Posted on 01/01/2007 1:45:53 PM PST by Coleus
Joe Skarimbas was just learning to read when he decided he was ready to join the digital age. "When he went to first grade he said, 'When am I going to get a cell phone?'" said Joe's mother, Tara Skarimbas.
The Leonia family decided to hold off on getting young Joe a phone until he turns 10 and starts walking home from school alone. But his mother understands the temptation to get her son, who turns 8 this month, a cell phone as soon as possible.
"Just for safety purposes," she said, glancing toward the new Disney Mobile kiosk during a shopping trip to the Paramus Park mall last week.
As the adult and teenage cell phone market becomes saturated, cell phone companies are targeting younger and younger users. This holiday season several companies -- including Disney, Verizon, TicTalk and Firefly -- are pushing brightly colored cell phones specially designed for children as young as kindergartners.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Sure. And nobody needs iPods, automatic transmissions, power steering, food processors, plasma TVs, central air conditioning or permanent press clothes.
My 5-year-old has a pocket calculator that he uses to contact his mother ship, in orbit over our subdivision. The 3-year-old has an old cordless telephone receiver that he uses to call his brother!
I gave in despite serious misgivings and guess what, now I'm stuck with the freaking bill! I could strangle both of them!
I don't own a cell phone, so maybe I'm biased, but I can't personally think of a good reason why someone who is six or maybe even eight years-old would need one.
It's disturbing to an 'old-timer' like me. This past Thanksgiving, when my sister's family came to visit us from out of the state - I was looking forward to getting to visit with my niece & nephew, who I rarely get to see.
What disturbed me, was that she let them both bring their laptops & cellphones - they spent the whole visit - emailing & text messaging their friends back home. I hardly got to talk to them.
I found myself wishing for a power failure so we could just "talk" to each other, like back in the old days.
I've noticed how boring some movies can be now days because the plot revolves around cell phone calls. No drama, no suspense, no charm.
Unfortunately the world has changed since you and I grew up. I have an 8 year old and a 5 year old. Believe me, I'm not excited about the idea of a cell phone for them either but the realities of the situation are that times have changed. I won't let him walk to school alone either and we did that ALL OF THE TIME as kids. Too many predators out there. Society is sick and you have to at least think about what safety options you wish to provide your kids. Of course, the other day on the way home I witnessed a car crash here in Los Angeles on the 105 freeway. I called 911 on my cell phone and it took 7 minutes for the operator to finally answer (was on hold the entire time). What a joke.
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you got power steering ?
I think nobody over 18 should own a cell phone. Many use it on the trains, airplanes and while driving.
To be technical no one needs anything except food, water and shelter.
However I can see where kids would want cell phones, (back when I was a kid it was a watch) and I can see where parents would find them handy.
Switch your plan to pre-paid. And when they use them up, tough. YOU set the limit and they can buy additional minutes as they need them. Or they can buy ALL the minutes they want each month.
Bet they learn to budget their minutes within a month. :)
We never paid for a cellphone for our teen, but when he wanted one, we allowed him to have one...on his dime. He ran out of minutes a lot at first, but he figured it out quickly enough.
I don't care what other parents do or don't do for their kids. I care about teaching kids valuable lessons, though. Every situation can be a teaching tool if you look at it that way.
"Communication?"
Still doesn't seem to justify owning one. They can't use it in schools, most six year old kids aren't away from their parents' supervision often. Maybe if they're at a friends' house, but even then I expect the friends' parents to own a telephone, making the cell phone expendable.
You'd let your kid walk home alone now days?
You'd let your kid sit up at school by himself for hours because he didn't have a phone to call home to say practice had been cancelled?
And the only time the nurse will call the parent when the child is sick is if he has 102 temperature.
No offense, but that sounds like a really lame excuse. For safety reasons, in high school? What possible and realistic situation would not having a cell phone put them in real danger as opposed to carrying one?For after school activities mostly, and that includes safety. Especially depending on your high school. No everyone goes to schools in the suburbs where everything is perfectopia.
I don't mind a kid having a cell phone but they really don't need them in the classroom or similar places. It's a responsibility they should learn and earn.
I've seen cell phones used as really great tools by parents.
Thanks for making my point better than I would have.
It's for SAFETY purposes. Just because some people survived without something doesn't mean others should do the same or that it's even advisable.
I grew up without any connection to firearms but now I own a few and wouldn't want to hear someone tell me how "i grew up and lived to see my 30th without owning an EVIIIIL gun."
Just get a prepaid cell so that the kid isn't spending all the money talking to friends.
no child uner 18 needs a cell phone. we all grew up and survived without them.
We all grew up without them in a much different world.
Good advice Diana.
I hope all is well in Wisconsin. I went to Marquette University, but do not miss the cold weathers now that I'm in Los Angeles. I do miss the people, however.
I was hoping I could die of old age without ever having dealt with cell phones, but it's not possible. Three or four years ago I was getting into too much trouble from not being able to find pay phones any more, they no longer exist. When I was a child I was never more than a hundred yards from a pay phone even out in the forest...
If they are so worried about saftely, sew a GPS tracker in their clothing. Then you will know exactly where they are, without a huge phone bill.
My sons, ages 12 and 9, don't have cell phones. Or Gameboys. Or IPods. Or Nintendo, Playstation, Wii, or any sort of video game. Or cable TV. Or TVs in their rooms. We have one TV in the family room. Sometimes, we watch it. Mostly, we listen to classical music on the stereo. They don't like it much when Mom or Dad play old rock 'n roll stuff.
They do, however, have great bicycles, a football, a basketball, a basketball hoop, a bunch of bats, baseballs, and baseball gloves, and a large yard in which to play. When it's too dark, rainy, or cold, they have a nice piano, and know what to do with it. They have lots of board games, including everyday chess sets and special chess sets, and lots of books, lots of magazines, and a nice set of classic films on videotape and DVD.
They tell me that they don't have any sense of being deprived.
But a non-driving teenager? I question the need and especially for an elementary student!
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I agree whole heartedly. You can save your money for a phone, but I won't and you won't save our money for a PS3, Xbox or WII. Sorry, kid.
How did we survive before cell phones? Have they made us more productive? Other things like microwave ovens, permanent press clothes, food processors and such have made our lives easier but a cell phone just complicates things more.
:)
(You know I'm kidding right?) Hey, have your kids ever told you to turn the music down because it's too loud? I heard that yesterday when I was playing some good ol' Elvis and both of my girls yelled down to turn that music down because they couldn't read with it in the background. Elvis! how can you play Elvis quietly?
On 9/11 cell phones were the primary source of communication. Kids as young as 9 or 10 are flying around the city on subways and buses everyday by themselves or in small packs.
"Switch your plan to pre-paid."
That's great but there still a bill whether you keep the current service or not. Something about a penalty for ending the contract early.
Since we homeschool my kids aren't in a large school setting or a big group of people everyday, but I do give them my own cell phone if they are at a public event, shopping, out with friends, etc, and they may to need to reach their dad or me.
As each one of our children got a driver's license, they also got their own phone. That is just plain common sense nowdays.
Too many things can happen out and I want my kids to be able to contact me in case they need to.
But, I do tire of cell phones....kind of a love-hate thing with those darn things :)
Tell the little slackers that you're withholding their allowances and they can pick up after-school jobs until the bill is paid.
Parents Unite! :)
They don't NEED cell phones but it makes life a little less worrisome knowing they have one. I just called my youngest son and told him to get his 2 kids the ones that they can only call 4 numbers and have GPS so he will know where they are. My other 2 grandchildren have phones, we all have extremely busy lives and they can call us or either of their parents when plans change or they need to be picked up or any of a number of things. Cell phones have saved us lots of gas, I can locate my husband anytime I need to and I don't have to get in my vehicle and drive all over the county trying to find him when I need to give him an important message.
Those were my exact thoughts - my sister gave in to it, mostly because she has spoiled her children & they know if they whine long enough - they will get it.
I can see why in these times, kids need a cell phone - for safety reasons & to communicate with their parents. When I was a kid, times were different.
But, when I was a kid & we were visiting at relative's houses - we were expected to converse & use manners - to ACT like we wanted to be there, even if we would rather be at home with our friends. (I do remember discovering my aunt's "True Confessions" magazines in her closet - I spent many entertaining hours reading those things when I got the chance!)
Kids having them for after-school activities/parent pick-up is one thing. Just to say they have one is another. My grandchildren are 10 to 15 - none have them yet. They talk about them, but understand the cost involved.
"no child uner 18 needs a cell phone."
Sure they do. How else are they going to learn to become self-absorbed a-holes?
Otherwise, they might go into a business establishment NOT on the phone, NOT making sure everyone in ear-shot can hear their "private" conversations. Heck, they may even look at the clerk or *gasp* speak to the clerk. I wish I had a nickel for every vulgarity that's been loudly spoken into a cell phone by someone standing right next to me in public.
So, by all means, let's have more of it.
It's certainly made me more productive. Many's the time I had to cool my heels waiting for someone to show up for an appointment. Now they can call me to tell me they're going to be late or need to reschedule, or I can call them to ask when they'll be arriving. The only time I think modern communications are detrimental is when your work can contact you whenever they want (like vacations, dinner, at a movie, etc.), as opposed to what used to be "office hours." Luckily, that sort of thing isn't an issue for me.
I only use my cell phone for emergencies. IOW almost never, maybe 4-10 minutes a year. This type of thing is perfect: no monthly bill, just buy some minutes once a year.
http://www.tracfone.com/home_page.jsp
Dear SoftballMominVA,
LOL. I have been threatened with calls to Child Protective Services when folks discover how much I deprive my sons. Especially the cable TV! That just OUTRAGES people!
Most folks are kidding, although when we first moved in to our current neighborhood, and folks found out that we homeschooled...
"Hey, have your kids ever told you to turn the music down because it's too loud?"
No, I haven't. Usually, they want me to turn it up. Way up. Especially when listening to the "Ode to Joy," or "Rhapsody in Blue," or some other favorite.
If we're playing rock 'n roll, they just tell us to turn it off. ;-)
sitetest
Unless your child is confined to home until 18, it's not a bad idea for them to have a cell phone. When my kids are old enough to go out with friends to the mall, movies, etc., they carry a cell phone. It's for SAFETY.
Yeah. Only about 2200 in my zipcode.
Not all my childhood friends grew up and survived. I don't know if a cell phone would have saved them, but it is one tool that does allow for increased communication.
My kids get one when they start driving (one of four so far). I send my phone with the younger ones when they go someplace w/o me, library, post office, etc.
That way, they can call me if something comes up or I can call them and tell them to come home because dinners ready.
Well said.
How long a list do you want?
As one with 17 (going on 25) year old daughters.
The phones are for us, not them. They carry or they stay home. They answer when we call or they stay home the next time. They check in when required or they stay home the next time.
Other than that, they can use them to chat with their friends.
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