Age for a kid to have cell phone

Wellspring
Sun, 15 May 2016 19:08:56 +0000

It may be unrealistic to base cellphone/kid decisions on past history. The use of technology is changing so rapidly that it seems that basing the decision on social aspects is shortsighted. What applied ten years ago may not apply today. Then there’s the realization I had years ago. Neither kid cared if he/she had cell phone and didn’t, but I became aware that they were often borrowing their friends’ phones to call me for ride/permission to go somewhere, etc. I don’t think I should expect other parents to maintain cell phones so my kid can use it.

And I don’t think cell phones should be tied to good behavior as in taking away the cellphone for not doing chores or something. Maybe I’d confiscate a phone if a kid did something dangerous or ill considered with the cell phone but it never came up. But since I consider a phone a tool and not a toy I don’t see the point of using it as a reward for good behavior.