"At what Age you Allow your Child to have their own Cellphone"

I think they should be given a cellphone when they are mature enough to understand whats the ramifications of having one. When you gave a teenager a cellphone, it may be a distraction to them and cause them to lose their focus on their studies. Am a filipino BTW, and I don't like what I am seeing, children nowadays focus too much on cellphones. They tend to use it as a device to engage in unneeded relationships with their peers. With the onset of adolescence and peer pressure giving a child a cellphone is not a good idea specially if one parent is working abroad.

My 10 year old son has a cellphone and so does my 11 year old step-daughter. My son rarely uses it. He calls me on it but other than that, it hardly gets used. His dad got it for him for his birthday. My step-daughter uses hers to talk to her friends and my husband. She is always texting on that thing.

I bought my first cell phone myself so I was 16 years old (that's the age we can have our first student job). I think my kids can have a cell phone when they are old enough to work for it, so it will be 16. That's also the age they really can start to go out, so they can use it when it's needed. Off course my boys are almost 4 and 2,5 right now, so maybe I change my point of view over the years. have a nice day

i personally told my daughter i will get her a cell phone when shes 16. it will be a pay as you go and shes got to help keep time on it but i will buy the phone for her. in your case with your kids being so far away if you want to get them cell phones to keep in contact with you then you could always get ones that be able to contact a few people. like if you are paying for it, then you could tell them you will only pay for calls and texts sent to you and a few other that you approve of and if theres other calls on there then they will either have to pay for them calls or something like that. then at least you would still be able to have contact with them.

Hi Iyah,, My parents gave me a cellphone when I was at the first year of high school like your son. But I didn't find it useful. I just wasted m parents money for its balance. I think it would be better for you not to give them cellphone yet.

My daughter was 9 when she got her cellphone. It was in the summer and she was going to summer sports camp. I left her at the day camp and she used it to call and check in with me while I was at work. She has her cellphone for 2 years now and hardly used it. She does not abuse her privilege and she has been verey responsible with it. I think it is a good idea for the safety reasons.

My daughter is ten and she is wanting a cell phone. I told her no because she is just not responsible enough. I really dont know what age would be suitable because for me its maturity. My kids have to be mature enough to have one and I think its varies in each child.

I believe that having a cell phone isn't necessary at young ages. As long as your kids have some loose change they can go and use a pay phone. I think that the right time for a kid to get their first cell phone is when they get a job and can pay for it every month. That'll give them some sort of responsibilites as well having to pay a bill. Slowly showing them what the real world is like. I think just giving it to them with them not at least helping with the bill is not helpful at all to the child. It might even be foolish. If you just keep on giving and not expect any help or anything in return they will expect it for the rest of their life...I know a 29 year old who is still always getting help from his mom and giving him money and whatever he wants. Preferably when I have a child I don't want to still be paying for his/her stuff at that age!!

I think that you should get your children cell phones. It seems that they are reaching out to you, and both want to be able to talk with you more. I had my first cell phone at 13. I think you just need to tell them what you expect from them, and lay down the usage and rules you want to set. I think that there isn't really an age to set on getting your child a cell phone, i think that if you feel they are responsible enough then they should have one.

Well i got my first phone when i started high school, which i think was a good idea, i think it helps you socially because your other friends will have them, and also i think when children start high school they start going out with friends more outside school so its important for that reason that you can get hold of them or vice versa if you needed to. I think when i have kids i will give them a phone when they start high school too but only on pay as you go, dont want to have a big bill each month to pay.

Hello Iyah. I understand that it is a kind of dilemma to decide when the right time or what the right age is for a child to get his or her first cellphone. But to me, it is not the time or the age that matters. It is the reason why we need to provide our child with such a stuff. As today parents are always busy and even getting busier with their work, keeping in touch with their child is a necessity. To do so, cellphone is a reliable stuff. So, for your 11 and 13 year-old kids, a cellphone is already needed for the sake of communication.

I have a son ( 12 years ) and a daughter ( 16 years ) ... My son keeps asking me , and I have promised him a cell phone when he is 14 + . I gave my daughter a cell phone when she was 14 +.. But , as you know , there are advantages and disadvantages of all inventions ...so be careful, and take care...

Why is this in the movies section?? My view, and it is a very short one, is cellphones are only used when you have friends, at 11 and 13 your only friend is your mom, lol, but seriously if their friends have a cellphone then they will want one and if their friends don't have cellphones, then there is no point them having one. hope this helps Rob :)

i think 12

If you feel it is something your child needs then it doesn't matter what age they are. As long as a child is ready for the responsibility of looking after a cell phone then there is no reason why age should matter. My son had a phone aged 6 but that was because he had an old one of mine as I got a new one anyway. Of course, he didn't really need one then but it began to teach him responsibility so that once I got him one of his own for his 7th birthday, he knew how to look after it and how to use it. He is only allowed to take it to his dad's or bring it out if I'm with him but these responsibilities will increase gradually until he is older. I wouldn't have done that for most 7 year olds but he has always been mature and, to be fair, I would have trusted him with a phone when he was 4. Anyway, your children are 11 and 13. They are old enough to understand the responsibilities that come with a phone. As there are so many types of phone, there is probably going to be a suitable one for your kids. All you need to do is be sure they can be trusted to look after it and find the right one for them.

Honestly I do not think there's a "right age" to allow a child to have their own cellphones. Here in the philippines, the cellular phone has become a way of life for most of us, it is difficult to find one who doesn't have a phone. I suggest you ask your mother if she thinks its ok to give cp's to your kids, since she's the one who generally takes care of them while you work she's the best one to gauge your children's maturity so to speak, if they are responsible enough to own a phone, given that there are many scammers and 'bad people' out there that is out to fool our children. Given that there are also advantages to owning a cellphone. One is that you can be sure to reach your children anytime and anywhere, and they can call/text for help if they get stranded or what have you's specially during a typhoon or something.

My daughter is only 11 and my mom got her a cell phone about 6 months ago.i wasn't real thrilled with her having one but I guess it does come in handy.

Hello iyah10, I think a cell phone is no longer a luxurious item for most people. When I was at the age of your daughter, I never dreamed of a cell phone. Not even once, I think of having it and asked my father for it. But nowadays, even a seven years old kid will have one..not only one, they sometimes have the best in town *smiles* I got my first cell phone when I was 23, using my own first salary *smiles* I think nowadays, a kid needs a cell phone, not for them to show off, but it is a necessity item. If my son knows how to use a cell phone, I will definitely buy one for him but I will make sure that I will be able to control the usage of his cell phone. I need him to have one so that I can track his daily activities *smiles*

I was having this conversation with my hubby yesterday, someone he knows has a daughter of 8 and she has a mobile phone. I personally think that there is not much call for an 8 year old to have a mobile phone. My son is 8 and he asked me when he could have one and I said when you are older and you are going out with friends or to places on your own. My eldest is 16 and I think that he had his first phone when he was about 14 and he was going places with his friends. He had it so that I could keep in touch with him and know where he was.

My little sister was the first of her friends to get a cell phone she was 13 & in Middle School (she just graduated from High School). She use to walk to school with her friends & call my mom so my mom knew she made it. Our moms a worry wart. I live in Orange County, CA and you see kids with cell phones. I think i will get my girls a phone when they are 12/13 depending on if they walk to school or are involved in sports.