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.
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