it up, I can send her text messages.
6) I like the flexibility of being able to throw it in the drawer if things get out of hand until a later time.
7) I'm somewhat of a techie and appreciator of gadgets
8) Being she loves her cool phone it makes for such a good bargaining tool.

BTW, I took a tip from Robert and my daughter is also paying for half of the phone price with part of her allowances plus she can earn more money towards defraying the cost by doing chores on the chore list (which she asks to do to pay for her part sooner). :hee:

[Robert K.]

LOL, I relented and got my **cough** 10 year old a Nokia 3595 about a month ago for a few reasons:
Hey there Mell!! Those are some good reasons you listed. I would not have gotten my 9 year old a phone at all... except that it is costing me nothing, except for the $5 a month for Vision... which basically gets her 1 free game per month (and some of those games are cool!). Once she gets her camera phone then that $5 a month will really be a steal. Her phone is a very nice $180 phone, and that was free (not even any shipping charges). Plus the idea of adding a 4th line was my angle for getting Sprint to lower my total overall monthly charges, which I accomplished :)

And it is a nice way to teach them some responsibility :)

[AfineAKA]

I hear ya Robert but it's your kid and ultimately, your decision. Everyone has opinions but each case is individual and often it boils down to the attitude, abillity and trust level of the parent as to if and when their child gets a cell.

While I feel it is wise to use discrection as well as some monitoring in doing so, IMHO, age is not as big an issue as much as maturity cuz I see grown folks acting stupid with cell phones -- everyday.

[Robert K.]

I hear ya Robert but it's your kid and ultimately, your decision. Everyone has opinions but each case is individual and often it boils down to the attitude, abillity and trust level of the parent as to if and when their child gets a cell.

While I feel it is wise to use discrection as well as some monitoring in doing so, IMHO, age is not as big an issue as much as maturity cuz I see grown folks acting stupid with cell phones -- everyday.
I agree 100%... every case is different. And age is definitely not as important as maturity :)

[payasa]

I agree 100%... every case is different. And age is definitely not as important as maturity :)
I agree. I got my daughter a cell phone when she was 14 because I knew how well she would handle it. My eldest son, on the other hand, can buy his own. My youngest son might be waiting a looooong time.

[simpsonsadict]

i got my first phone when i was 14 a little over a year ago. but it was pretty important at the time. i think 13 is a good age as long as they are responsible. i would pay for the unlimited sms though so they could at least talk to their friends without worrying about going over minutes.

[cass309]

my daughter earned her cell phone when she was 15 i refuse to pay a monthly bill so she has a pre-paid.shes working now and paying for her own cards.

[Chris4434]

i think 11-12 is a good age for your first cell phone... i got my first one when i was 11 .. its good to have incase of emergencies.. and also just to keep your kids from tying up the phone lines.. i think it is ridiculous that some parents expect their kids to get a job to pay for their own cell phone or even for their car because they already have enough on their plate with school and extracurricular activities..

[Matt]

i think 11-12 is a good age for your first cell phone... i got my first one when i was 11 .. its good to have incase of emergencies.. and also just to keep your kids from tying up the phone lines.. i think it is ridiculous that some parents expect their kids to get a job to pay for their own cell phone or even for their car because they already have enough on their plate with school and extracurricular activities..

Get a job to pay for a cell phone is a bit much, but my son has to earn his. He has chores and whatnot to do around the house. During the school season he must maintain his grades or I take his phone.

And his X-Box, and his PSP, and his computer. Bad grades = mad dad.

[Chris4434]

Get a job to pay for a cell phone is a bit much, but my son has to earn his. He has chores and whatnot to do around the house. During the school season he must maintain his grades or I take his phone.

And his X-Box, and his PSP, and his computer. Bad grades = mad dad.
thats a good idea.. there should be consequences for bad grade, not doing chores ect.. and taking the phone away or other things is prob. the worst form of punishment to him

[Matt]

Taking his new PSP away is the worst right now.

[Silence2Poetry]

I put other...the age at which kids get a cell phone depends on the kid...and their maturity...if you had a student who was making straight A's and is busy with after school activities like debate...and swimming then the child should be allowed a cell phone with usage for only emergencies...i remember i didnt get my first cell phone until i was 16 and that was because i was active in school and making good grades...

[Ianbiz]

i say 14 with 75mins a month sounds good.

[Ovaltine224]

I just got mine a month ago at age 16. i only got one cuz im out alot and my parents want to stay connected with me.

I would wait till a kid is like 14-15. that is the perfect age.

I see kids these days in like 4th grade using their OWN cell phones and it pisses me off.

[ctnchrisw]

I didnt get my first one til 13, which I paid for by myself (oh trac phone)

[Jake]

I got mine when I was I think 10, MAYBE 11... I'm not sure. I was in 5th grade, it sucked because my Mom got me a free phone but I thought it was awesome that a phone could have a game, lol... I will get my kid a phone when he/she is mature enough to have it. Whether that be 8, 10, 12 or 16. They will get a free phone and they will upgrade as long as they get good grades and are respectful to their parents. I think that it is a great way to keep in touch with your kids, say soccer practice ends early or something along those lines. Just my opinion though, feel free to disagree.

