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Do you honestly think the OP was interested in an exchange of ideas on the topic based on the tone of the post? This particular topic has been covered endlessly on this forum. Many people who disparage the notion of children/teens having smartphones are totally ignorant of the fact that Nintendo DS, Kindles, iPod Touch, etc. etc. all have similar internet functionality. If people want a real discussion on the topic, then start a real thread.
Actually, the original post was unique to the extent that the original poster was asking what the kids' rationale was (for example, safety, they kid will pay for it, the kid will make a deal to improve grades, etc).
Some kids probably have convinced their parents. "If I get straight As, can I have a smart phone?" for example. "If I pay for the phone and data, can I have a smart phone?".
They don't. Frankly, I'm convinced most adults don't either. I got by just fine for over 30 years before I had one and if I didn't have to have one for work, I probably still wouldn't. I can see buying kids a cell phone for emergencies or letting them use one of yours if they're out with their friends. I definitely don't see a reason to buy a $200 phone and pay nearly $100 a month for service for them to use Facebook and text with each other.
This has been discussed in previous threads to death, but I shall point out again as it seems some who are so against smartphones have a perception you pay hundreds for them.
Our son's first smart phone was $49 as part of our phone bill contract and then adding it to the family plan was only $30 or so. When you have a family share plan - sharing data, etc., it isn't that much at all to add a smart phone. He paid for the phone and he pays for a portion of the plan each month.
I already mentioned this, but schools now are trying to be more tech savvy. My daughter gets her homework using her smartphone, online textbooks and has to do her reading as well as research on her smartphone during class.
When my daughter needed a new phone we got her a smart phone. Like a poster said above, she uses it for all sorts of things, including looking up her homework assignments and accessing online textbooks. But even if she didn't use it for that, I still would have gotten her one. IMO, it makes sense to keep up with technology.
"How did your child convince to get one of those fancy auto-mobiles? Couldn't they just keep riding the horse to school?"
When my daughter needed a new phone we got her a smart phone. Like a poster said above, she uses it for all sorts of things, including looking up her homework assignments and accessing online textbooks. But even if she didn't use it for that, I still would have gotten her one. IMO, it makes sense to keep up with technology.
"How did your child convince to get one of those fancy auto-mobiles? Couldn't they just keep riding the horse to school?"
+1
As someone who works in the cellular industry and knows the penetration rates...
Smartphones already make up the majority of new phone sales, and the percentage increases every year. The day is coming in the not-too-distant future when all new cell phones will be smartphones.
My kids have asked, especially our 12 year old daughter, but can't rationally explain why she needs one. "Because all of the other kids have one" is neither true nor does it answer the question asked. Usually she says, "Because I want one." To which I reply I want a new camera, a few lens and some lighting equipment to go with it. And I can also explain why I need these things. Kids hate when parents explain things, really, so my wife just says, "no." Each kids has a simple flip phone. Considering how often they are lost or forgotten (and in one case taken *in* in the pool) they are years away from having their own smart phone.
Meanwhile, I don't have a smart phone ether and the one my wife has belongs to her company.
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