News, Cell Phone Cancer Warning Adds to Parental Worries. (teens, baby, toddlers)

[John1960]

When Amy Morris' twin boys, then 11, went on an academic trip to Washington last year, she agreed to give them cell phones at the program's request. But this summer she was dismayed to learn that girls at her 8-year-old daughter's day camp were using cell phones they'd taken along in their backpacks.

ABC News: Should Your Tween Have a Cell Phone?

[Alrady40]

I recently wrote article How to Use a Cell Phone to Protect Your Kids | eHow.com ENCOURAGING parents to get cell phones to their kids. AFter raising 3 kids without and 1 with cell phone available, I much prefer starting them young. My youngest texts more than anything and dead batteries are less of an issues. The security of knowing in this day and age that they can use a phone for self protection is priceless IMHO>

[Alrady40]

I had written an article on ehow on how to protect kids using cell phones. I think this THREADabout tweens is awewsome. I feel however that kids shoudl be given cell phones much younger. AFter raising 3 kids without phones and one child with phones (and texting is big thing) I am happy to say the with cell phones is MUCH better...better communications, ability to knwo your child has safety.... I think the pro's outweigh the cons.. We just have to teach kids HOW to use them. How to Use a Cell Phone to Protect Your Kids | eHow.com -------- I do realise that advising them to use little has the same affect as asking them to turn the volume down on headphones.

[Jaggy001]

How ever did we mange before the advent of cell phones

More importantly ... how did our parents manage

Oh yeah ..... we were told to go out and play and not come home until dinner time

[miasmommy]

Nope. Never going to happen. I have a cell in which I keep in my car for emergencies ONLY. . .

My kid will not have cell phone. My "tween" won't be in a place where no other adults are in which he/she would need their own phone. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Now when my child reaches mid teens and he/she is out more without adults MAYBE, and that's a big maybe, it would happen.

Let's just get all the tweens some cell phones, Ipods, laptops, bellybutton/ears/nose rings and all the latest fashions. For materialistic reasons this is wrong to me in so many ways.

But as I said before, it serves no purpose from a safety standpoint in most situations especially since they should be under the supervision of an adult.

[121804]

Originally Posted by John1960

ABC News: Should Your Tween Have a Cell Phone?

I also made sure I stood my ground when my #1 was all of 2 months old & I said no more than 20 minutes of tv would be in his life until he was over 8.....then baby #2 came along during the same time there was 22" of snow on the ground...and Peeps and Veggie Tales DVDs were helpful.

I want to say "no", but I don't have a tween or teenager & in 10-15 years, I'll battle it when I get there....

Until then, I really have no room to judge those parents who do give their teenagers cell phone unless the children are using them in an unsafe manner (riding their bikes & talking on the cell phone) or inappropriate manner (answering it in church).

I don't care for it when those without children judge me, so I can't really see how I can tell a parent of 14yr old he/she is doing the wrong thing according to how I live with toddlers...

[mgt04]

Originally Posted by Jaggy001

How ever did we mange before the advent of cell phones

More importantly ... how did our parents manage

Oh yeah ..... we were told to go out and play and not come home until dinner time

AGREED 100%

[TouchOfWhimsy]

I can see giving a 12/13 year old a cellphone. I did not feel this way a couple of years ago, but then we hosted an exchange student for a year. She was 16, and came with her own cellphone. I was skeptical at first, and wondered why on earth she needed it... but it came in so handy, so many times! If she was going to be late while out with friends, she could call. If soccer practice was rained out, she could call (sometimes they practiced in the rain, sometimes they didn't, so it saved me a trip to get her early if they were simply running laps in the gym instead of outside). If we unexpectedly needed to go out while she was not home, I could call and let her know that she could go out for dinner or help herself at home. Etc. Once the kids start spending some time away from home, I think a cellphone is a good idea. Honestly, even if they were sleeping over at a friend's house, I might give a 10/11 year old my cellphone in case they felt uncomfortable about anything and wanted to come home. I wouldn't give my kids cellphones to use for chatting with their friends, but to call home, sure!

[wanderintonc]

I just gave one of my 'tweens' a cellphone-he will be going to school in another town (magnet school, not where we live) and I feel more comfortable knowing he can call me, or Dad, or grandparents or even driving brother for help. It's not like there are payphones anymore, and the bus company is not always...reliable...it's the best choice for us.

I have a family plan, with 'data blocked', meaning none of us can download stuff on the phone. Dh and I do have expectations and standards for cell phone use, and we teach our kids these things. We've not had a problem with any of our family's phones or usage. We also make it clear that the phone is OURS and we will remove it for violations of the standards-we've not had to.

My own phone broke a few months back (phone vs. pavement) and all day I didn't have any communication with my family-I felt so far away. I do appreciate the modern convienence of cell phones.

[Infamous92]

I don't think an 8 year old should have a cell phone, what would they need it for most 8 year olds are under adult/older kid supervision 24 hours a day, if you want to talk to your friends invite them over or go to a playground. Maybe at 11 or 12 when they start becoming more social.

I got my first cell phone at 12 when I started taking two city buses to get to school and I barely used it, I haven't had a cell phone since March and I'm doing just fine .