At what age is it appropriate to give your child a cell phone?

[KimR]

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If I didn't have a 12 year old that used to not like calling land lines, I would probably wonder too.

I'm in my 40s and I hate calling land lines. I'm uncomfortable talking on the phone, especially to strangers and I like knowing who is going to pick up the phone when I call. I love the fact that I can now get in touch with my kids without having to call their friends' houses.

 

[Jeniferdwn]

My dd got a cell phone at 8 because she spent the night with a friend (I knew and trusted the family) and I couln't get in touch with her or the parents. She now has a phone so that anytime we or just her are away from home, she can get in touch with me and I can get in touch with her. We share the smallest amount of minutes and texts and that is fine with us.

 

[heatherleigh]

I read an article recently that advised to wait as long as possible. There was no specific age, but once you get the phone there is no turning back. I've been debating getting one for my 8-yr old because we do not have a landline.

 

[MusiqChic99]

My neice is 11 and she has one. She is very much irresponsible with it. She leaves it places and is very rude when she had it (texting during dinner, ignoring others around her because she is too busy with the phone)

I was 21 years old before I got my first cell phone. It was then that I was able to afford a new car and a cell phone because I had a job. My parents never even thought to get me one.

DH and I have had talks about it and we both agreed that we will probably be the worst parents in the world because our kid who is now just 4, will be the only 8 year old without a cell phone. LOL

Id almost bet my child won't have one until he pays for his own. Unless he is just so active in sports but even then it would be high school before he got one.

 

[2girlsmom]

I confess that I gave them younger than we originally thought we would; my kids were 10 and 8. They got them after the school put them on 2 DIFFERENT BUSSES, both going to the wrong place, a place they would be unattended, instead of the child care place they were supposed to go to. Luckily in that case, the child care owner called my cell when they didn't get off the correct bus, and I took off and found them, after numerous calls between the school, the bus barn, etc. But we decided it was not worth it to us for them NOT to be able to contact us. Initally we input our contact numbers, our parents, my sister, etc (all the trusted family adults, basically), and then security locked their phones so they could only send or receive calls from those numbers. In the past year we have unlocked their phones so they can call & text their friends (they are now 13 and almost 11) My 13 year old probably sends 10 texts a week at most. My 10 year old less than that, and half hers are to me. They do also have access to a computer with internet, and my 13 year old has gotten VERY into Skype/Oovo on it, much prefers to video chat with her friends over using their cell phones.