<p>Many kids that age will find ANY way to exclude others. Doesn’t have texting, doesn’t have Uggs, doesn’t play basketball…D was excluded because she refused to take part in the excluding!</p>
<p>“D was excluded because she refused to take part in the excluding!”</p>
<p>Mine too! Craziness.</p>
<p>The 12/13 year old age is scary because that’s the age I remember seeing kids DD had grown up with begin to choose paths that could lead to destruction vs toughing out the peer pressure and taking a higher road. I don’t mean that texting or phone usage was responsible for any of that, I just mean it’s a tough age where they are walking the fine line between being a child and a teenager.</p>
<p>We allowed DD a phone at 13 because she was becoming more social at friends’ houses, movies, more dance classes at different studios and I wanted to be able to contact her and have her be able to call if needed. She didn’t have texting capability until high school and then the texting drove me crazy. I’d prolong that part of it as long as possible. Because kids don’t talk on the phone to any extent anymore, the phone piece of it really was never an issue…well, at least until boyfriends come into the picture later down the road.</p>
<p>I echo other posters in that a phone is not necessary for camp because it’s usually prohibited. Even when DD attended Girls State for a week in high school, cell phones were prohibited and would be confiscated and returned at the end of the program. Same for school at her private high school, although most kids had them turned off in their backpack and once the school day ended they could pull the phones out.</p>
<p>Just as scary as the cell phones and texting/sexting is the use of computers and instant messaging. I’d advise anyone who has a middle schooler with a computer to keep it set up in a central family room in the house and not in the child’s bedroom or a room that can be closed off. I know most of you have great kids, but many times it’s the other kids and the bullying occurs that is so disheartening.</p>
<p>The idea that <em>I need a phone to take pics</em> is hogwash. Send a disposable camera. I suspect it won’t get used, it might even get lost. If she comes home with great pics, then wonderful! She got the pics she wanted. But if camper does not, that further proves the parents’ valid point that child is too young to care for/need phone. win/win for camper and parent.
Let’s don’t pretend this luxury is justifiable.
Some people feel part of society’s problems now are because of overindulgent/and/or <em>feel good generation</em> parents of yesterday. I see some truth in that. I’d ask today’s parents to sometimes say No.</p>
<p>We didn’t get family cell phones till afew years ago, five years after oldest had graduated from high school and when youngest was in 9th grade ( taking the city bus to her inner city school).</p>
<p>If your daughter can make a clear argument for needing it seperate from peer pressure I would consider it. However it wouldn’t be allowed at most ACA camps I am familiar with and would interfere with the purpose of camp which is generally to connect with others and nature IRL not through technology.</p>
<p>I would fear that “giving in” to cell phone demand because “everyone is doing it” opens the barn door for other requests.</p>
<p>My (now college age) S’s both got cell phones at fifteen, freshman year of h.s.
I see lots of preteens with cell phones, walking the mall with thumbs flying. </p>
<p>My neice got one last summer at eleven yrs old, just before she started sixth grade. Why? My sil admitted that neice rarely went anywhere without her parents except to friends houses who had phones readily available for her use. It was more as a middle sch. status purchase than anything else. This kid also got an Ipod for Christmas when she was six or seven. I thought it a strange companion to the American Girl doll she also received from Santa.
