# What age to give a cell phone ?



## tweetyznan (Aug 10, 2005)

Hi

I am new here and the mother to a dd who is 14 about to be 15 in November. She has been asking for a cell phone for the last 3 months now. I would like to buy her a trac fone. In some ways it would be good for her because my job is in another area code and her school will not let her call unless she has a calling card( which I think is obsurd !). My mom is telling me "just put her on your cell plan". UMMMMM, I don't think so ! My daughter is a very giving child and I am afraid she would let others use the phone. Thats why I think it would be better for me to get her a prepaid ! Her Dad and step-mom think she should have one but I think she needs to start with a prepaid first and then after a year I will let her dad and step-mom get her the real thing.







What do you think ???


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## Alkenny (May 4, 2004)

My friend's "very responsible 17 year old" just ran her $40 plan up over $900 in one month...I think a prepaid to start out with is PERFECT.

Another idea, another friend of mine told me about a phone that doesn't have buttons that you can dial numbers on but instead only dials a certain number of preprogrammed numbers. I don't know where to even start looking for something like that, but it sounds interesting.

Otherwise, if dad and stepmom think it's so important, dad and stepmom can pay for it. KWIM?


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## tweetyznan (Aug 10, 2005)

Thank you I agree. I just don't think she is really ready for a cell phone. Thanks for your hindsight







!


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## BumbleBena (Mar 18, 2005)

Lish, is that the Firefly phone you're referring to? Those things are awesome. They sell them at Target.

My first phone, which I bought when I was 16, was a Tracfone. I stopped using it after a year, because I found the Virgin Mobile phones, which have cheaper minutes. Both are also available at Target. (BTW, we kept the Virgin Mobile phones for 5 years. We loved them.







)

Good luck!


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## Satori (Jan 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Alkenny*
My friend's "very responsible 17 year old" just ran her $40 plan up over $900 in one month...I think a prepaid to start out with is PERFECT.

Another idea, another friend of mine told me about a phone that doesn't have buttons that you can dial numbers on but instead only dials a certain number of preprogrammed numbers. I don't know where to even start looking for something like that, but it sounds interesting.

Otherwise, if dad and stepmom think it's so important, dad and stepmom can pay for it. KWIM?










Thats Firefly http://www.fireflymobile.com my dd has one to call me from school when she is sick (she's to embarrised to tell the teacher) The phone is $99, comes with 30 prepaid minutes then you can buy refill minutes at 25 cents a min. dd's phone can only call me and I've locked it down so it will only accepting incoming calls from me too


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## Alkenny (May 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Satori*
Thats Firefly http://www.fireflymobile.com

Thanks!


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## HeartsOpenWide (Mar 1, 2005)

I did not get a cell phone untill I was 19 and my husband (boyfriend at the time) got it for me and paid for it. I did just find with out a cell phone growing up. I understand that a large reason kids want cell phones is because they are cool and "evey one has one"
If a kid has a job and can pay for it him/herself then I think it is fine, maybe a good way to learn some responsibility. But I would never just get one for a kid and pay for it, expecially when I do not think they need it in the first place...but thats my thoughts on that.


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

Well, I never had a cell phone when I was young because there weren't any.









I let my 13 year old son have one, shared with my cell phone bill because all of his friends have one and I want him to keep in touch with me.

None of them would let him borrow theirs, so I got him his...the first one, he dropped in the water at the beach. The second one he broke somehow, and the third he still has, but it is still early.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

I think my 13 year old really needs a cell phone. I just cant afford one right now.
I like the prepaid plans for the security of no overbilling, but I am cheap and I just hate spending 25 cents a minute. IT just seems like they really overcharge for the privilege of not having a contract.
I am going to check out a cricket phone. It is a local only cell phone company with unlimited minutes in your local calling area. That way I have 1 monthly bill and she cant run out of minutes.
I havent price compared the two yet either though.
joline


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## scrappingmom (Sep 3, 2005)

We've told our oldest (13) that once he has a "regular" income he can get a cricket phone as well, it will be HIS bill.. we may occassionally pitch in, maybe not, and it has the local area unlimited thing you can also get it without a contract, just goes month to month. Normally i wouldnt let them that young, but he is a biker and skateboarder and i just invision him working on a stunt at the park(only around the corner) and landing wrong, braking something and unable to come home. Or having a practice/game canceled and have missed the bus home, i'd hate to have him sitting waiting for hours for us to get him thinking he had a game or practice.

