kids and cell phones..

[felifreshh]

What age is right to give a kid a cellphone and what rules/restrictions would you give them?

[Rizzle Mizzle]

Whatever age the kids' parent(s) think is appropriate for their child. I think kids texting and sending pictures and videos back and forth is where the real trouble is.

[Amber]

Up to the parent. For ME, and ME PERSONALLY, I would not give my kid a phone until they were a latch key kid. And it would not have texting enabled, just my number, grandparents number, Sam's number, and emergency numbers enabled.

[Saigon]

Originally Posted by Rizzle Mizzle Whatever age the kids' parent(s) think is appropriate for their child. I think kids texting and sending pictures and videos back and forth is where the real trouble is.

Highly agree.

[Honeybee]

Originally Posted by Rizzle Mizzle Whatever age the kids' parent(s) think is appropriate for their child. I think kids texting and sending pictures and videos back and forth is where the real trouble is.

I think kids should get a cell phone when they start driving and that's about it.

If they're in afterschool activities and very active between 13 and 16, then I'd give my child a cell phone so they'd be able to contact me and let me know if practice was ending early/cancelled so I could come pick them up if I wasn't staying the whole time. And at that point they'd only be able to call me, their father, emergency contacts, etc. No "fun" numbers.

[*~Robyn~*]

We bought our oldest one when she turned 11. Up to the parent tho'.

[felifreshh]

I'm asking when YOU (general) think it's okay to give YOUR (general) child a cell..

[GeronimoPrincess]

My children do not need one before they are about 14 and then it will be one for the purpose of getting in touch with me or their father when they are either at a friends house or an extra curricular activity that we are not there for.

My exDH's fiance wanted to give my 9yr old a phone and I said no. I could not see the need for one so young. If she needs to use the phone, she can use the house phone.

[sweetheart82006]

13. I was not allowed to get a cell phone till high school. Oh and no texting I just think kids are doing that too much. Lat year my brother was a senior in high school and his ex GF was on my facebook. She was updating her facebook every 5 mintues than paying attention in class.

[KaylaH]

I think it depends on the situation. I know that I got my first phone when I was 11.. but I was riding the bus home and staying at home by myself for an hour and a half before my mom got home-- so she wanted to make sure that I could be in contact with her at all times. If she had been a SAHM... I would imagine that I would have got my first phone when I started highschool and got a more active life outside of my family...... which is the way it will be with my kids, also.

To add to that.... My cell phone just had phone call privlidges. If I wanted anything else (texting, etc) I had to pay for that on my own. I think it taught me a lot of responsibility.