[NONAME]

I put other...the age at which kids get a cell phone depends on the kid...and their maturity...if you had a student who was making straight A's and is busy with after school activities like debate...and swimming then the child should be allowed a cell phone with usage for only emergencies...i remember i didnt get my first cell phone until i was 16 and that was because i was active in school and making good grades... :good: I went about it this way with ALL three of my daughters.

[cproaudio]

When I went to Hong Kong to visit my sister last year, I passed by a preschool and them damn kids had cellphones, almost all of them. I'm talking kids 4 or 5 years old. It's funny that the phones are ALOT bigger than their heads.

[blink]

When I went to Hong Kong to visit my sister last year, I passed by a preschool and them damn kids had cellphones, almost all of them. I'm talking kids 4 or 5 years old. It's funny that the phones are ALOT bigger than their heads.

Lol, and the sad thing is, that will be happening in the United States in the next five to ten years.

I think 10-12 is too young even for emergency purposes. Once they hit thirteen, base it on maturity.

[AfineAKA]

You may remember but I started this post about kids and cellphones and thought I would give you an update on my now 11 year old daughter and her pre-paid T-mobile cellphone. (In which she paid half for in the form of extra chores, etc.)

She's had her phone for nearly a year now and we only had one problem with her being really careless with it. She left it in a Staples and we had to go back and get it. She lost her privildges then and a couple of more times for a week or so each time.

I found her having a cell phone gave me really good disiplining leverage with her. She loves her phone and was tramatized some when she lost it for the time period that she did. She has since become very responsible and we have not had any more problems with her and her cell.

So in our case, the phone was a tool in teaching responsibility as well as giving her communications or link to us. She and most of her good friends have cell phones. I think the pre-paid phones are excellent for younger kids.

When preparing for a school trip she needed a camera and her old kids digital camera was a source of irritation for me so I decided to upgrade her to a cameraphone. I scoured E-Bay and consmer reviews and decided on the pre-paid Moto V300. I won it at auction for $90. She absolutely loves having a cameraphone and now she's a budding photographer as well. (She understood that she would have to work off the value of the phone over the summer with chores and added responsibilites)

I gave her old phone to my favorite 13 year old neice after convincing her Mom it was not such a terrible idea, and talked to my neice in the responsiblities of being a young cell user and the consequences if she is not.

So while I understand the concern and caution shown in the poll, in addition to having to want to do this for you and your child you have to know your child, for me also being a gadget type, it was rather natural for me. Sooner or later we have to teach our kids the value of being responsible and respecting what they are blessed with and this is just one of the many ways as a parent we can do this, if we choose too.

It's working for me and my daughter and I'm glad I did it. My 3 kids are going to a Summer Daycamp for the first time ever this summer and I feel a little relieved knowing that my daughter can reach me if she wants or needs too, at her convenience and w/privacy without having to ask someone can she use their phone, and I can also reach her directly. ;)

[MsRandall]

I got my sons cellphones when they were 12. Both play basketball for several teams and I got tired of the coach saying practice is over at 7pm and coming back and practice ended early. I have never gotten a high bill in the years they had their phones. I gave them the an amount of minutes and they dont exceed them without coming to me and asking (which is cool we have 2500 minutes and we use about 2000 since pcs to pcs is on the account)....Both love to text message and have grandfathered texting so they are free to text until their fingers fall off...If grades slip phones, basketball and for my oldest car are taken...Luckly I never had to do that...I really do have good young men.

[ikandi]

Wirelessly posted (agamesanyo: Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone MM-7400/US/1.0) NetFront/3.1 MMP/2.0)

I Had My First Cellphone At 14. (it Was Actually A 2way) But I Would Say 15 Is A Good Age

[crazygirl10102]

pesonally i think that if your child is out with out you they should have some way to get a hold of you but i also think that if the child is not 16 they should not have free access to a wireless phone i think its simple get a prepaid phone for them to use and when they are at home make them give it back to you

[AfineAKA]

Crazygirl, the peace of mind is well worth it to me. But the prepaid phone is the only way my daughter would get a cellphone at her age & without a job. -LOL

Although all kids/people are not alike and some are very responsible, I've heard horror stories about kids running up their cell bill and that was not happening to me. Besides, it's for utilitarian use, not for regular use by a job working, bill paying adults.

[Sanyo7400]

as an spcs employee, i've heard of customers giving phones to their 5 year olds. i've heard the good and bad that come out of it. as long as it is a basic phone w/ no internet capability and i would call and have the sms txt msg block placed on it, there generally are no issues. there are the occasional children that run up the bills w/ talking, but usually charges stem from txt msg and internet. if a child is given a phone, i would definately recommend the fair and flexible for families plan w/ roaming and 6 or 7pm nights.

