Is it ok for a child / children to have their own mobile phone / cellphone?

Hi airasheila, Yes, I think it is okay for children to have their own cellphones. I work at an elementary school, and when we are testing students, we are surprised at how many of them pull out cellphones, which are forbidden to have during testing, out of their pockets or bags. These students are between the ages of nine to twelve years old, third to fifth grade. I am willing to bet some of the younger students have cellphone too. It really is up to the parents to determine if the child or children are mature enough to be responsible to take care of the phone and to obey the school or their rules about when to or not use it. Cellphones have become part of our norm. No matter what budget anyone is on, they have a cellphone and find some financial meanings of keeping the service in good standing. Priorities! If there is more than one child at the age of responsibility and wants a phone as well, this account could become quite substantial. Who gets the phone is totally up to the parents.

I've seen school children as young as 7 years using mobile phones. The reason some parents give is to be able to contact their children in case they are late from school. I believe in starting young. But I also believe using handphones in young children should also come with responsibility. They should be taught about the purpose and their responsibility of carrying handphones. Besides they should also know how to keep them safe and know when to use them in school.

I agree that a cell phone is now a necessity but a twelve year old does not need a cellphone. Why would a twelve year need a cell phone? I know that there are certain circumstances where a twelve year has to go to school far away from home and needs to stay in touch with his/her parents. That would a be a circumstance where I agree that a child should have a phone. But I think that it's appropriate for a child to get a cell phone when he/she is in high school because most of the time they are traveling far away from home and need a cell phone in case of an emergency. But I see little kids here around eleven or twelve with cell phones and it doesn't make sense because they go to school right across the street! But I guess most parents don't agree and think that a child can have a cell phone at any age. Next thing you know we are going to see babies with their own cell phones.

I think it is okay to buy and give them mobile phone. However, you have to buy them something that is not too expensive. You don't need to buy them a very expensive one, call and text function is okay. It seems they are still children you have the right to check all the messages in their phone. This phone should be used to communicate with them, and to check them from time to time location.

for me it's a yes..for you to call easily you'r kids and our kids can reach you if there were any emergencies happening at home.

I think its good that kids are getting cell phones i dont even have a home phone neither does my dad we just use are cell phones. it great if you have an emergency they can call the nessecary people to get help. i had my first pager when i was 12 or 13 not long after i had my first cell phone. i think ant where from the age 12 and up is good to have a cell phone as long as they use it for emergencys it great for kids to have them.

I didn't get my first one till I was 18, and I paid for it myself. I don't understand these kids with cellphones... seems rather expensive to me.

Well, this is coming from someone that didn't get her first mobile phone until her mid 30's, but, what can I say, it took me a little bit before I broke down and bought one. Actually, the decision was made for me, in some aspects. A job that I worked wouldn't allow personal calls of any kind to come into the office, even if it were a severe enough family emergency. They didn't care. So, I broke down and got a cell phone. This was so my children could reach me should there have been a problem. Now on the aspect of a child having a cell phone. First off anyone under the age of 10 doesn't need one. It isn't a necessity in the aspects that many people are saying it is. It is a want and a desire that many people have developed. For our family, it was told to our children that if they could afford to buy one with money they earned. they could have one. Each of our children did just that. They earned their phones on their own. Our children today, don't understand the aspect of earning things. It is like parents feel they should just give their children anything they want. I'm sorry, I feel this is wrong. Look at how many families now have their 20+ year old children still living at home and not working but living off of what the parents have. Come on, cut the cord already, teach that child some self respect and how to actually perform as an adult. Sorry, I'll get off of my soap box now.

I don't feel like a child who is seven or eight years old needs a cell phone. My eight year old son still tries to play with my cell phone even though I have told him many times that it is not a toy. Older kids middle school or high school, I can see that. By that time they should be responsible enough to understand that a cell phone is not a toy and know to use it only in emergencies. There are a few circumstances where it would be ok for a younger child but very few.

for me the age of children have their own mobile will be at age of 13, but it's really a potential health hazards.

its not ok for a child to have personal mobile phone because he may get addicted to it.it is dangerous in the form of radiations also.it may be useful for comunication but there are more disadvantages then advantages.the mobile should be given after the age of 18 only.

i think it's not ok . I know cellphone is necessary but for a child / children . I don't think so . They will get bad not good

I think children should not have their own cellphone before middle school.There are several reasons.Firstly,the children who are before middle school are too young to have cellphones.They still lack of self-control,and,as we all know,there are so many games in cellphones for their customers to play nowadays that children will have a great chance to addict to them,which will also affect their study so much.Secondly,children at this age lack of self-protection too.Cellphones are not such cheap things and they are easily stolen or children are cheated out of their cellphone by others.For the reasons that children are too young, parents and children are not far to each other,so cellphones are not necessary in this period.

yes... children as early as six or school aged children should have their own mobile phones as long as they know how to use them and keep it safe... this is useful for both of the children and their parents for any emergencies at home or in school or anywhere else for any emergency situations. provided that parents should teach their child how to use and instruct them that mobile phones are not a toy; for sure children at that age will understand.

I think there isn't any law against that then why shouldn't they use a cell phone? They probably use it better than adults

I think that If a child is old enough to be away from their parents aka like kindergarden then they should have an emergency phone. Where I grew up there were constantly tornadoes and the school would shutdown , but a bus would not go to my house because I lived outside of its routes. If I would have had a cell phone to call my mother and tell her that their was a tornadoe and I was left at the school, GOD it would have made my life so much easier and safer! I would recomend a cell phone for a child , but only as an emergency line to their parents until at least 16 then it can be a talk to friends cell phone. Also when I got my cell phone is when this guy tried to kidnap a kid and the kid took a picture of the license plate of the person trying to abduct him and sent it to the police and they caught the guy! If/when I have kids I will be getting them a cell phone.