He is quite responsible and has a great work ethic so i truely dont believe we'd have problems with it with him. Oldest dd on the other hand, she has DECIDED we are getting her a cell phone(camera phone at that) for her 12th b-day and we'lll add her to our plan.... :LOL :LOL :LOL :LOL ... is all i can say to that. IF and WHEN we let her get one it would be same as her brother... but she isnt responsible enough to leave sight of the house so i dont see their being a need for a cell phone anytime soon.. hers is definetly a "its cool" thing!

I'd encourage anyone considering a cell for their kid to check around some of the "local" companies rather than the national plans, generally they have local unlimited plans pretty cheap (25-40 a month). Calculate the childs NEED of it as well and get THEIR reason for wanting one! This MAY give you a great insight into the likley use of it. IMO


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

pay phones arent nearly as easy to come by as they were when I was 13!! That's for sure!


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## SamuraiEarthMama (Dec 3, 2002)

my husband and i each have a cell, and to add one to our family plan was only 10 bucks more a month... as long as the combined useage didn't go over 1000 minutes a month, we essentially had free long distance, no roaming charges. so we got the extra phone, and it "floats" among my kids, depending on who needs it that day. we only have one car, so it's usually with the kid who is going to need to be picked up or ferried somewhere (and that's usually dd, 15). however, she knows that we keep track of minutes, and if she goes over, SHE is the one responsible for any extra charges (plus she'll lose access to the privilege).

the phones, like the laptops and the cd players, are tools that we all share. we tried not to make a big deal out of who has one or who doesn't... it's more a question of who needs a particular tool the most. if my daughter felt she really needed one fulltime, i wouldn't be against her purchasing for one for herself, but i wouldn't do it for her.

katje


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## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

My stepson is 13 and we just got him a cell phone for his birthday in June. We just added it to our monthly plan (similar to SamuraiEarthMama's plan) and so far it has worked out fine. There are several rules around it though - no taking it to school, no taking it to boys&girls club (both of those places have a phone he can use to call home if he needs to), no using it to make calls when he is at home (we have a regular phone for that!). It's really only to be used for us to be in contact when he is at a friend's house, or out and about in the neighborhood. It took a lot of reminding him of these rules before he realized we were not budging (he must have come up with a hundred hypothetical situation for which he would need to take it to school :LOL ), but he's finally accepted it and pretty much uses it for what it was intended - for keeping in contact with his family.


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## smiletime (Sep 18, 2005)

My daughter is 11 and just got a cell. Before you scream at me a) it is a prepaid phone that she only gets money for by doing chores b) She only uses to call us when she is let out of school and is waiting for us to pick her up. Her friends call it but we tell them to call the home phone to save minutes. I think setting rules early is key on these things.







:


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## ryansmom02 (Jan 8, 2003)

My 11 yr old has one that she only calls home with her and DH share it..... IT does not go to school wiht her as she goes to school just across the street.. But she does ride her bike out alot and i want her to be able to call if she needs something or gets a flat tire......... she has had it for 2 months and has only uses like 20 minutes total....


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## Dar (Apr 12, 2002)

My 12 year old has had one since she was 10. I got phones for both of us after she broke her arm when she was 9 while she was at a friend's house, and I was doing errands and unreachable. Luckily, it happened just a few minutes before I arrived to pick her up, but it could have been bad.

We have the $49.99 for 2 lines plan, too. We got rid of our landline when we moved to the city and could dump dialup, and it's really not a lot more... and long distance is free. We have 400 minutes a month with rollover and free nights and weekends, and free long distance, and it's been more than enough. Rain has to pay for text messages at a dime each, and she has been known to spend $5 or $10 a month on them, but she doesn't want to do the monthly flat rate because some month she doesn't text at all. O-kay.

