September 2009 Weddings
michelle142
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
s/o: Kids & Cell Phones
A spin-off of MBs Friday Five....
At what age do you think it's appropriate for a kid to have their own cell phone? Why?
Would you pay for it or make them contribute?
Would there be restrictions?
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Re: s/o: Kids & Cell Phones
I think it all depends on a number of factors.
Is the kid involved in activities before/ after school and on weekends? Are other parents/ babysitters/ people who are not parents picking them up and taking them places?
I think the youngest person who should have one is about 10, unless there is some super circumstance that requires it younger (One such circumstance: one of my cousins' parents were in a contested custody dispute so mom bought her a cell phone at age 7 because as long as its battery was on, she'd have GPS tracking. It was one of those phones that could dial 4 numbers and 911, not fully functional).
I'd pay for it if it were a child, if it were a teenager, I'd make them contribute.
I hate it when kids are completely ignoring everyone around them in favor of text messaging- I'm tempted to say I'd have texting disabled.
Stand up for something you believe in.
I got my first cell phone at age 12. My grandmother bought it for me for Christmas, and paid for the bill. There is absolutely no reason for any 12 year old to have a cell phone.
With that said, I think that (depending on the maturity of the individual child) once I am comfortable with leaving my child at the movies or at the mall with their friends it's appropriate for them to have a pre-paid phone for emergencies.
Until they're 16 (or driving), I see no reason for them to have a cell phone. And, at 16 there should be restrictions. When our child is 16, I don't mind them having a cell phone attached to our family plan. But, they will help pay the bill (maybe the cost for the extra line and the unlimited text? $20/month?) and it will be turned off and placed in a drawer in our master bedroom after their curfew (whatever it is at the time.)
I don't want my child having the opportunity to make the same mistakes I made. Financially and otherwise. I spent almost all my nights on the phone with boys, discussing things that shouldn't have been discussed, once cameras came into play pictures were sent, etc. There was no boundaries with me. And I needed them. And that was before you could have access to FB, Twitter, and the Internet from your phone. It terrifies me to think of all the things that my child will see and hear just from having a cell phone.
I think when the kid gets their first job, they can get a cell phone. Most kids around here get jobs before they are able to drive (which is why I got a cell) so they need a way to always be in contact with parents/whoever is giving them a ride. I would say 13 is a good age.
I would pay, but only to an extent. I would pay for what I think they need, no extras. If they want more, they pay for it.
I would definitely put some sort of block on the features that aren't included in their plan.
I think a lot depends on what the kids are doing, and what the parents are doing, and how it's done. If there are before/after school activities the kids are involved in, and both parents are working and may need to be contacted at any time, I think a phone is appropriate. But just for fun and games to have? Absolutely not.
I would say the right time for a child to have their own phone is when they're at the point to be left home alone by themselves. Especially if you're like us and you don't have a land line. And because of this, I think we would contribute until they're old enough to have their own jobs, and then if they want to keep the phone it would be on them.
We would allow the phone to be had until we learn that it becomes a distraction or grades drop. It's a priviledge, not a right, and it would be bare-boned, until, again, they were old enough to being being responsible for their own plan.
ETA: Chris and I have already talked about this regarding Sam, and I see this being what we do, especially since we'll both be working.
updated 10.03.12
I've talked about this with H recently. We don't have a house phone, so when our son starts having friends who want to call, we might get a house phone. Otherwise, we've decided to get a pay-as-you-go type plan for when he stays over at someones house or has an afterschool activity. I'd feel better knowing where to reach him and have him able to reach me if he needs.
As far as a real cell phone as a part of our plan, I think I would wait until he is responsible enough to keep track of things himself. High schoolish aged. I would get him a pretty basic phone and if he lost it or broke it (or wanted a better one), it would be up to him to come up with money for a new one. Also, if for any reason we got charged extra for something from his phone (over texting or downloading charges) if he could pay that extra, it would teach him to not go over next time.
I think when the child is old enough to go to the mall/movies/friends houses by themselves, that's a good time. Probably 13-14.
We will probably get El a prepaid phone when she hits this age, so we can keep track of her and so she can learn to be responsible with it. If she runs out of minutes or breaks it, that's her issue and she'll have to find a way to pay for it. When she's older (15-16) if she wants to upgrade then she will be expected to get a job and pay for it.
I agree with MB and Ames...pretty much when they are old enough to be doing things on their own, they can have one.
I don't see why a younger child (like 10 and under) would need one. If they're in school all day, teachers/principals can call if there's an emergency and otherwise, they aren't really being left alone, so I see no reason for them to have one.
I might only give my 13-14 year old a phone at certain times too...only when she goes out by herself or whatever...not during the school day when it shouldn't be needed.
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