[MsRandall]

I think it all boils down to the specific kid and the specific situation...no right magical age...but I will say if I cant trust my 14 year old with a cellphone how the hell in two years can I trust him with the family car?????

I guess my sons are just good. I dont have school related, grades related, drug related, gang related, police related, or curfew related issues with either of my sons. All they want to do is text, eat, use MY car (not my benz), play basketball and talk about what college they are going to....The only problem I have is the day to cut the grass I or my husband have to play supervisor (Neither likes to edge!!!!)...and make one son dust his room after cleaning (he hates to dust.)

I wont say either is perfect but I see and hear horror stories every week of $1200 phone bills and I never worry about my bill.

[misslady2k]

I think it depends on the situation. I believe you need to start a kid out with a PREPAID cell phone at the age of 13-14 and explain to them they need to use it for emergencies only. If they abuse it, they can't use it. But if you have a kid who works(and not one who works their parents) maybe a plan could work. WHO KNOWS?!?

[abjc89]

Well, my parents got me my first cell when I was 7. Never really used it, but back then it was cheap enough to have and not use ($5 a month) then when I got into middle school I really started using it. Needed to find my parents after sports or hanging out with friends. I really think it depends, if your kid loses stuff all da time, don't get them a cell yet, but if you always are wondering "when should I pick them up" or "are they done yet, how long could the movies take?" then get him or her a phone.

[Jake]

I think 7 is a bit early but by the time I have kids, that may be standard :confused:

[indyfsufan]

I swore my kids would not get a cell phone untill college. But my daughter is turnning 15 in Dec. and has good grades, plays soccer for her high school and is getting her knee operated on, on her birhtday so I felt sorry for her.

[Jake]

I swore my kids would not get a cell phone untill college. But my daughter is turnning 15 in Dec. and has good grades, plays soccer for her high school and is getting her knee operated on, on her birhtday so I felt sorry for her.

Awww... surgery on her birthday would suck:indiff:, I hope it goes well :)

[abjc89]

I think 7 is a bit early but by the time I have kids, that may be standard :confused:
LOL, this is so true. Yeah, I didn't really use the cell phone, and now all the planes are so expensive. I don't think it's practical. But I think High school is a good time to get a cell phone. I personally use it alot for projects, sports, student council, calling to make reservations, checking times, ordering pizza. I don't even use my home phone anymore. But I guess someday, we won't have home phones, cell phones make more sense.

[Eric89]

Wirelessly posted (The PiMp machine: VM4050/132.037 UP.Browser/6.2.2.4.e.1.100 (GUI) MMP/2.0)

I got mine in 6th grade, my brother got one the same day as me except he was in 4th grade, or 10 years old.

[diannnoeora]

My granddaughter has had a prepaid cell phone since her 14th birthday, a year and a half ago. When she was 12, she got her dad to write a note that he'd get her one when she turned 14. She saved that note for 2 years. :lol: She had it in writing, so he did come through for her. The biggest problem is that she can't keep minutes on it.

I'm planning to add her to my plan for Christmas with rules attached. If she downloads any thing that has to be paid for, I will shut off her vision. They live way out in the country and her high school is 22 miles away from home. She should have access to a way to get in touch with her parents. Also, she's going to start driving soon, so she needs to have one in case of an emergency.

[abjc89]

WEll, it does have alot to do with how mature one's child(ren) is(are). I have an a940 and I'm in high school, I use all the features- voice, vision, sms, pic mail, vid mail, TV, radio, super good camera, mp3 player... I admit that I'm very fortunate. I GPS to help me figure out where I'm going. Without a phone, I'd be at a lost.

The growing concern is the radiation.

We've all seen the articles "Harmful?" "Death by Talking" "Cancerous Necessity" . We won't know for a while about the extent of these radiative processes but we can be sure that they don't do our bodies any good. I think you shouldn't give growing children cell phones to freely use especially as their minds are developing. I've been using cell phones for almost 10 years now and I'm a varsity sporter, class prez, school board advisor, and a valedictorian (i don't think I spelled that right). I'm pretty sure that there's no immediate proof that I have anymore carcinogens in my body than others but to be safe, i use speakerphone whenever possible.

My pen pal in Japan said that their FCC deemed cell phones harmful and there was enough proof to hold off those mobile purchases for young'ens. Same with parts of Europe and Korea.


On a lighter note: If the bird flu doesn't get me, then my cell phone will...

[AfineAKA]

My pen pal in Japan said that their FCC deemed cell phones harmful and there was enough proof to hold off those mobile purchases for young'ens. Same with parts of Europe and Korea.


On a lighter note: If the bird flu doesn't get me, then my cell phone will...Does that study include or exclude headphone and/or speaker usage?

Just wondering if it is a skin touch distance thing.

P.S. I should start another thead on "What age is a good age to give a kid an Ipod?" -LOL our 12 yr. old daughter is getting a surprise "Ipod Shuffle" for Valentine's day! (She loves music too and likes to borrow her Dad's Ipod.)