And yes, I love being able to contact her at any time, and I love it then she can contact me at any time. If she gets uncomfortable at an event or class or friend's house, she can always reach... only happened once, but still a good thing. I feel like I can give her a lot more freedom knowing that she can always reach me. It's also good for when plans are sort of up in the air... we're both out and about a lot. She called me a couple of hours ago to tell me that I didn't need to pick her up as planned, which saved me an hour of driving...

Dar


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## Divina (Sep 13, 2003)

We just got a Trac-fone for my 17 year old DS. He went on a cross-country bus trip to visit relatives, and we just felt better about it if he had a phone. We bought him some minutes, and he got some bonus minutes for activating online, but now he's responsible for buying any more. He's pretty responsible, but it's easy to run up a bill without realizing it.


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## Emzachsmama (Apr 30, 2004)

My dh and I have decided that the kids can get cell phones when they are old enough to have jobs and pay for them themselves. I don't think cell phones are really neccessary IMO especially for teens. If they want to use their own money to buy them and pay the bills then that is fine but we won't be buying them phones.


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## fire_lady (Aug 24, 2005)

I think its ok to give your dd a cell phone at this age. This will also train her in handling resposibilities. Set rules in using the phones.


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

Great tips here! We've also contemplated a phone for my almost-12-year-old. We have Verizon, as do many of his friends. So we can add a phone for free and pay as we go. We prepay whatever we want for that month, but calls to and from other Verizon phones are free. $15 gets him about 45 minutes of non-verizon call time. Makes me feel better when he is with Nana, or with friends, or what have you.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I dig the firefly and will probably get one for dd when she starts putzing around without us (right now she is never in an unsupervised situation and don't know when she will be). We will probably do somethingl ike the firefly though. I have only had a cell phone for a couple of months and have never had a problem (i do carry a phone card with me at all times - you never know when you will be out of range). All the same I do like that I can get ahold of my child and they me at any time. I se no reason fro them to be chatting with thier friends constantly.

my only concern is that she will wreck the phone.







:


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## Alexander (Nov 22, 2001)

My 9 yo and 6 yo has had access to a mobile since they were about 4. Just wish they would use them more often!







They only call us when we are around!

a


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## LisaD373 (Nov 16, 2004)

I gave both my kids cell phones about a year and a half ago, when my DD was 15 and my DS was 13. My DS didn't make long conversations on his phone unlike my daughter, who always had a large phone bill at the end of the month. It got so out of hand that I had to get my DS a unit plan, so she would try and use her time wisely. I don't see why cell phones shouldn't be given at a young age. They help me find my kids at all times, and they're cheap now, and so is the plan if you keep it under control. Hope that helped.


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## bayberry*moon (Oct 3, 2005)

I got a cell phone around 15/16...but it was only used when I was going out and needed to call my parents to tell them my plans. I never really talked to my friends on it, but it was quite useful to have to keep in touch with the parents.


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## maigheach (Aug 31, 2005)

moms, PLEASE check into headsets with air tubes.... have been doing a lot of research into cell phones, and have found on a reputable site that standard headsets direct the microwave radiation STRAIGHT TO THE BRAIN! i won't get a cell phone for myself or my kids.... want to keep them safe!


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## Dar (Apr 12, 2002)

Care to share that "reputable site"?

This isn't an issue at all with the newer phones. There's some controversy about whether it was with older models... maybe, maybe not. But the newer ones are fine.

Dar


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

During high school when I'd go places alone (to the downtown library, to Powell's) the family rule was "call every two hours or at every change in direction". So I carried around a mini m&m tube full of quarters. So definitely, if your kid has to carry around a ton of quarters so they can call you to keep you apprised of their location, then it's time for a cell phone. (Especially since the odds of finding a payphone might be almost nil depending on your city.)


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## CaroleP (Apr 10, 2005)

Oh my gosh. I just went through that with my d. Her dad and stepmom gave her a phone to use. She downloaded ringtones. She text messaged some internet friend in germany. She somehow left the phone connected overnight.
It was ugly









Even a calling card could be risky.

That new service you all are talking about sounds interesting though.

Carole


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## NicoleD (Feb 11, 2002)

I have the ultimate for you. My children's friends are 4, 8, and 10. Their dad took them to the mall and bought phones for all three and a pager for the youngest.

