Children Owning Cellphones @ What Age?

I started to use my cellphone from my age 10

I think that cell phones should be given to teenagers only when they are starting to get independent. This could help parents to locate them if they are in trouble and need help . Iam agianst of giving cell phones to young children.

My daughter has had a cell phone since she was 1, but it's a TOY cell phone. The "real" cell phones she has are ones that don't work anymore. Kids don't need cell phones and I don't see my daughter owning one when she gets older. If her biological father gets her one, it's going to have to stay at his place. Happy MyLotting!

This is a multi faceted issue. as a father of four kids I think that once my child can a)buy the phone, and b) Pay their own bills then they can have a cellphone. i worked for Cingular wireless and I can tell you that you are playing with fire when you give your kid a cell phone. First off if you give them access to the internet then you are looking at paying through the nose when your kid downloads movie files and ringtones and all the goodies that providers are so willing to offer. Second, there are many evil, unscrupulous people out there that will somehow manage to get your kids number. Scary as hell if you ask me. There is also the issue of having the phone stolen or lost. cellphone companies are pretty good about dropping charges if the phone has been reported missing, but if your kid does not tell you that it is missing or stolen then you will have to check with them everyday to make sure that someone is not using it and racking up huge charges. Trust me when I say, it happens and if you have not reported it ina certain period of time, you are on the hook so to speak. There is one other issue and that is the issue of safety. there are phones that have limited function. They are only able to call certain numbers and you can cap the internet use to a certain number of kilobytes downloaded. Personally I think that should be the only reason a child should have a cellphone. It's a great tool if used properly. It can also be quite dangerously.

Yes, I do they should. Now, phones are made with younger childrfen in mind called Fireflies. They can recieve and dial two or three preset numbers. When kids are older, parents can set how many minutes they use on a normal phone and disable text. You have to wonder if more kids had cellphone would more of them be found if they were taken/kidnapped.

Each parent needs to evaluate the needs of their own child. In your mind 6 years old may be too young, but to the mother, it may not be. It depends on the child, and the reason for giving the phone. There are cell phones that can be given to children that are able to be programmed to only dial certain numbers and to only allow a certain amount of minutes. They aren't expensive and the cell phone companies usually offer specific plans for children. Also, if you think that a 6 year old doesn't know how to use a cell phone you are wrong! Kids are able to do so much more than any of us ever did at their ages. It is also a good teacher of responsibility. I don't know, I think 6 is too young, but there are possibly reasons to give this child a cell phone that we aren't aware of. As long as there are specific rules I think that it is ok.

My brother got each of his kids one when they turned 10. I really don't see the point of having them when it comes to kids. With the exception of emergencies there's no reason for them other than to sit and chatter with kids they see in school anyways. I can't stand them and to be honest if I had kids we'd have one for them to take with them when they went to stay the night at friends simply for emergencies...nothing else. [b]~~MY OWN PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF**[/b]

There are pros and cons on this one. Its good to know what is happening to your child whenever she/he is away through communicating with cellphones. But it doesnt mean you have to get him/her expensive ones. You can her a simple cellphone just for texting and calling. But for a 6 year old child?? I dont think so.

I guess when they go to senior middle school, they should be allowed. Of course, it depends on different cultures on the other hand. have a great day!

We just got our daughter one , she is 13 . Just incase we need to get ahold of her when she is at a friends house or etc.You know those teenage years , always busy

Hi there! I don't agree for young kids to have cellphones. They aren't that responsible to take care a cellphone yet. It could also be distracting with their studies cause they might text too much like what I see on some kids. Besides, its also an extra expense for the mothers because they have to buy extra loads of credits for their kid's phone. For me the right age for a child to have a cellphone is when they reach their teenage years. If they are already in high school. That way, they are mature and responsible enough to take care of a cellphone and buy there own loads. Ciao!

well maybe for me it up to the parents...and they must just set rules about the phone..so that the child may know the importance of that thing..

AS far as one is called a child,he/she is unfit to have one.If at all it is for playing games and to listen music,it is okay and that too in the presence of an adult.Also it is said ,rays from cell phones are harmful .So why take risk?

i believe that children should own cellphones in right time and in a right age, last saturday when i was in the mall rooming around and having my shopping, i saw a young girl owning a high quality cellphone i was shock that at her young age she is so expert and good in manipulating the phone, and suddenly when a man went to the girl and grab the cellphone, the only thing she does was to see the man grabbing her phone and just let it go,so i realize that how expert you are even at a young age and you dont know how to defend your self toward indtruders.

I had my first hand me down cellphone when i was 15 years old.. i think that it's ok to give a six year old a cellphone but not those cellphones which have enhancements.. a 6 year old wouldn't appreciate the enhancements of the phone.. he/she wouldn't benefit from those and it's expensive.. anyway, he/she can use it for emergencies.. then when the child grows up, we can now gradually buy a cellphone suitable for the child's age..

Hey chevee, What would a six year old child need a cell phone for? What have they got to say on a phone anyway? And who do they need to call? I have ever heard anything so ridiculous! A six year old kid doesn't need to call anyone. He isn't going to be alone anytime so what would be the purpose of having a cell phone or for that matter any phone? I could understand a child of twelve maybe having one so that the parents could keep track of them and to keep them out of trouble. But a child any younger than that has no use for them as far as I'm concerned.

Hi friend ,Can't just imagine what a six year old kid would do with a cell phone?Even the teen age kids are not mature enough to use a cell phone.I had an experience with my teenage daughter and because she scored good marks in her tenth standard I gave her a cell phone ,but I feel that she was not mature enough to use the cell phone .She used to listen to songs till mid night and heard conversing with her friends till mid night.I got the shock of my life and got the cell phone back.Noww I think the right age is when she enters college or the second year of her college would be the right time to use a cell phone.She would be 19 years that time.And she would be mature enough to know what is right and wrong.thanks for sharing.happy mylotting.

I think 10 or 11 is a good age to start owning a cell-phone, just in case they need it.

Cellphone is a communication tool,like general phone,letter,e-mail.It is mobile and more convenient than other tools, that is why we take it anywhere we go in this busy society. Another reason for us to use communication tools is the distance. We want to communicate with someone who is far away from us. If your children need the two demands,then we should see whether they have the ability to use it.If they don't know how to use it,what the value cellphones are? And we should also worry about frauds by cellphone and children's self control.Well, in my opinion,if a child really need and he/she can use it well,I will buy one for him/her. Exact age? I don't know,and I can't make a decision just by one's age.

I think a 6 year old kid is able to operate the bais functions of a celphone well. That doesn't mean though that they should have one. Although, it could get in handy most of the time, expecially when your busy at work or running errands. Your kid can contact you and vice-versa anytime, anywhere if he has one. The problem though is if he'd lose it within a week. Most 6 year old aren't really conscious of their things so the tnedency wouldbe for them to lose the celphone. For paranoid parents though, I think it would help them be at ease to be able to track down their kids from time to time. As long as the child understands the importance and function of a cellular phone and if the situation really calls for one then I think it would be okay for them to own it.