Cell phones for seven yr. olds?

[ChrisnSteph]

What did we all do before the invent of the cell phone? We all managed to survive without one.

We also survived without computers and email, garage door openers, remote controls and fax machines, however the world would come to a screechin' halt if we didn't have these things now, lol! My 10 y/o dd has a cell phone, we gave it to her when she turned 9. She only turns it on before she walks to and from school - it's off all other times. There are exceptions - she keeps it on if she's at a friend's house, if she's at an extra-curricular activity, and any other time we ask her too. We feel comfortable knowing that she has a way to instantly reach us when she's going to and from school, and when she's away from us. Fortunately she doesn't abuse it - in fact she doesn't even know the number to her cell phone so she can't give it out. She doesn't make a big deal out of it - half the time we have to remind her to take it with her.

 

[MrsNick]

Our neighbor boy was 8 y/o when he got his cell phone & I always saw him outside with it showing off. My DS is 10 & only lately have I been lending him mine when he's been going to the neighbors to play. There are 4 neighbors that they house hop too & sometimes I just don't know where he's at, so I give him my phone this way when it's time for him to come home, I just call the cell instead of calling all my neighbors trying to track him down.

Today cell phones are more necessity than luxury items. Do I think a 7 y/o needs a phone ~ not really, but it is nice if he's at a friends & you want to get a hold of him without bothering the people who's house he is at.

Well, I agree that technology is a good thing, but if I was at a friend's house and wanted to "hop" to another friend's house, I was always required to call home and just give a heads up to my mom. Even if a kid has a cell phone, I would still think that they should call home if they are leaving one location to go to another. Never would my parents have tolerated having to "track me down." I'd not have looked forward to the lecture...

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

My DD10 is currently negotiating for a cell phone. She starts middle school in the fall, and does a bunch of extra-curriculars, so I can see the value in her having one. Plus, they took out the pay phone that was outside our high school. It's a central school, all 12 grades, and that's where she is most evenings. Our issue is, she wants a "cooler" phone than Mom and Dad are willing to spring for, and doesn't care for the Firefly--too babyish. Now, she's not getting the MP3 player phone, no way, but I did say that if she pulls off straight A's by school year's end, she can pick out her own phone and we'll put her on our plan. If she can't do that, well, Christmas is coming--she can (and already does) borrow one of our phones if we see a need.

Actually, my DD is a pretty responsible kid, I think on her own, she would take care of it and not go nuts on minutes, etc., but a couple of her friends I could see calling her 20 times a day! That worries me more--her getting stuck paying for minutes that a friend ran up! I also want to watch out for IM'ing and don't want her to have a picture phone.

I see me getting DS8 a phone when he's about 16...maybe.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I can see a middle-schooler or high-schooler needing one more than I can a first or second grader. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.

You aren't old fashioned. I agree with you.

 

[Tantor]

Times have changed since we were kids. It's a different world now. Lots of weirdo's out there......
I would consider one for DD when she gets to middle school just for piece of mind.

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

When my ex-husband and I were divorced, EH bought DD, then 7, a cell phone so he could talk to her anytime he wanted to. Course his reasoning was that he hoped she would call him complaining and asking for him to come get her . DD is now 9 and we have the family plan. It is great. EH refuses to answer my calls and is never where he is supposed to be, so I can usually reach DD on her cellphone. She also can call me at work. She is not allowed to take her cell phone to school, however, nor is she allowed to call friends during the week, but may call them on the weekends when it is free.

 

[MAKmom]

Well, I agree that technology is a good thing, but if I was at a friend's house and wanted to "hop" to another friend's house, I was always required to call home and just give a heads up to my mom. Even if a kid has a cell phone, I would still think that they should call home if they are leaving one location to go to another. Never would my parents have tolerated having to "track me down." I'd not have looked forward to the lecture...

My kids have alot of friend in the neiborhood they must call if they go INSIDE the house, but if they are just in the yard no. I still have to track them down in back yards. Kids run all over the place playing games. With the cell phone they can call without bothering the parnets. If someone else is using the land Line you have to turnover your cell for a kid to call home.

 

[MsLeFever]

DS (7 at the time) asked Santa for a cell phone this past Christmas. Santa actually started laughing.

And he didn't get one. Shoot - I just got one a week ago!

 

[mickeyfan2]

No need for a 7 year old to have a cell phone. If they misses the bus at school, then he can call from school. I would not leave a 7 year old at a bus stop and got to work.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Yeah, I saw that ad. It bore no resemblance to reality. No 7-year old is going to be standing all alone in front of a school if he misses the bus. If you want to buy your 7-year old a phone, do it, but don't pretend it's a need! 7 year olds should never be left alone in a position where they'd need a phone.

My thoughts exactly! My DS is 7 and he won't be getting a cell phone anytime soon.

 

[janet715]

Pretty soon, diapers will have built in cell phone pockets.