The mom was furious at him.

Now my son keeps saying he needs one since his friend has one. I guess I should not tell him that the dad is nuts!


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## donannedean (Jul 8, 2005)

moms, PLEASE check into headsets with air tubes.... have been doing a lot of research into cell phones, and have found on a reputable site that standard headsets direct the microwave radiation STRAIGHT TO THE BRAIN! i won't get a cell phone for myself or my kids.... want to keep them safe!

I read that in Britain cell phones are illegal for children under 18 years of age because of the damage the microwave energy does to a growing brain.
Do not be fooled Moms , even the new cell phones emit low frequency radiation that our government does not protect us from. It has been proven to cause brain tumors. even heavy users that use head sets are starting to get prostate cancer from wearing the phones on thier belts. This info came from a med student friend of mine. If you don't believe me please do your own research. CELL PHONES ARE NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.


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## Starr (Mar 16, 2005)

I think the age depends on the child. The only reason I can see buying my child a phone is so that either they can get in touch with me or I can reach them. certainly not for them to be calling friends on. So I would take into account what afterschool activities they are in, is it easy to for them to get ahold of you if plans change, how often do you think they would need it... I got my cell phone when I started driving. My parents bought it for me and we all three shared minutes only I was allowed to use 60 min. a month, anything over I would have to pay. Unless of course something major happened where they knew I needed my phone a lot. But the main purpose was me driving 20 miles to and from school in winter and them wanting a backup.


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## Mom2_3girls (Apr 13, 2004)

We told our two oldest that when they could afford to purchase the phone and pay for the monthly bill (Cricket $45 per month) they could get a phone. My oldest (13) bought one 2 months ago and has been very responsible paying her bill so far. We do have rules with the phone though...at night when she goes to bed, the phone stays downstairs, no calls after 9pm etc.


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## kate~mom (Jul 21, 2003)

i think it depends on the child and the situation. my sister got one at 13 when she started high school - she was taking public transportation into a major city - fairly important, i think, in that situation. i would have no problem with giving a child a cell phone at that age in those circumstances. but i agree - prepaid might be an excellent idea.


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## hopeland (Oct 15, 2005)

I thought I wouldmention recently there was a study released that pointed towards an increased risk of brain tumors in children. The main issue seemed to be if you lived in a more rural area...something about there being less "towers" so the strength has to be stronger. I dont know how true this is but thought I would offer it.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *donannedean*
moms, PLEASE check into headsets with air tubes.... have been doing a lot of research into cell phones, and have found on a reputable site that standard headsets direct the microwave radiation STRAIGHT TO THE BRAIN! i won't get a cell phone for myself or my kids.... want to keep them safe!

I read that in Britain cell phones are illegal for children under 18 years of age because of the damage the microwave energy does to a growing brain.
Do not be fooled Moms , even the new cell phones emit low frequency radiation that our government does not protect us from. It has been proven to cause brain tumors. even heavy users that use head sets are starting to get prostate cancer from wearing the phones on thier belts. This info came from a med student friend of mine. If you don't believe me please do your own research. CELL PHONES ARE NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.


What reputable site would this be? Another poster mentioned this "reputable site" earlier in this thread and they haven't come back with a URL. If the site is a legitimate source of information on this topic, you will provide a link and let us judge the accuracy of the information ourselves. I realize you are new here, so you probably haven't learned that MDC users *think for themselves*.

Wait a second, I just finished reading the second part of your post. Now you're saying that it comes from a "med student friend of yours"? Look if you've got this great source of information, it's a bit mean of you to tell us to do our own research. Seriously, a med student probably learned about this from a study published in an established medical journal (not that that necessarily indicates accuracy) and you could find out the name and author of the study?

Apropos of nothing


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## Sarabrooke (Oct 23, 2005)

I started out with a trac fone last deceber. I only had minutes 4 times. But then in June, I was thinking about taking my babysitting money and buying more minutes. Thats when my dad told me that I dont need to buy more mins becuase he will get me a phone on his plan. I ended up getting one. I was told any thing I go over on, I have to pay for. The first month was great. Then the second month I had 141 texts and paid $20. Then Augasts bill was $501. I got my phone taken away for 2 weeks. I think the best thing for your daughter would be to get her the type of plan, thats like a verizon but its where you have a certian number of minutes, (NOT A PREPAID) but when you reach your amount your phone shuts off until the new month.


