cell phones & kids

[mama2one]

I see neighbor kids get off bus & immediately their heads are down looking @ phones

our teen is in 7 th grade & I'm not ready to give her a cell anytime soon
husband gave me one for Christmas the yr we became parents as he said "in case of emergency"
he's the only one who has my no. as I won't give it out to anyone

so I just feel kids don't need them

am I being unreasonable?
btw, she hasn't asked for one....yet

 

[angelsaroundme]

they have special phones for kids when you want to be able to call them but don't want them online and all that. whenever you decide to get them one, that might be worth looking into.

Gabb Phone

 

[JAM2b]

Their use can be monitored and restricted. For many kids having a cell phone is necessary because they spend time without their parents while they work. My kids got a phone at a young age (8 and 11) because I was a single mom without help. Also with so much being online, kids often need access to the internet for school purposes and a smartphone can be a good option for that in the absence of a computer.

Cell phone use doesn't have to be extreme, and having one doesn't automatically mean an individual kid is going to access something they should not or do inappropriate texting.

My kids went to a New Technologies High School. The students were allowed to use their phone and tablet in school as long as it was not during instruction time and they were not working on a group projects at the moment. The theory at the school was that by allowing them access to their phones and other technology they were being given the opportunity to learn appropriate use of it and to practice gaining self-control about when and how to use it.

You don't have to get your kid a phone, but doing so doesn't have to mean the worst case scenario is going to happen.

 

[bèlla]

My daughter didn't have a phone in grammar school and I'd do the same now. High school is a different story. And I was on the fence then. But relented due to her schedule.

 

[mama2one]

I see kids having phones more as a negative than positive

 

[*LILAC]

"If they can't pay for their own phone and the bill, they're not ready to have one."

Or at least that's the motto I always heard when my kids were younger! I see babies in grocery stores all the time with a screen in their face. So sad to see!

Waiting until she's older won't be a bad thing. And if she's not asking, don't worry about it!

 

[Skye1300]

I see neighbor kids get off bus & immediately their heads are down looking @ phones

our teen is in 7 th grade & I'm not ready to give her a cell anytime soon
husband gave me one for Christmas the yr we became parents as he said "in case of emergency"
he's the only one who has my no. as I won't give it out to anyone

so I just feel kids don't need them

am I being unreasonable?
btw, she hasn't asked for one....yet

I say don't get her a cell phone! Kids don't need it. It does more harm than good.

 

[mama2one]

I say don't get her a cell phone! Kids don't need it. It does more harm than good.

kids aren't allowed to use them at school or bus so why do parents pay for their kids to have a phone to use limited hours?

I told teen if she needs to call anyone, use husband's phone
we also sent his phone with her when she was gone for hours for speech/debate tournaments

 

[tturt]

But they can phone you or the police if there is an emergency.