Kids and cell phones

[MJ]

Have any of you broken down and bought your school aged kids a cell phone? I'm going to get my daughter one because of the crazy logistics of picking her up after school.

I'm leaning towards t-mobile or att. Has anyone come across a good limited local service plan? Are those pay as you go plans a rip off?

 

[geminigrl]

Have any of you broken down and bought your school aged kids a cell phone? I'm going to get my daughter one because of the crazy logistics of picking her up after school.

I'm leaning towards t-mobile or att. Has anyone come across a good limited local service plan? Are those pay as you go plans a rip off?

Experience with T-mobile and they suck...I have verizon and love it. I'd go with verizon or maybe something pre-paid or something you don't need a contract with.

 

[CMC122]

This drive's me crazy. That is all I hear from my 10 year old. So and so has a cell phone and so does so and so

I'm not in your situation but I really don't understand why a child needs a cell phone. You really don't know each day how she is getting home?

 

[MJ]

This drive's me crazy. That is all I hear from my 10 year old. So and so has a cell phone and so does so and so

I'm not in your situation but I really don't understand why a child needs a cell phone. You really don't know each day how she is getting home?

Believe me I don't like it either. She goes to a small private school and the busses don't go into the neighborhoods. They pick up and drop off at locations up down the highway. Her dad will pick her up everyday, but life happens and I want her to have a way to make contact with someone. She rarely gets on the home phone, so I don't she'll be on a cell phone much. It's really me that wants her to have it. I'm a worrier when it comes to my kids.

 

[CMC122]

Believe me I don't like it either. She goes to a small private school and the busses don't go into the neighborhoods. They pick up and drop off at locations up down the highway. Her dad will pick her up everyday, but life happens and I want her to have a way to make contact with someone. She rarely gets on the home phone, so I don't she'll be on a cell phone much. It's really me that wants her to have it. I'm a worrier when it comes to my kids.

That I understand. I would be worried too about that.

Verizon is the best in this area.

 

[Ken King]

Before I would ever get a youngster a cell phone I would want to find out what exposing one so young to the emmitted RF energy would cause.

This article http://www.globalchange.com/radiation.htm says studies show that 2 hours of exposure kills brain cells in rats.

 

[Penn]

In some cases, maybe as Mrs. Jone mentions, school-aged kids might need a cell phone.

But I have to tell you, I've seen these - what we used to call "teenyboppers"
using these phones as if they were toys. In many cases, it's a status symbol; if you don't have one, you just aren't anybody, you know?

Where I work, my store manager has confiscated a couple from the youngsters(16-18) who he's spotted using them while on the floor, yakking away, when they should be doing something. They will call each other from 20 feet away, just because it's cool!

 

[BuddyLee]

In some cases, maybe as Mrs. Jone mentions, school-aged kids might need a cell phone.

But I have to tell you, I've seen these - what we used to call "teenyboppers"
using these phones as if they were toys. In many cases, it's a status symbol; if you don't have one, you just aren't anybody, you know?

Where I work, my store manager has confiscated a couple from the youngsters(16-18) who he's spotted using them while on the floor, yakking away, when they should be doing something. They will call each other from 20 feet away, just because it's cool!

Not to mention the ignoramous's that get into deep conversations while driving.

I don't have a cell phone. Just one of the many things I've given up in order to go to college.

 

[Suz]

We use verizon. Both my son's (17 years old) are required to have one because they drive and because they work late hours. I pay the basic charge and they pay everything over it. IE: text messaging etc. I think they are both responsible when driving with it. Especially the youngest (by 2 minutes!)-he won't even answer it if he is behind the wheel!! In todays world, their having one is less worry for me-and I don't need anymore stress in my life-work (NMCI) is enough!!

 

[carolinagirl]

Penncam is correct - alot of these teenyboppers are using them as a status symbol. My 12 yo has been asking for one for over a year now, because two of her friends have one. It is ridiculous.

One of her friends in the neighborhood left Sat. for vacation in Fla. with her family. Last night, the friend calls from her cell phone in Fla. and leaves my daughter a message saying call me back, it doesn't matter what time because my cell will be on. They are 12 yo for God's sake!! I told my daughter you will not be calling her back today or any other day on that phone. She barely calls my daughter when she is home, so I don't know why she is calling from a cell in Fla.!

 

[CowGirlUp]

I didn't get a cell phone until I was in High School, because of after school activities, working, etc. And I didn't even have that until 10th or 11th grade (I think). I did get a pager when I first started High School though.

If my parents thought I needed a cell phone on a certain occasion they would give me one of thiers.

Some of my cousins who just started Middle School have cell phones. WTH do they need one for, to sit in there rooms and talk on it????? Doesn't make any sense to me. If they are going to a school dance; and friends house etc. The parents could send them off with thiers in case of emergency.

 

[vraiblonde]

I've been resisting cellphones for the younger girls (14 and 12). The oldest got hers when she started "driving"....... *whew* (I crack myself up...)

:ahem: Anyway, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet on the 14 year old. She's involved in so many activities and there's always some snafu going on - practices get cancelled at a moment's notice, they run late, they end early. Then she has to hunt down someone else with a cellphone to let us know what time to pick her up. It's making more and more sense for her to have her own phone so she can contact us when she needs to.

 

[workin hard]

I've been resisting cellphones for the younger girls (14 and 12). The oldest got hers when she started "driving"....... *whew* (I crack myself up...)

:ahem: Anyway, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet on the 14 year old. She's involved in so many activities and there's always some snafu going on - practices get cancelled at a moment's notice, they run late, they end early. Then she has to hunt down someone else with a cellphone to let us know what time to pick her up. It's making more and more sense for her to have her own phone so she can contact us when she needs to.

My sister who was 15 then, got a cell phone last year because of her sport practice and game schedules. You never knew when they would be getting out early or late or when they would arrive from an away game.

 

[Ehesef]

My brother, sister and I all got our cell phones when we started driving.

 

[nomoney]

My brother, sister and I all got our cell phones when we started driving.

That's really neat too.

 

[Ehesef]

That's really neat too.

STFU







BTW, I vote that we do away with this gheyness: The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

 

[alex]

My teenage son has had one for about 2 years now. Basically for similar reasons mentioned here - schedules change. Also, has anyone tried to find a pay phone that works lately? The problem I have is getting him to remember to turn it on! I have tried to reach him and I always go to voice mail because it isn't turned on or he left it at home.

 

[suzeQ]

For years I said high schoolers don't need a cell phone, but now that mine is driving, I want to be able to get hold of him. They are not allowed to have them turned on during the school day, and they will be confiscated if caught. Phones are so reasonable now and with Verizon's plans that include unlimited IN (mobile to mobile) minutes, it's a good deal. Even though pay phones are available at the school, sometimes the students are locked out once after-school activities are over (after returning from an 'away' game, etc). He will have a cell phone by next week.

 

[MJ]

The problem I have is getting him to remember to turn it on! I have tried to reach him and I always go to voice mail because it isn't turned on or he left it at home.

Ha! That will be my problem, like I said she's not much of a talker and will probably forget she even has the thing. But she'll have it if she needs to call and that is worth the $$'s to me.

 

[BuddyLee]

I have question to offer. Not saying that cell phones are bad or anything but what did you or the generation before you do with out the 'cell phone'? They survived. :shrug: All a matter of convenience I suppose.