Kids and cell phones...

Hello I would say 14 or 15 is a good age to start, my sister gave my 11 year old niece a cell phone which was really stupid because they are not suppose to take them to school and this is exactly what she does with it, I told my sister not to do this, but she said she needs to know when she gets to school safe, they live 7 blocks from the school, how about you get your butt up and walk with her this way you will know for sure that she got their safe really silly, if the school find out they will take it away, why allow her to break the rules when you can just walk with her and this way there will be no problems, or worse someone can steal her phone then what Thank you, great discussion.

Society has changed SO much since I was a young girl. I remember having to use a regular house phone to call home and check in. We never had cell phones when I was younger. Now that it is 2009, there are a lot of kids who have cell phones. My opinion on this is that I think 9 and 11 is way too young to have a cell phone. I think that when a child is old enough to work and pay for their own cell phone then they can have one. It is good that they have a cell phone though for emergencies, but they can always use a house phone to call to check in. A young child could lose the cell phone and if you paid a lot of money for it, then what? And, there are a lot of weirdos out there that can get a hold of their number and then call to taunt them. Technology has come a long way, that is for sure. It is amazing how kids know so much more than adults do!

It is normal now for kids of that age to have cellphone. As long as they know it is for emergencies only or if they need a ride home after school activites. I think most parents get cell phones for their kids so the kids can call if they are going to friends or when they are leaving to come home from friends. They know where their kids are at.

Nowadays, kids having cellphone is normal. The youth today is intelligent and wise. They know how to use computers at a very young age. In case of emergency they know who will they call and you can contact them at anytime even you are far away. Your worries will lessen because you have talked to them. Cell phones are by far useful to anyone who knows how to use it especially kids aged 9 and 11 with proper guidance from parents.

I do not agree that a 9 or a 11 child uses the cell phones,they are too young to control themselves,maybe it will tskes them much time to play it.and during that time they should take more time on their study.

My kids who are 10 and 12 respectively have cellphones. They had them now for nearly 2 years which means, they were 8 and 10 when they got them. We think this is just the right age to get them one. Actually, our purpose in getting them phones was so that we could track them whenever they are out with friends or at the mall where we would tend to get separated (they want to check other shops while we are grocery shopping, for e.g.). They don't bring their phones to school and they are not hooked on their phones. We explained to them that their phones should be used for emergencies only and for tracking each other. If they want to call their friends, they use the landline (which is cheaper). Both their phones are pre-paid by the way, I hardly top them off with credit.

I think giving cell phones to kids or even teen can be quite dangerous as they may use it for wrong means.Since teenage is the age when a person cannot distinguish between whats good and bad for them, and giving cell phones at this times for their wish is an unwanted step but the parents and if done so them carefulness is needed.

I think that 9 and 11 is way too young for kids to have a cellphone. I think even 14 is pushing it. I think that parents should wait until their kids are in their teens and can be a bit more responsible. I think cellphones are more important when they are older because kids tend to get themselves into worse situations when older and if they have a cellphone around they might be able to call someone that can help them or to help them make a better choice.

I think it's alright for children to have cellphones. Today cellphones are very common. And I think people have it more than computer. So why not children have cellphones? It's not expensive. At least their parents can contact the children when it's necessary. And children can also use it in the emergent time. I love China

I'm torn on this one--one of the reasons I'm not a parent is so I don't have to make decisions like this. My instinct is telling me it's too young, but if they go out and about with their friends a lot, they might need them for emergencies. I didn't get one until I was 17, but that's going back six years already, and technology has changed so much in six years. Crime has, too--it's not as safe for kids to be out with their friends anymore, even in groups. So I really don't know...it's a parent's decision, and I guess it depends on the kid. But I don't think I would get my kids cell phones that young, if I had kids.

ya kids are getting addicted to phones and internet thses days. one should stop them for doing so bec. its not good for them.

in my opinion the need for childrem to use the cell phone may be different from family to family and from situation for situation and of course even in these situation we must have in mind the responsability of the child. i think that may be useful to give a child a cell phone when they go on a school trip for example, but i fdon't agree in giving childrem cell phones when they are at school (at least when they are young).

will as me from PH cell phone here is cheap but depends on what brand and kinda unit of cellphone...and lots people here nah just had 1 cellphone but they had 2 to 5 cell phone...coz here mostly we had a manner that even we had new cell phone we still keep the old one...and i got kids all of them had cell phone including my 10yrsold but he had it when his 8yrs old.....cell phone so ordinary different kind of class people had it as long they can afford especially china cellphone came out that so cheap .... and we go back to your question will if you asked me that age is enough to had cellphone ..and by the way even 5yrs old had cellphone as long the kids knows how to use but mostly kids with cellphone what there best is the games in the cell phone and the purpose we give kids cellphone that if ever the parents out and the most in case of emergency...they can still contact there kids...or kids contact them....

I think its too young. Kids that young shouldn't be in a position where THEIR personal cell phone is the only phone available to them. Whether its a house phone or a grown ups cell phone they should have access to a phone if needed. But to give a child the responsibility of a cell phone when theres no 'need' for one is unnecessary. Its become a popularity contest - who has the best features? Who gets the most texts? Who has the newest model? Its a game to them, and an expensive game at that.

I bought my son a cell phone when he was 12. The reason I bought it for him was because I don't have a home phone and he was home by himself for a little while when I was working late nights, I didn't want him to be without communication and I wanted to call and check on him. He's older now, we have a home phone now, but he still has his phone, he goes and stays with his dad every other weekend and I want him to have the phone in just in case he gets in an argument with his dad or step mom and needs to come home.

Generally speaking a phone be it a land line or a cell is ment for communications and not for play, why does anyone keep a phone to know about the news or talk about important bussiness but it is an other thing that some people just want to show off that they too possess a mode of communication for nothing. I have come accross people using cell phones to talk as if they are talking to the opposite party directly and they wave their hands as if they are standing nearby and they shout too so that, maybe (they think that, damn this instrument, he/she can hear me without it too, if I just have to shout...lol. I have seen people whisper on it so no one should hear what they talk...but talking about kids having a cell phone is meaningless.., what have they got to communicate at this age 9 - 11...they are not even in their teens and mind you there is a radiation effect too to keep the instrument near ones chest near the heart. Using the right side of the ear is even more dangerous to talk, there is a gland on the right side of the ear that is susceptible easily to brain tumours.

ia really think that age is to young, but then if they are responsible enough and don't misuse them, then it should be okay. If they have the phone for emergencies ony, then I can understand getting them one. Fortunately, when my kids were young, they didn't have cell phones, so I never had to worry about them losing them or misusing them. My son has 2 kids that are 7 and 10, and neigher one of them will have a cell phone for a long time, as he says they are way to young to have them. Of course they have phones that don't work, and that is okay. My grandson who is 10. would like to have a phone, but like my son said, he is to young and will have to wait. I do agree with him. Have a good day, and happy mylotting.

In China,parents buy their children a cell phone when they are live away from them.I mean child often live in school when they are in high school.So inorder to keep in touch with their child, parents buy the child a cellphone.If a child is a high school student, he or she should be more than 16 years old.

I think when they come to college