kids and cell phones

[lovetheprincesses]

how old were your children when you gave them a cell phone??

 

[disney*mom*82]

Our ds got his for his 10th b day and our dd got hers for her 9th. They are involved in many sports and we cant always be at their practices so we like them to be able to call. Also when with friends, grandparents, park, etc. The have had them between 9mo-1.5 yrs and no problems, they r both responsible with them.

 

[Kae]

Ds got his when he was 10. Going to be 12 doesn't have texting. most of his friends live the next subdivsion over.

Kae

 

[lady9]

DS was 12 1/2 when he got his. He made the 7th grade boys basketball team and I liked him to be able to call so I know when to pick him up from away games. He does have texting which he pays for himself. I reserve the right to check his text messages. I frightens me what kids will text, IM, or post online about themselves and others. We do not allow him media access on his phone.

 

[NYCDiane]

My daughter was 9 going on 10 when I gave her her first cell phone. We are all over Manhattan all the time and if we ever get separated, we can call each other. Same goes for the malls/outlet centers. Much too easy to get separated there. Additionally, she gets off the school bus by herself in the afternoon and I want her to call me as she's walking home.

She's not permitted texting or web browsing or music/ringtone downloading (I have it blocked).

I think it's a good idea for kids to have cell phones. It's important for parents/kids to be able to have instant communication with one another.

 

[jfoofj]

My son will be 9 in October, and we added a 3rd line to our family plan ($10/mo thru verizon) and used my old phone. It is for special situations... when he goes camping w/ his Dad (my ex has a different cell phone service provider that is horrible, verizon works pretty much everywhere where we live), when he is going somewhere where he needs to be picked up, and sleepovers. He knows it isn't a toy and is ONLY to be used to call us in case of a change of plans or an emergency. He is too young to have it all the time, we call it the "kids" phone, as my step son has used it a few times too. Other than that, it is kept in a drawer in my room.

 

[locolala]

I was 17 when I got my first cell phone, and I had to pay for it myself. I was involved in horseback riding and spent all day at the barn when I was a kid. I'd call my parents when I was ready to come home, since there was a phone available for that purpose. Otherwise, parents didn't have contact with us kids. I had a half mile walk from the bus home when I took the bus to school, the only time I had a ride home was if I was injured and on crutches.. rain, snow, thunderstorm.. I walked home through all of those. My kids won't get a cell phone until they can pay for it themselves. Thats how it was for my husband and his siblings, and for me and my brother.. we all survived just fine.

 

[mzlee]

DS13 got his a month before his 13th birthday (Christmas gift). My DH didn't want me to get him one but he's in so many activities that I wanted to be able to call him or he could call me if he needed a ride. I finally took the plunge when after one activity I couldn't find him and I was histerical

 

[Dancemom03]

So glad you asked this... I was thinking of posting the exact same question with a poll. With the other kids it was middle & high school before we added them to our plan. DD19 got one for the start of sixth grade. It was sort of a rite of passage at that time and most of her classmates got phones then too. Now though, kids seem to have phones much younger.

When the older kids got their phones, we also had a landline so it's not like it was a neccessity but it was convienent. We cancelled our landline several years ago. There are school days when I'm running late and worry the bus will make it here before me. So far, it's only happened twice but DD8 was scared enough that first time to make me sorry I hadn't given her a cell phone. We live pretty far out and a neighbor with a daughter her age is a regsitered sex offender so any time DD8 is unsupervised I can't help but worry. As school gets ready to begin, I'm thinking again that a cell phone might be a good addition to the school supply list, but haven't actually bitten the bullet and done it yet.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

The now 15 year old got it at the end of 6th grade - 12. A nice Razor. He hasn't lost or damaged a phone, and is only on his second one. He pays for his texting - but is on a plan with me.

Now the 11 year old wanted one. Too early, but he spent all of his own $14 on a Tracfone with my blessing. He pays for his minutes - there's no contract so if he loses his phone, no big loss. Gotta love Tracfone.

