Cell phones for kids

[scooter1369]

How old is the youngest you'd allow your child(ren) to have a cell phone?

 

[bearonu]

I voted for 13, but it was a quick vote and didn't give it any thought. I would like to change my answer and definitely say 15-16 before they got a cell phone, although I am sure they will want one much sooner than that.

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

My 12 year old babysits now and that was all the reason we needed to give her a cell phone. It added $10 a month to the bill.

My seven year old has one that does not have servcie and she has figured out how to use all the functions they stick on phones that I never used or needed. Camera, voice recorder, alarm clock, calculator and a few others.

 

[gregorylee]

I voted older being determined that when he is old enough to get a job and pay for it himself he can have one.

 

[SanAntonioBuck]

I voted 13, my daughter is very responsible. She only uses it to called us to pick her up from basketball & volleyball practices. Oh, we let her use it on the weekends to gab to all her girlfriends.

 

[daddyphatsacs]

I would have said 3 years old, I mean, I want my child to be a neighborhood player at a young age.

 

[exhawg]

I made the mistake of adding my mom and brother to my plan. We have 550 minutes between the 3 of us and this month he used 440 of them. Just make sure you keep a handle on your kids so they don't get out of control with the phone (i.e. free mobile-to-mobile or emergencies). I'll probably get my kids phones when they get to the point that I'm going to have to run around and pick them up places. I voted for 14 since that is around the beginning of HS.

 

[Beenthere77]

We have Cricket out here on the left coast which offers unlimited minutes/text messages. Works really nice in keeping a tap on your kids. Also, if they have to stay after school for some reason, you're not sitting out in the parking lot waiting for them. Plus you're not constantly getting up to answer your landline because your kid's friends are calling. School is very strict about their use and we forbid our kids from using them while driving. I put 14 because of the replacement costs.

 

[Mike80]

I would've answered "As soon as they are old enough to hold a job to pay for it", but that wasn't an option.

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

I can see the next poll.
How many minutes on your plan?
I travel more than 50% of the time and my wife is always on the move with the kids. I think we got the 1200 minute plan and have only come close to that once at 1000 minutes.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

14 seems about right to me for a child who has shown a pretty high level of responsibility. For a normal teen, I'd say 16.

 

[BB73]

14 seems about right to me for a child who has shown a pretty high level of responsibility. For a normal teen, I'd say 16.

I'm buying this, so I compromised and voted for 15. If the kid is younger and babysitting, that's a legit reason to have one. But they should understand that you'll be reviewing their calls and minutes used each month before they get the phone in their hands.

 

[CCI]

I got my daughter a cell phone on her 16th b-day and it was on a verizon plan and do i regret it. i had to pay all the extra minutes she went over. She went over every month, she's a teenager and they use the phone all the time .

A pre paidcell phone for a teenager is the best cause when they run out of minutes it's on them to get another card for minutes.

 

[buckeyebri]

My daughter is very responsible and has always used her cell phone well. She has had it since she was 13, mainly for sports pick ups...

 

[BuckPshrink]

My oldest son has had one for 2 years (since he was 13). A requirement for our home; I limit the minutes however. (tracphone!)