 

[golfgal]

Our oldest got a cell phone last year when he was in 7th grade. It was more for my convenience then anything, coming back from cross country meets he could call when they got to town and I could pick him up otherwise I would have to got to the school and sit and wait for the bus. It also makes after school pick ups easier. He doesn't use his phone for anything but calling home. I think in the 1 1/2 years he has had the phone he has used about 50 minutes, maybe. When DD is old enough to need a cell, I am sure that will be a different story.

The only phone the school has for kids to call home is a pay phone and it costs 50 cents/call. It is less expensive to put him on our plan the for him to use the pay phone as needed. Our district actually encourages kids to bring cell phones to school for after school stuff but doesn't allow them to use them during the school day. If they need to make a call home for something important, they will sometimes let them call home from their cell phones in the office. A couple weeks ago, DS13 needed some supplies for a science experiment and forgot them. My kids get one mom bringing something to school trip a quarter and he was able to call me from his cell in the office for that.

I don't see why an elementary aged student would need a phone though. All of the schools I have been too have bus supervisors so if a child missed a bus, they would be taken care of. Also, being younger, there is usually a free phone for kids to use if they need to call home.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I don't get the need for kids having cell phones.

Unless the Grandparents get it for them, my kids will not have one until they can pay for it themselves. DH doesn't even have one.

They don't need one at school, ours are taken and picked up from school by parents and/or grandparents. Even when DD goes to Jr High, she will be able to ride the bus to her grandparents house in the afternoon, what the heck does she need a cell phone for??? If she has some kind of practice, someone will be there at the scheduled time to pick her up. If she is at a friends house and needs to call us, can she not use her friends home phone? I plan on knowing pretty much where she is if she isn't at our house and so I can call her (b/c I will know the phone # of where she is).

I guess I would say I wouldn't see a problem w/ it once they started driving (for safety reasons). Up until then, forget it!! JMHO!

 

[Hannathy]

My DD is 14 and doesn't have a cell phone. Possibly when she is driving in a couple of years. If she is going somewhere I really think she needs one I will give her ours. She is in a lot of extras also but most have an approximate end time and I'm not a neurosurgeon so my time is not so valuable I can't take a book and wait 10 minutes and the same for her. Of course we are so out of touch and ancient we only have 1 cell phone in the family.(money saved for Disney) There is no need for a seven year old. If it is so dangerous an area they need a cell to be safe, should they be alone?

 

[disneyfanz04]

I guess it is more of a "peace of mind" thing for me. I know that if she needs me for anything I am just a phone call away, and vice-versa.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

No 7-year old is going to be standing all alone in front of a school if he misses the bus. If you want to buy your 7-year old a phone, do it, but don't pretend it's a need! 7 year olds should never be left alone in a position where they'd need a phone.

I have to say, school bus mishaps happen all the time at our Public School. Some of the routes they have designed are just ridiculous. They will pick a first grader up at the Elementary campus, bus her to the Intermediate Center (5th and 6th Grade) then she has to get off and transfer to another bus, which then runs by the High School and picks up a few kids.... and then finally starts taking kids home. The "lose" kids all the time. Kids miss their transfer bus, get on the wrong bus.... the Bus Company solution is to wait until the route is finished and then see whether or not they have any kids left. Then they take them home. If that happens to your kid, they don't make it home until 5:30 to 6:00pm.

It got so bad a couple of years ago, that Kindergarten and First Grade Moms were desiging their own minivan carpool systems to keep their kids off that bus system. It seems like the paper does a "story" on it every year, and then they hold special meetings -- but the problems continue.

 

[mommaU4]

I must say this has been interesting to read all the replies so far and see how to some it's a necessity and for others purely a luxury.

Guess it all depends on alot of factors including where you live, your kids schedules, their maturity level, finances, etc.

I still personally think 7 is too young. My oldest is 11 and he's never even asked me about one. We live out in the boonies and sometimes can't even get a signal for ours, so I don't know if him having one would do much good.

We only have one cell phone now that DH usually uses since he's on the road more often. And we've only had that for about 3 years. Maybe only two. Can't remember.

I think I agree that when they start driving is a good time to get them one and that's probably what we'll stick to for our family. Or maybe when they start dating. Which ever comes first. Luckily none of the kids have asked for one yet.

BTW, I also think it's amazing how things we once did fine with out are now such an important part of our daily life. Crazy huh?

 

[In a hurry]

Times have changed since we were kids. It's a different world now. Lots of weirdo's out there......
I would consider one for DD when she gets to middle school just for piece of mind.

There have always been weirdo's.

I don't think the "average" 7 year old needs a phone. Although there are always those stories that are not the norm, and it is appropriate.

I can't imagine my daughter being anywhere at that age where she couldn't call me, i.e. friend's home, or school. I think that adult supervision is key, rather than monitoring, or planning for a "what if."