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- Mar 24, 2005
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Ok I just answered Weds question of the day and I just HAD to ask this one.
How old do you think kids need to be to have a cell phone? Smartphone?
Do you think it matters if you've still got a landline in the house or not?
Just curious.
My oldest was in 6th grade when EVERYONE started getting cell phones. I can't tell you how mad she got when BFF got one- and she didn't. I saw no need for it. She wasn't driving- never went anywhere that I couldn't get her AND we had a landline.
First cell phone she got was in 9th grade. She was going on a trip with orchestra to Chicago, and the music teacher wanted the kids to have phones. I was going to give her mine- and then dh and I talked about it. Seeing that she had her permit- could potentially be driving in a year- we both felt she needed something. So she got a "no-frills" phone ( that was 4 years ago- smartphones were just coming out) She wasn't thrilled with it- but it worked.
Her sister got a phone right before she started high school. We had put mom on our plan. When my dad passed away, I didn't like her driving around in an older vehicle with no cell phone. So we put her on ours (my sister got miffed- they were taking too long IMHO). She was in the process of moving, and wanted to do something different with the phone. (BIL got her an iPhone and she HATES IT, she's terminating the service when her contract is up in April). We figured that since she'd be driving soon, and the phone was already paid for- dd could have it. It had problems. The battery had no life (the darn phone was over 6 years old!)
Last Christmas, dh decided to upgrade both kids to smartphones. They were so surprised
I kind of felt it overkill at first. But I have to admit- I like the fact that I can text dd at school, and she is far better at answering texts than she is her phone. The youngest needed something reliable b/c she's months away from her licence. And she's gone to a whole bunch of things this year that she's needed her phone for.
We also got rid of our landline in Dec. All we were getting on it was telemarketers anyways. It's free long distance after 7 weekdays and all weekends. And even so- we've got 700 minutes of phone time that we never use (calls to our phones and anyone else who has verizon are free)
I ask this b/c I know people who have younger children. And one of them said that half of her child's 5th (yes 5th) grade class had cell phones. Some even had smartphones. Some parents justify it by saying that they don't have a landline in the house anymore- and their kid needs a phone if they aren't home. Ok. I guess I can understand.
Thoughts?
Cheryl
How old do you think kids need to be to have a cell phone? Smartphone?
Do you think it matters if you've still got a landline in the house or not?
Just curious.
My oldest was in 6th grade when EVERYONE started getting cell phones. I can't tell you how mad she got when BFF got one- and she didn't. I saw no need for it. She wasn't driving- never went anywhere that I couldn't get her AND we had a landline.
First cell phone she got was in 9th grade. She was going on a trip with orchestra to Chicago, and the music teacher wanted the kids to have phones. I was going to give her mine- and then dh and I talked about it. Seeing that she had her permit- could potentially be driving in a year- we both felt she needed something. So she got a "no-frills" phone ( that was 4 years ago- smartphones were just coming out) She wasn't thrilled with it- but it worked.
Her sister got a phone right before she started high school. We had put mom on our plan. When my dad passed away, I didn't like her driving around in an older vehicle with no cell phone. So we put her on ours (my sister got miffed- they were taking too long IMHO). She was in the process of moving, and wanted to do something different with the phone. (BIL got her an iPhone and she HATES IT, she's terminating the service when her contract is up in April). We figured that since she'd be driving soon, and the phone was already paid for- dd could have it. It had problems. The battery had no life (the darn phone was over 6 years old!)
Last Christmas, dh decided to upgrade both kids to smartphones. They were so surprised
We also got rid of our landline in Dec. All we were getting on it was telemarketers anyways. It's free long distance after 7 weekdays and all weekends. And even so- we've got 700 minutes of phone time that we never use (calls to our phones and anyone else who has verizon are free)
I ask this b/c I know people who have younger children. And one of them said that half of her child's 5th (yes 5th) grade class had cell phones. Some even had smartphones. Some parents justify it by saying that they don't have a landline in the house anymore- and their kid needs a phone if they aren't home. Ok. I guess I can understand.
Thoughts?
Cheryl