 

[momto2inKC]

My daughter got hers when she was 9, my son has no interest in having one anytime soon. When he wants one, we'll get it for him.
For anyone looking for a deal on a monthly package...my daughter has Kajeet for her service provider. We pay $20 a month and that includes 150 minutes and UNLIMITED texting!!! She hardly uses up the minutes, usually just if it's me calling her. But of course texting is allll the kids seem to do these days, so it's really a good deal.

 

[msmayor]

Both my kids got their phones when they became freshman in HS. There simply was no need for them to have one before then other than because 'everyone else had one'.

 

[scrapquilter]

my daughter was 10

 

[mjantz]

My kids will be sharing one this year & they're 9 & 12. If we decide that they each need their own we'll do that but for now I think sharing will work just fine. We mainly need it for DDs dance classes when she's dropped off & picked up later.

 

[Hannathy]

My DD was 17. up till then if she was going somewhere she really needed it she would take mine.

My DS 11 doesn't have one and won't until at least high school. We will do the same thing, if he needs a phone he will use mine or my DH's

 

[NYCDiane]

I was 17 when I got my first cell phone, and I had to pay for it myself. I was involved in horseback riding and spent all day at the barn when I was a kid. I'd call my parents when I was ready to come home, since there was a phone available for that purpose. Otherwise, parents didn't have contact with us kids. I had a half mile walk from the bus home when I took the bus to school, the only time I had a ride home was if I was injured and on crutches.. rain, snow, thunderstorm.. I walked home through all of those. My kids won't get a cell phone until they can pay for it themselves. Thats how it was for my husband and his siblings, and for me and my brother.. we all survived just fine.

3

Sure, but when you were 17, cell phones were not nearly as common as they are now and they were much more expensive. Now, you can simply add a line for $10. In addition to that, things have changed a lot since you were a child ---- heck, when I was a child, we left the home at 8am and weren't expected back until 4:30pm. No cell phones, no pay phones, nothing. Yes we survived but, again, things were much different back then than they are now.

 

[DisMomme]

I feel like such a hypocrit. Someone asked this same question a few months ago and I responded that my kids would only get phones when they could pay for them. Well....3 months later and I gave in to my husband who wanted to get them trakfones for our trip to WDW instead of using walkie talkies. He convinced me this was the way to go. It was only a few $ more than the radios and they could each have one. It came preloaded with 3 months of service and 300 minutes each. They will not bring these to school and will have to use allowance $ to reload minutes. They will come in handy though for sports. Many times they want to ride the bus with the team and I hate waiting at the school for 1+ hours waiting for them to get back. Now they can call us when they are close.

They are 14 + 12.

 

[NYCDiane]

We live pretty far out and a neighbor with a daughter her age is a regsitered sex offender so any time DD8 is unsupervised I can't help but worry. As school gets ready to begin, I'm thinking again that a cell phone might be a good addition to the school supply list, but haven't actually bitten the bullet and done it yet.

In your situation, I would absolutely get her a cell phone. I don't know what provider you have but see what they charge to add a line. I have Verizon and it was only $10 to add a line and I got the phone free. If you can't get a deal like that, just get her a Tracfone (very inexpensive but just make sure you get coverage where you are). There are times when you just can't get back on time and it would be a great relief to know you can just call her or she can call you and you can be on the phone together as she walks home (which is what I do with my daughter when she gets off the bus if I'm not home)

 

[Candy Apple]

DS11 and DS9 (just started 6th and 4th grades)--no phone for either yet. At this point, if they are dropped off anywhere, like scouts or swimming, they know to ask the adult in charge to call us if we are not there at pick up time. This has never happened so far, but this is a lot cheaper option than $10 a month "just in case".

 

[edk35]

My daughter got hers summer going into 8th grade and my son was going into 5th. It was a buy one get one free and he did a lot of summer sports camps and she was at the dance studio and camps a lot too. My youngest son is going into 5th but he didn't take any summer camps this summer. He has wanted one since he was in 2nd grade. I see no need for him to have a line until he goes into middle school, so maybe in 6th grade.