Does your child have a cell phone?
When I was a little girl, I remember my father getting a cell phone for our car. It was the size of a box! It was HUGE! I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and I totally felt like the Jetson family! (Little did I know cell phones would get to the size of a credit card!)
Fast forward to present day — cell phones are a way of life.
Whenever I’m out, I see kids with cell phones. They’re playing games. They’re talking on the phone. They’re taking photos. They’re taking videos. They’re texting. They’re tweeting or updating Facebook. There’s just so much to do with a cell phone nowadays.
In my mom group, we ALWAYS have a discussion about cell phone usage for our kids - Does your child have one? What age did you get him or her one?
It’s different for every parent.
My sons don’t have cell phones (yet!) - they are 5, 6, 8 and 9. I’m thinking I will get my oldest son a cell phone when he’s 12 years old. Basically it comes down to one thing for me - I can get in touch with him. I like knowing that with a phone call or a text, I can reach him and find out where he is. There’s a comfort in that for me.
What about YOU? Does your child have a cell phone? Why did you decide to get him or her one?
I agree with you 12 is a good age, when they start to develop a little more independence but after watching this video I’m not sue any more…..it’s already this way with my kids and their ipods and 3DS’s etc. at times…
I think we could all use some reminders to put down the cell phones and live in the moment…
Reblogged this on Writings of a Mrs Mommy and commented:
Great post, food for thought, I’ve addressed this issue on my blog before and I left a comment…what are your views on this topic?
My eldest is ten. Most of his friends have phones, he doesn’t. He has asked for one many times but he has no need of one as yet - so hence, he is the odd one out. I agree with you, I am thinking twelve years old.. but we will see.
My daughter is 11 and I got her a cell phone when she started going to school by herself this year. The phone has 4 numbers in it, mine, her 24 year old sisters, home and school. She is not allowed to give the number out to anyone and it’s a house rule that she puts it on the book case in the lounge when she’s in the house and it stays there.
It’s not for social use and she hasn’t got the functionality to surf the web etc on it.
I’m quite strict on it but I, in truth, would rather she didn’t have one at all. My older daughter got her first one at age 14 and she had to save her chore money and I matched what ever she saved. She got a Saturday job and ended up with quite a good phone!