To any parents/guardians here...

[Murphie]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

When I wanted to talk on the phone growing up, I had to go to the phone that was on the wall in the kitchen, and drag it on it's cord around to the stairwell where I could have a modicum of privacy. And I made do.

Kids don't really need phones. But there is something to be said for them being able to get ahold of you when they need you and vice versa. But as Feba said, it has a lot more to do with how you raise your kids and the values you teach them that will tell if they are able to be responsible with a phone.

[Balfree]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

As a kid i had a cellphone, i didnt like it. I had it because its convenient and since school was far from home, if something happened i'd have the cellphone for calling my parents.

When i wasnt forgetting the thing at home i was neglecting it, never really bothered to recharge the batteries... kept falling to the ground, allways had enough money on it... you name it. To date, i've allways disliked cellphones, having to carry stuff around drives me nuts, plus sometimes i'd like to be left alone.

Sometimes i leave it behind then someone gets on my case because they tried to talk to me and im all like, whatever, i dont care.

[DakAttack]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

I received my first cell phone when I was sixteen, when I could first drive. My car had a tendancy to break down after long drives, and having a membership with AAA would be useless if I couldn't call them.

[Feba]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

speaking of AAA, I got a 'pre-registered member!' spam from them the other day. It actually doesn't look that bad, but sending such a letter to people so randomly that you get someone who hasn't driven in well over a year? Come on.

[eticket109]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

Here's a funny note about them being necessary or not. In a way our culture has made them necessary. It used to be you could toss your kid a quarter or two and they could call you from a payphone. However, with our technology obsessed culture and overwhelming use of cellphones, we have made payphones obsolete. Except at retail outlets or grocery stores, I am seeing less and less payphones all the time. It's always odd to notice the phone kiosk in a restaurant only to see it completely empty.

[Srxjo]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

i got my mobile phone when i was 11-12 when i first started secondary school so if something happened i could get intouch with them fast

[Skoal]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

When I was 16 all we had were pagers. Cell phones weren't cost effective until I got to college.

[Vyuru]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

I'm gonna keep it simple. When did/do you give your son/daughter a cellphone? Do you do it by particular age, maturity, growth, good grades, and/or responsibility? Do you decide it based on seeing if you can keep money steady? Or do you base your decision on something else?

I guess anyone else can answer this in terms of like "If you had a son/daughter, when would you give them a cellphone?"

Why would I like to know? Mainly it's just been a thought for me and was wondering how other adults decide on this and what rules they have following the thing about giving your son/daughter a cellphone.

Somehow you never think about gamers having kids.....


Anywho, myself personally, I never got a cell phone until I went to college and was commuting in a truck that likes to break down every now and then. Plus I carpooled so I needed a way to stay in touch with people.

However it really depends IMO on your kid's situation.

Myself I had no friends and never got out of the house much due to lack of transportation and sickly mother, so I had no real need for it. I might see it if your kid is out and about having fun with their friends, however I'd point out that if my kid was allowed to be out doing that I'd also trust them not to get into trouble, so any kind of, "Oh, but how could you trust your kid is where they really are" or whatever arguements are kinda null IMO, they get a cell phone when I trust them to act like an adult, when they need it.

So yeah.... 14-16 at the earlist I'd think.

[eticket109]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

Somehow you never think about gamers having kids.....

With some gamers it's more a matter of me hoping they never have kids.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

Feh, cell phones. Overrated pieces of junk if you ask me. Granted, I'm not denying they can be useful, just, why bother?

I don't need a cell phone, nor would any kid that I would have. Or iPods, for that matter. </3 fads.

[Murphie]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

Easy communication and having all of my music on me at the touch of a button isn't a fad. It's called progress.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

I was merely stating my opinion and responding to the OP.

Honestly, I really think I'm probably the only non-Amish to think that way.

[Murphie]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

I'm pretty sure I saw an amish girl with white earbuds the other day. I'm just saying.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

O_o

(By the way, why does each of your posts have a "Signature" at the bottom with nothing in it?)

[Murphie]

Re: To any parents/guardians here...

Hmm. I dunno. I didn't have anything there, but I just went and hit delete just in case.