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Those of you with kids in their preteen years, did you give your kid a cell phone?  I have told my 11 yr old daughter that she will get one when she starts middle school next year. I've noticed some of her friends carry cell phones, but they can't take them to school, and they tend to lose things because they're not quite that responsible yet.

I think you are pretty much dead on with your thinking.  Our kids got cells when they started middle school.  Once they get to that age they are more active, are in more need of having one to be in contact with parents. 

I am not sure yet. There are good reasons for it but it opens up a lot of dangers too.

what dangers are you thinking? Boys? texting too much?

Yep, you need to be sure you block unnecessary options and monitor the calls that are being made.  You should have the option of checking all activity online.  

Boys are a danger with or without a cell phone. Texting and camera phones (i.e. picture messaging) are the danger to me. People send things via text etc that they would've never written in a letter or said verbally without it or done otherwise. I know adults who can't handle it.

None of us can shelter our kids forever but I'm just not sure about cell phones for my preteen. Your mileage may vary.

Yep, that's probably what I will end up doing but I may make my kids wait a little longer than the normal kid just to have a phone.

You know what kills me? Parents who will let their 9 and 10 year old kids have a facebook acct. I know people who set their kids up with FB accounts and falsify the birth date so they can sign up.     :dunno: :wtf: :nono:

I'm not sure about it either. My older one is mature and level headed, so I feel she can handle it, but you're right about the dangers and I'm not real comfortable with giving her one next year.

Oh my! Are we seeing a little bit of *gasp* "OLD SOUL" coming out here?  :biggrin:

No, you're just seeing "dad of 2 daughters" coming out. We're pretty much Universal on that one  :nod:

Stay out of it. :tongue:

Buddy, I am knee deep in it!  :tongue:

And I have seen pics of your beautiful daughter. You'll be knee deep in it too.  :nod:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16044093/ns/business-consumer_news/t/stay-connected-best-cell-phones-children/#.ToNObtSA0fw

I know AT&T also has a limited access phone, not sure about T-Mobile.

If there's a way to block camera usage that's where problems really creep in. Also, having the kids turn in the phone at "x" time each night can help.

If their friends ask why a text sent late wasn't returned just have the kid say "Mom and Dad are really uncool". That helps them feel better.

This is me.  I struggle trying to understand why they "need" it.  Just because other kids have it?

Now, the need to get ahold of your kids at any time.... I guess I can somewhat get, but I survived w/o a cell....

I am absolutely an old soul when it comes to my kids. I don't expose them to most of the music I listen to or any of my other bad adult habits... cigars, alcohol, R rated movies, etc.  :wave:

You can block photo messages with Verizon.  I have to believe that you can with most carriers, as well. 

FIFY

we all survived without a cell, and still could. It just makes things easier and more convenient.

We also survived without fire.  It just makes things easier and more convenient.  :tongue:

I have three daughters, and believe me when I say the drama only gets worse as they get older.  Then things get better really quick after they get kids of their own & start to think & speak like their parents!  :dielaughing:

In what ways easier for a teenager?  Other then reaching you?

No they don't need cell phones until they drive.  Only get one earlier if they are spoiled or nag parents "everyone else has one".
If there is a large group or crowd then one parent keeps their phone, and the child takes the other parents phone for that occasion.
That's my feelings and I'm sticking to it. Spoil the child and raise an adult, who thinks they can have everything for the asking.
 :wave:

Speaking of driving and cell phones.... A couple of years ago, my next door neighbor's daughter was texting and driving.  Drove into cove lake and drown.

I think it is worse then drunk driving.

None. I am speaking in general. Like I said, I am not fully comfortable with giving her one next year. I kinda wish I hadn't told her I would.

It is.

I think it's just as dangerous but I don't think it's worse than drunk driving because with texting you can put up the phone and be instantly "sober".

However teenagers don't understand the danger of it and it is definitely just as dangerous as drunk driving or maybe even more so when it is happening.

I guess I look at like.... If you are drunk driving, you are at least looking at the road.  You may see 6 lanes on a 2 lane road, but at least you are looking at the road.

The thing with texting is that people are totally not looking at the road, while with drunk driving they're looking, but impaired.

This is why I said "and it is definitely just as dangerous as drunk driving or maybe even more so when it is happening."

But, you can put down the phone and be instantly focused.

The term "worse" to me implies that it is a worse offense and I don't think it is. I think "as dangerous" or arguably "more dangerous" is the way I look at it.

All in all, semantics... they are both stupid.

Not in my experience, which admittedly is pretty limited and based on watching others.  Drunk drivers do not think they are drunk, so they go about doing the same things they do while driving when they are not impaired.  That is, they eat snacks, drink beverages, light up their smokes, engage in conversations and goof off with their passengers, etc. Their attention is often (usually?) anywhere but on looking at the road.  Even drunk, many people probably could concentrate and get where they are going if they actually paid attenttion.  But, that's the problem, they are drunk and do not pay attention.  The bottom line is both being drunk and texting while driving are stupid and dangerous. 

It is interesting that our Gov't has not tried to "require" some sort of jamming device be made mandatory for all cars.  Not that I want that, but it seems like something they woud do.

I've wondered the same thing. I also wonder if they might try to force carriers to make it possible to jam data and text without jamming voice. Of course the problem with that is passengers. My wife would likely die if she couldn't facebook or text while I was driving.  :dance:

from a (former) teachers perspective. Don't do it. They are used for so much more than emergency communications and most of the uses are not good. I took one off a student one day and he complained using the excuse that he had a kid. I told him I had two and didn't need one. If they need to be reached at school you can call the office and if you can convince them it's an emergency then they will page them. Children don't need to call mommy and daddy every time someone looks at them hatefully. I know there are extreme instances (ex. Columbine) where it might be useful to have one but really how often is that.

My oldest stepson had a cell phone at 11.  He could not take it to school and he could not text. He only had it because they would be home alone after school for 2 hours and his mother had no house phone.

I wish my 16 year old never got one. He still doesn't really need it and as someone mentioned earlier, many teens do not know how to communicate with them appropriately.  Things are "said" and shown that never would be in person. I'd prefer a gps device be inserted into him.

I've always assumed that my kids would not be allowed to have a cell phone. Now that they're five (going on six) and it won't be too long before it's time to make that decision, I find my opinion changing a bit. Their momma is a school teacher, so they will be in the same building with her until they move to high school. But of course there will be after-school stuff and hanging out with friends that will come before then. IMO, it's not a matter of whether they NEED one; there are lots of things we survived without because we didn't have a choice. In the unlikely event that a true emergency happen, I would rather my kids have a way to get in contact with their ol' man than me have to worry about where they are and if they're okay.

Their phones will not have texting or multimedia capabilities, though. That's where I'll firmly stand my ground.

They're not even allowed in their school

We don't have a house phone either. My wife and I just carry cells

(http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss207/clmoses1967/gekko-cell-phone.jpg)

 :dielaughing: :dielaughing: :dielaughing: :dielaughing: