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 ...
Reminds me of a conversation I had with the neighborhood movie rental clerk. A high school kid, I asked him what he was doing with his hard-earned money. He said most of it went to his cell phone bill.
Works for me.
What we did when our kids got to that age is buy them prepaid phones. That way if they burned up all their minutes, too bad.
When they got older and could afford their own accounts, they got them, but were already "trained" to limit their yaking.
My old Jeep CJ7 didn't -- what a mistake that was. Probably couldn't drive my Expedition without it!
I wish I had been aware of prepaid phone when Darling Daughter got hers. (Maybe the didn't exist yet?)
"How long a list do you want?"
How about just a good one?
They existed right from the beginning, but it would depend who was providing service in your area as well, and if they offered them.
When our kids started hitting that age (we had 6 of them that went throught it one after the other) cell phones were almost as big as walkie talkies. They got smaller every week it seemed, so we couldn't even pass them down to they next kid, we had to get newer ones every time.
Nope. 50 miles north of Chicago.
Chicago is an Illinois suburb
west of L.A. <>g<>
Though it looks like you broke your hiatus some time back, this is the first I have noticed your return to these pages. Good to see you.
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.
Ahhhh....but Jack Bauer's magic cell phone is the exception to the rule.
It seems girls and cell phones are a real bad combination. It's impossible for them to limit their gabbing. :o)
I'm glad we only had 2 of them.
"no child uner 18 needs a cell phone. we all grew up and survived without them."
It could be worse! they could ask for a subscription to the New York Times. I would rather they have a cell phone.
The sad thing, I was brought up to believe that the US was a "free country", and that our various national excursions overseas was to make others free again, and help maintain our country as a beacon of freedom. I tolerated horrible infringements on my personal freedom in the military, because of the implied exchange that our society is protected that way.
And look what our society has become - a bunch of sheeple, run by a bunch of petty busybody fascist wankers. /rant
I'm way too old to understand this!
Our kids never had a TV in their room, daughter had no cell phone till she got her drivers' license at 17.
I guess times have changed. I only just recently got my own GoPhone for emergency purposes only.
let's see....
They save gas (honey, I forgot to put milk on the shopping list)
They save the adult's time (instead of spending time in the school parking lot waiting for kid, kid gets to call me and wait for ME.)
They eliminate LOTS of worry when you have new drivers--I know my child can reach me with any problem--and, I can call him on a whim if i'm worried.
They provide caller ID when you don't have it at home. (kid must call from friends land-line to my cell to prove he's there)
Easy to avoid long-distance charges, especially with college kids.
Remember trying to leave a message at a dormitory pay phone for your child? Now it's person-to-person contact.
Yes, more opportunities to be rude, but also to be courteous--I'm running late, can I bring something, quick call to grandma between stops on errands.
Text messaging--SUPER for reminders for someone when you don't want to interrupt them with a call.
"I've fallen and I can't get up"--unfortunately, grandmom still won't carry a cell (which I have bought and paid for) on her walks and doing yard work.
You're only a phone call away from a friend/relative who can get you directions, instructions, etc. off the net.
Anyone care to add more? I am, obviously, a HUGE fan of cell phones.
the best thing about a cell and kids is managing after-school activities and pickup times.
Yeah. I remember when I didn't, too. Back then I was an expert on child rearing. My expertise didn't survive actual parental experience.
Enjoy yours while you can...
Dear Grendel9,
"Your boys are blest."
Thank you.
"However, I suggest that their needs and
desires are going to change in a very few
years. Teenagers are notoriously gungho
toward venturing beyond the back yard."
I'm more sanguine about those years than I used to be. I've seen what happens to homeschoolers as they grow to teenagers, and it's really quite a sight.
In many ways, my sons are already rather independent. They've acquired their own tastes and preferences, their own interests. It has often been surprising and always delightful to watch them develop interests and explore them. It isn't my fault that they're turning out more conservative than I am, in many ways. ;-)
I expect that they will become more independent as they get older. The homeschoolers that we know do become more independent as they get into their teen years. However, as the twig is bent the tree grows.
The transition to adulthood seems smoother for them, more straightforward. That "ordinary" teenaged rebellion is pretty much absent. The homeschooled teens that I know want their freedom, but not to pursue vices, but rather virtues. They aspire to great things, and they have a habit of achieving those things to which they aspire.
I look forward to my sons' teen years. I look forward to their increasing confidence in their own capacities, I look forward to seeing them grow increasingly strong, physically, intellectually, psychologically and emotionally, and spiritually.
I've seen these years with other homeschoolers, and I'm excited to get there with my own two sons.
sitetest
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