See Dick call. See Jane text. Why parents are giving in to children's requests for cell phones

Star Ledger ^ | 12.10.06 | KELLY HEYBOER

[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.

[BruceysMom]

My friend at college (which no longer has working pay phones) Got her daughter a camera/cell phone. Now when her daughter is supposed to be somewhere she must provide a pic to prove it. My friend is one smart momma. Had my parents had this I would have been in lots less trouble.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

"You didnt grow up in this world friend."

Needs to be repeated.

[greccogirl]

I worked alone at night - up until 10 pm - and took public transportation. While in high school.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Teach them how to use a pay phone.

Welcome to 2007. There are no more pay phones in my area, except one that is a 4 mile walk from my kids school.

[null and void]

Good screen name for this thread...

[Fierce Allegiance]

I cannot schedule nor rule on weather and other emergenices, so your premise is stupid.

Maybe we don't NEED the cellphones, but it's a cheap convienience that also increases the chance my kids won't be in bad situations if the schedule changes, like the time back in October it was raining at their soccer practice while it was still quite nice where I was. It was dark, too. They called me, and I was there within 10 minutes. Otherwise, they would have been there another hour and a half.

[Fierce Allegiance]

LOL!

[derllak]

I'm in my forties and I'm STILL surviving without one!
I just don't need another useless piece of junk cluttering up my life is all. Not hard to do at all!

[SoftballMominVA]

Did you know that cell phones have a GPS detector in them that can be accessed by the main phone? I found this out when I upgraded our phones at Christmas. I have the ability to find out where my kids are through my phone. Apparantly it's not pinpoint, but a rough estimate that would at least indicate within about a 1 mile square.

[Fierce Allegiance]

I can get a LOT of work out of my kids when they run out of their prepaid minutes. :)

[Coleus]

They called me, and I was there within 10 minutes. Otherwise, they would have been there another hour and a half. >>

they could have walked home in the rain. I had fond experiences from my childhood from waling in the rain, playing in the rain, camping in the rain, etc. It's what makes childhood a bit more well rounded, fun, interesting and not routine. One of the reasons why so many kids can't think on their own and need the games on cell phones to keep them occupied. Soccer moms and soccer dads, not too much difference between the two. I bet you voted for Clinton too?

[Coleus]

I'm in my forties and I'm STILL surviving without one! >>

me too and loving it. Nobody to bother me.

[null and void]

I had a dude attacking me in a road rage type deal once, and he backed off when he saw me calling the cops.

Geeze! I had 3 (presumably) drunks in a truck refuse to back down when I pulled out my .45 held up a full magazine, inserted it, and racked a round into the chamber!

[Fierce Allegiance]

I would prefer my 10 year old daughters not walk home in a thunderstorm, in the dark along a very busy highyway, and in spite of your stupidity, I am damn glad they had phones. You may like unnecessary risk for some feelings of nostalgia, but I will use every tool i can to keep my kids safe. You must really hate car seats, pasteurization, seatbelts and all mannner of other stuff thta helps keep us safe.

I bet you voted for Clinton too?

Because I think my kids having a cellphone is a good idea? You really are pure stupid. How would you logically make any sort of connection like that? You can't, and are losing this argument so you say purely idiotic stuff like that. Shows us all where your mental state is, {expletive deleted}. You are not worth it, moron!

[Coleus]

You didnt grow up in this world friend. Things are much more dangerous. Girls drive alone at night. If the car breaks they need to have a phone. Risking your daughters life because you want to "cut the cord" is unwise at least. The technology is there so we use it. >>

it was worse years ago, the crime rates are at their lowest today. years ago crime rates were their highest in the 60's we had the threat of global thermo nuclear war, our air and water was super polluted, we had air raid drills in schools, fall-out shelters, race riots, the inner city and ghettos, you couldn't walk in New York City at night, Times Square was a hole, girls didn't know karate or how to handle a situation and so much more ALL WITHOUT THE USE OF CELL PHONES TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

Girls today are much wiser and intuitive and a phone won't help them at all, a gun will. I'm wondering if this is still a conservative bulletin board. Today we have Megan's Law, Amber alerts, surveillance cameras, girls are trained in self defense, they are taught how to handle situations in school, in health class, they play sports are stronger and much more athletic, have Title IX, become cops and firefighters.

[null and void]

Yeah, and when you were born the Flag only had 48 Stars.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

I'm curious, are your kids grown or do you have young ones still?

[Fierce Allegiance]

Coleus thinks I should not have a phone for my daughters, and because I disagree, he thinks I'ma clinton voter.

This is exactly the chump scum flaoting around FR I was discussing earlier.

Who the hell is this scumball to tell me i am wrong because I don't want to run into another situation where my kids sports are cancelled, andi don't want then walking home in a thunderstorm, when it's dark, along a busy highway? NOBODY!!! Oh, he's somebody, he's chump scum.

[Coleus]

See, you're getting hysterical just like a soccer mom. Don't worry, Hillary will be running in 08, so you and the soccer parents can vote for her. FYI, kids don't melt in the rain. Nor can one catch a cold from being wet as many parents are led to believe. I just love a thunderstorm, so many negative ions in the air, after the storm the air is sweet and pure. I can't wait until the summer.

[Fierce Allegiance]

What is wrong with an added level of protection, chump?