With 90 percent of Americans having a cell phone, and an increasing amount of children racking up minutes in family plans, how young is too young, in your opinion?


Reference:
CNET Article

When they are old enough to be taught the value of a dollar and understand how fast it can go when spent unwisely.

With so many choices of unlimited minutes for 30 to 40 dollars a month, I don't understand why anyone is still paying for minutes personally.

I gave my son one at 10 for various reasons.

I don't think there is an appropriate or inappropriate age, personally. I think it is the parent's choice depending on familial circumstances and the maturity level of the child in question.

I worked for a large American cell phone company, you would not believe the phone calls I would get requesting their phones be marked lost or stollen due to their 7 year old losing the phone. A lot of parents didn't realize, 2 year contract, is just that... a 2 year contract. Just because your 7 year old lost the phone, doesn't mean the contract goes away. I think it really depends on each individual. Kids are maturing at a way faster rate than the kids my age when I was 7-12. I think now a days, having a cell phone might be the only way you can keep contact with your kids.

I don't think there is a specific age for this. When deciding whether to give your kid a cell phone, you should take some things into consideration. When the child is in school there is no need for it, since you can get a hold of them through the schools phones, and they can get a hold of you. You have to determine whether there is a legitimate need for a cell phone. Such as a first time driver, a cell phone for emergencies would be a good thing. As a parent, it might be wise to give a cellphone to your kid, if you are away a lot. But the child in question also needs to understand the purpose of the cell phone, and be mature enough not to abuse it.

I got mine at 12. I feel that's fair. It meant I had already been in senior school for a few months and seen everyone else with phones so had something to look forward to getting, but was also old enough to deserve/need one.

X Dani

Hmmm, I just confiscated an iPhone off a six year old in my class yesterday.

Dani... UK is usually far and above the US in cell phones that are available. US generally tends to see the same ones a bit later, although the gap is somewhat shrinking. Some really nice package deals over the years too! Hubby received a free little TV with one of his years back.

Oooh, I didn't know that! Thought the USA were miles ahead. You get movies first, after all! XD

X Dani

10 and is to yong

I'm 13 and I still don't have a phone. I would love to have one but I understand that it is up to my mom and I can get one when she decides, or whenever I am able to pay for my own. I know plenty of parents make their children wait till they are old enough to pay for it themselves(although that number of parents is shrinking).

One of my main points of persuasion to getting a phone is that if I need to get into contact with her. But I know that I can use a friends phone.

I think kids should have a phone on condition that they get it taken away when they misbehave. A phone is a privilege, not a right. The time of getting a phone doesn't depend in age, it depends on the maturity of the child and the financial situation the parents are in.

Well, also if they have a mean stepdad that doesn't like them, like in my situation :P

I don't think a child should have a cellphone until they can earn the money to pay for it themselves.

The ONLY exception I would ever make, is when one parent is sending a child to the non custodial parents house. You never know when a cell might be needed in that situation.