Would you give a 13 yrs old a cell phone?

[zbalat]

We gave our daughter a Nextel when she was 13. She is now 14 1/2 and has never even come close to going over her minutes since she uses direct connect 90% of the time and nights and weekends are free. We feel much more secure knowing that we can contact each other at any time, anywhere.
We have 3 rules:
1. Do not lose the phone
2. Keep the phone with you at all times when you are not home.
3. If we beep you, respond within 1 minute.

She has yet to break any of the rules and I sincerely believe it was one of the best purchases we have ever made.

 

[Ausm]

only if they had a 10,000 minute plan

😉

Sysadmin

 

[yukichigai]

You can purchase cell phones that only dial pre-set numbers. You can limit the calls she can dial to parents and other important places, but the phone will still take incoming calls from anywhere. She may talk on it with her friends all the time, but at least she won't use up her minutes. (Unless she's on a plan where received calls take up her minutes)

 

[rgwalt]

I would go with a prepaid phone plan that shuts off after the minute allowance is used up. The phone will still work for 991 access even if the minutes are used, and that is key for teenagers these days... Teens seem to be enjoying a whole new level of freedom than in years past. Anyway, it would be nice to get in touch with my (hypothetical) child whenever I needed to.

Ryan

 

[maziwanka]

its sad when you see these little kids talking on cell phones.

 

[FuZoR]

my little sister has one.. part of my moms family plan.. she will be 12 in september.

i told my mom she doesnt need it but she kept bugging her for it... and finally my mom just got her it. i see NO PURPOSE whatsoever why she has one other then to showoff her friends that she has a cellphone... but she told me several of her friends also has cellphones (6th graders)

 

[slightlyhuman]

my gf's sister who is 11 has one. dont see anything wrong with it unless she abuses it.

 

[Lazy8s]

I got a cellphone when I was 14 so like.....9 years ago. It was a freakin tank of a phone and I got a **whopping** 130minutes!! I haven't gone over my minutes once in 9 years, the key is they have to pay for it if they go over and they have to be responsable. I'd let her have one but I'd monitor her usage online so I could see if she was going to go over and the second she went over I'd take the phone.

 

[Vic]

Yes, but only an old deactivated one that could only call 911 (all cell phones can call 911, even if not activated with any phone carrier).

 

[waggy]

I see nothing wrong with it my 2 year old has had a a T730 for about 6 months now!






heh it was my wife's but it broke. she love playing wiht it =)

 

[Splork]

Originally posted by: Queasy
If I were to give a teenager under the age of 16 a cell phone it would be a pre-paid phone. Otherwise, no.

Exactly! I don't believe a 13 year old knows the value of such a luxury and would most likely run up one hella bill!!

-sp

 

[skace]

I would get a young teenager a cell phone so that I can teach them proper use.

First, since it would be a somewhat nice piece of equipment for a young kid, it would teach him/her how to be responsible and maintain an expensive piece of electronics. (In other words, treat the phone so that it doesn't get damaged).

Also, there would never be an excuse to not have called me when out and about.

I'd also teach him/her proper etiquette. Use the vibration mode or a low ring, turn off in theaters, and only use while driving in an emergency / pulled over.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Splork

Originally posted by: Queasy
If I were to give a teenager under the age of 16 a cell phone it would be a pre-paid phone. Otherwise, no.

Exactly! I don't believe a 13 year old knows the value of such a luxury and would most likely run up one hella bill!!

-sp

This is where good parenting comes into play.
Make the rules and punishments very clear and FOLLOW THROUGH. "You get 100 minutes a month. If you go over, you will lose your priveleges for the next month and pay the overage charges out of your pocket. Do it again and you lose the phone indefinitely."

I could think of a dozen ways to help entice good phone behavior, like giving her bonus minutes for good grades or doing chores without being asked or extra allowance for not using up all of the alloted minutes.

 

[OutHouse]

my daughter is 11, right now the answer would be no. but, when she gets to be 14 ill think about it.

 

[Anubis]

if it was ONLY allowed to dial ME and 911 then sure

otherwise no fusking way