should kids have cell phones?

I'm going to have to Disagree with you here-- Isn't Mylot great-- You get all kinds of opinions. Here is why I disagree- My daughter is 10- She has a cell phone- I put her on the family share plan with me- She is responsible. My daughter will walk to school next school year (September)-- by no choice of mine-- If you live in town when you enter the Middle school - kids are required to walk to school they can no longer ride the buses.. Our school district thinks this saves money- Now if you live in the country of course you can still ride the bus- So my daughter will have a phone for SAFETY! Unlike your thought that she shouldn't be there-- unfortunately she has to go to school-- Well not unfortunately.. And yes I have to work- Its just the way it is- Also my daughter is in several extra-curricular activities-- Alot of these practices and such let out early or late- She takes her phone to call me to let me know when she it is near done. I think responsible kids can have cell phones- We didn't need them growing up- OF course we didn't-- then again the world seemed much safer then-- There wasn't as many kidnappings and such. I walked to and from school without a phone-- If I was a kid now-- I wouldn't want to!

I hate to see them being used so much, but, for safety sake, I think I like them. Several kids have actually been written up in the newspapers and shown on TV as having been kidnapped, or having had someone try to kidnap them and they were saved by using their cellphones. A few years ago, there weren't so many perverts on the street trying to pick up kids. Also there werent so many households where both parents worked. This makes getting in touch with your kids necessary sometimes while they are away from you to arrange later pick up times or alternate after school care. What I would like would be cellphones that can be controlled by the parent. They feed the numbers in that their kids will be allowed to call and no others can be added. The same with receiving calls. I guess you can limit how many minutes are on the phones and keep track of how much time your child spends on the phone that way. Actually, it bothers me even more to see grown women and men walking around in stores or driving down the street using cellphones. And the conversations never seem to end. Especially if you are sitting next to them in a restaurant.

Well a few years ago I would have agreed with you but because cellphones are so prominent, payphones are no longer in abundance. My children are still very young too young for a cell phone but I do plan to purchase one of those phones that will only allow the child to call home. It doesnt even have any numbers on it just little pictures a male and female picture. I think that those are perfect for the younger kids. Check it out!

I think it is ok, so long as they are responsible with it, all kids need a little privacy and maybe a little trust from the parents, kids will get into things with or without a cell phone, you just need to teach them good and band and hope they listen thats what life is all about I guess.

This is the way I see it if it is a smaller kid there is blocks with some companies so you don't have to worry about the kids calling everywhere but home and or your sell phone. But my thing is and we wouldn't let our step daughters have them when they were with us. If a kid can pay the bill then shoot they can have the phone if they want it. Can't pay the bill then you don't need one. Hand em 5o cents and tell em if ya need something and you are in town use the pay phone or if at a friends call.

hey. I guess you're talking from America. I live in the UK and here most children have mobile phones. I think it's just more convenient, and parents like to know that they can ALWAYS contact their children. I use my mobile a lot too, because my boyfriend's family don't have a house phone, so it's the only way to get in touch. I respect your opinion, but "we all grew up without them, why do we need them today"... I'm sure there are alot of things you grew up without but you wouldn't get by without them today. The internet?? xx

no, i don't think kids should have a cell phone... they don't need it as such a young age... i don't own a cell phone until i am 19 and it is also because i study overseas and it is vey hard for my parents to contact me if i don't have a cell phone... i grow up without one too... so i think as long as the kids are still in school age, they don't need it... may be when they are already in uni or college, then they can own one... better still if they can bought it by using their own hard-earned money...

I see where you are coming from but if you live in a town that has a mall and your kids go to the mall how are you saposed to get ahold of them to tell themthey are late and need to come home. There was a time that I did not have a home phone and my son would come for visits. If he didnt have his cell phone my mother wouldent have been able to get ahold of me. There are cell phones out there that are specifically for children. It is called the Firefly, it is by Cingular. It dosnt have any numbers on it so the child cant call anyone they want to. It has an address book that the parent has to program for the child, and the child can only call who ever is in there address book and no one else. Also there is an emergency 911 buttion that the child has to hold in for a few seconds to connect to the police.

i think this generation should not be stop to have facility. this is now as a fashion and every one should have it.