A kid in my class has a Nintendo DS…it’s a preschool class…he’s three!</p>
<p>I said “no” until the kids completed driver’s training so somewhere around age 15 for each of them. Up to the point they are driving we’re picking them up or dropping them off or some other parent is doing the honors…we knew where they were, what they were doing, what time practices, movies etc. ended…I could not think of one valid reason why my kids needed a cell phone between 12 and 15 and oh they did ask and ask and ask…they wanted …but they didn’t “need” cell phones.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I concur with everyone else: camps specifically FORBID cell phones. </p>
<p>She doesn’t need a phone. If she wants to take pictures, get her an inexpensive or disposable digital camera.</p>
<p>“Everyone else does” is so old it’s beyond having mold: it’s mummified. </p>
<p>Have a backbone. Don’t give in to this nonsense.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I definitely will check with the camp first. (I kind of hope they will tell me no cell phone is allowed.) Anyway, most of you agree a 12 yo doesn’t need a cell. I’m glad to hear that. :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree more. I’m 22 and probably the most old fashioned person you will meet. To tell you the truth, I don’t think anybody really needs a cell phone. I can’t stand cell phones. When I’m out of the house or at school, I don’t want to be bothered. If somebody needs to reach me, they can leave a messege on my answering machine. </p>
<p>It’s funny because I still use disposable cameras (probably one of the last few to do so). The pictures have always came out great and you don’t have to worry about charging up a camera and worrying about having no power.</p>
<p>I don’t own an iPod and still buy by music the “old fashioned way” (lol!). I go to the store and pick up the album.</p>
<p>Check out the Virgin Mobile pre-paid and no-contract plans…some are very cheap and have smallish amounts of minutes/texts per month.</p>
<p>Red, I do disagree with you in that once the kids are driving my feelings change. When I think of the ‘breakdowns’ over the 15 or so years I’ve had a cell phone I can’t imagine anymore not having one. People are disinclined to “stop” and help a stranded motorist, phone booths as we remember them are rare, and we live in a snow state. Also once the kids hit 16 or so, as a parent, I want them to be able to get in touch with us…not so much that I “need” to check up on them. I want them to feel good about texting or calling us and telling us where they are and what’s going on. The life of a 16 year old is very, very, different than that of a 12 year old. A twelve year old is for all practical purposes still a child but is at that “wanna-be” age where they “wanna-be” 16, especially the young girls.</p>
<p>I was listening to the radio recently and the DJ was wondering at how young an age kids start using cell phones. He asked parents to call in, and the “winner” was a mom who’d gotten her 6-year old a cell phone. In that case, however, the parents were divorced and the woman thought her ex was irresponsible. She wanted to be absolutely sure her child could reach her at all times during weekend visits with the dad.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It just takes one flat tire on the highway to change your view. :)</p>
<p>Having elderly parents and/or children also seems to change things.</p>
<p>My eldest, now a college sophomore, didn’t get a cell phone until she was 16. She was probably one of the last kids at her HS to have her own phone. It’s weird to think I’m actually contemplating getting my nine year-old boy his own phone! </p>
<p>I’ve had to return to work so the little one comes home from school to an empty house and lets himself in. I’m petrified he’ll have trouble one day, feel scared, and panic. He knows he can go to a neighbor’s house or just wait outside until his older sister gets home. Still, I think he would feel better if he knew he could call us to come help him. I would feel better, too! </p>
<p>Is nine too young to have a cell phone? (I realize it’s probably too young to stay home alone but we have no choice at the moment.) I’m going to take a look at the Firefly link.</p>
<p>^ If having a cell phone eases your mind and his, why not? My level of anxiety about my children and their safety decreased significantly once they had cell phones. We all feel better knowing that we can reach one another in the event of an emergency.</p>
<p>
So true!
I look forward to seeing what a 16 yo girl is like, for better or for worse. 
</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard around me, boys seem to behave better with cell phones - they don’t get hooked, but many girls do and make texting their social mean.</p>
<p>" boys seem to behave better with cell phones - they don’t get hooked, but many girls do and make texting their social mean. "</p>
<p>Just remember, cell phones don’t text people, people text people, especially if both people are female.</p>
<p>I was one of the “no cell phone in middle school” parents, but when the overwhelming majority of the kids D knew had phones, she just ended up always being the one to borrow a phone. I felt I was sponging off of others and got her one. No regrets.
S has also had a phone since he started middle school. I find it very convenient as the kids become more independent.
I also don’t really care if other parents approve of my decision or not.</p>
<p>D travels for sports and has since she was 12. She has a cell (now she’s 15), and has always had one since she started to occaisonally have to travel without us. So, I can’t really remember thinking it through very much, except to say that kids text now the way we used to phone our friends and our parents thought we spent way, way too much time on the WALL phone with the long cord…</p>
<p>If your child cannot recieve texts there will be plans she is excluded from. You may or may not care about this. If you do decide to get a phone make sure to get insurance since they tend to lose or destroy the first one in some inexplicable accident even they don’t understand. Good luck, and I woudln’t be too much in a hurry to find out about sixteen…though I think sixteen is better than 12 or 13 with girls. fwiw</p>
<p>I totally agree with snowball’s suggestion, that is a good idea, or you can limit the phone charges by a month, this is also a good idea.
[Exciting</a> products for a smart and easy lifestyle](<a href=“http://www.uxsight.com/]Exciting”>http://www.uxsight.com/)</p>