telefone de pilhas deve ser muito bom pelomenos nao precisaria pagar conta de telefone

I used to feel the same way. I have a 12 year old and believe me, I let her borrow my cell phone when she is at her friends house or at a social function now. It gives her absolutely no excuse not to call. I used to use the famous, "there was no phone to use, so I couldn't call" excuse with my parents. As she is getting older and the world is getting more dangerous, I still feel the need to make her more independent, but it also teaches her responsibility as well. She calls me when she is getting ready to walk home from her friends house and when she arrives there or I can call her and tell her to be ready to go when I go to pick her up. So, when she is walking home I can time her and if something God forbid did happen I have a time line to go by. There are too many predators these days not to worry. So, in my opinion this gives me peace of mind as a parent. My parents told me that when we were younger, they worried more because they didn't have that modern convenience and that it's a good thing. Because I felt the same as you. I hope this offers a new view point to you. Thanks for posting this!

Cell phones have their place. The trouble with them is that the technology has turned everything into an emergency. People seem compelled to answer them and use them for the most trivial events. They interupt a conversation they are having to answer a phone call that 9 times out of 10 is some silly little call asking you to pick up the milk. They are great if you break down in the back of beyond or in the case of accident or injury. As for privacy, your kids will keep their secret from you if that is what they want to do, the cell phone just may make it easier to plot and plan. Our great, great, grandparents grew up without cars, perhaps we shouldn't have those!!!

I can see merits on both sides of this coin. First of all yes, giving a kid a cell phone does bring up that barrier where you as a parent won't know what is going on with your child. it also makes your kid more of a target for thiefs. Let's face it cell phones aren't cheap. Someone could mug the kid for his/her cell phone. On the other hand, yes, you can always get ahold of your child when you need him/her, it teaches your child responsibility (remaining under the specified monthly minute plan) or it could also end up costing you lots of $$. My son is only 4 yrs old so I ahve a very long time to wait before having to make this decision. I do not know if I will give him a phone or not.... I do know that there is know way I would give him a phone until he is at least 16 years old.... Any younger and I think it's silly.

I personally think that you have to look at several facts before you decide if your child needs a cell phone. Each child or circumstance is different. There are cell phones out there that parents have control over. You as the parent can say when a child is allow to use that phone, who they can call, and even have a locator. Personally that is the phone I will purchase for my children when the time comes.Then I know that I still have some control of the situation.

It's ok, because that way we can keep a check on them.

My brothers daughter got one for her 11th birthday and I personally think it was ridiculous in all honesty....My son has been bugging me for one this past school yr and i refuse because IMO its NOT necessary...and it is SUCH a huge distraction with the kids, they are forever texting, calling, playing games etc etc on them and I really think that is nonsense...So yea, my kids wont be getting one any time soon if I can help it....Hell I'm almost 40 and I have NEVER owned a cell phone...I know what a quarter looks like and a pay phone so I really see no need for one ya know..

for me kids should have cellphones too so that they can talk to their parents.

You don't say an age, but I got my son one, way befroe I planned on it, the first day of high school, I knew the late,late bus left at 5:30, it was 7:30 and he still was not home. I went to the school, he was not there. I got home, he still was not there. He got home, after a 3 hour ride on the bus. It was 30 in the morning. The next day, I told him not ride the bus, to call me at home, I would come and get him. His school of over 3,000 students had 2 pay phones, both of which were broken, by the tiem he walked to the other side of the school to find the 2nd broken phone, the bus had left. He ran into a friend that gave him a ride home. Schools are now treating young kids like little adults, they really often do have a need for cell phones. We found it to be a great thing. Hewent one time to a party that was full of freshmen. Two houses down a a house that was having a party with older kids who were drinking, among other things. My son felt uncomfortable because the older kids were sharing with the younger ones. The parents of the house where he was, had their handsful. Calling up the parents of the kids who were getting high and drunk from an unknown source. He called me to get him before he got in trouble. The cell phone was good thing.

no they should not be given mobiles why because in olden days there are no mobiles they are going for studying in schools what is the need then

i do agree with you. one reason is the cell phone is expensive for them. maybe some thief wil do some bad thing to the kids. the other is the cell phone is bad for the kids' health.