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## Jennymom33 (Oct 2, 2005)

I gave my kids cell phones when they started going to Junior High, because they were out of the house more. I just made sure I waited till they actually needed one.


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

As for the brain tumor/cell phone link I have yet to see any evidence whatsoever. The AMA, ACA and CDC all say there is no evidence to suggest cell phone users of 10 years have any greater risk of tumors or cancer.

My almsot 12 year old has one. He walks to a friend's house after school sometimes and I like knowing he's in constant contact with one of us (parents or uncle or grandparents). It's been helpful when he wants to visit a different store at the mall or when he is home alone while I run an errand.

We already have Verizon so it was $10/month to add him to our plan (Family Share Plan) and the brand new phone was FREE! We pay $100/month and share 1,200 minutes between me, hubby and DS. DH's work pays a portion, since he uses it for work, too.
Plus all nights and weekends are free, and all Verizon customers talk to each other for free always so we rarely go over the alloted min per month.


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## Songbird (Sep 1, 2005)

I got a cell phone at 16 when I got my first car but it was one of those 100 minutes a month deals so I was terrified to use it. I didn't really use a cell phone much until I was almost 18 and it was my only phone.


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## bugsmom007 (Jun 2, 2005)

My 11 year old has had one for over a year and it is no big deal for him...I'm sure that might change, but so far he's only used it to call us...I personally think giving him one when he was 10 made it not be such a big deal


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

My mom and I both were caught out with dead cells last week (always leave your charger in the car) - I had no idea how hard it is to find a pay phone! We didn't find one AT ALL. Anywhere.

I think as soon as they're old enough to have activities and be out and about without parents, giving your child a prepaid cell must be a great comfort on both sides.


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## hipchick (Nov 5, 2005)

I would say about 12 or 13 is the right time, as long as your child is responsible. It might be a good idea to give them a prepaid phone for starters and change once you decide that they are more responsible later on. Maybe, you can tell them that you will pay the monthly fees (which come to a certain number of minutes) and they would pay for additional minutes...Hope that they don't rack up a $1000 phone bill! There are definite emergency reasons why kids that age would need a cell phone, besides you don't want your kid being uncool for not having one.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I've never really cared for giving kids cell phones. But, it's becoming necessary. When I was a kid and was out and about, there were _working_ pay phones all over the place. I always carried change so I could call home if necessary. But, it's getting harder and harder to find a pay phone at all, and many of them don't work when I do find one. I think we may get ds1 a cell phone in the spring. He'll be almost 13. he doesn't really need one now, because it's going to pour rain for the next few months, and he won't go far from home very much.


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## rryman (Sep 19, 2005)

I agree with you mama, trac phone first most definitly!







When they first get a phone they are so excited they call everyone all the time for a while until its worn off. So, yup, try the trac phone first.


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## LDSmomma6 (Oct 31, 2003)

ANy prepaid Cingular deals? I am thinking of getting one for my DS, age 15, because a few of his friends have them, and I have to be cool, but I don't want to pay a lot of money if he goes over.

I am going to go check Cingular.com out.


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## midstreammama (Feb 8, 2005)

Verizon has a phone that is similar to the Firefly. We were looking at those after we saw the Firefly, you know..just chicking to see what else was out there.

ETA: Verizon has one too.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...edPhoneId=2060


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## boston (Nov 20, 2001)

I think 12 ish is good.

And as freaky as cell phones are, what with the microwaves next to the brain and the overpriced plans and all...I think it's nice how they bring people together. I like that there's a way to be in contact with your kid when she goes for a bike ride. And for emergencies. It's great.

However, I'm not so sure about the ones for very small children. The Tic Talk phone by Leap Frog is for children as young as 6.







http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findprodu...de&key=tictalk


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## MillingNome (Nov 18, 2005)

I just bought my DD one this weekend. She had been asking for 3 years. The thing I like about cell phones is God forbid anything happen to her, the phone can be used to track where she went or at least give a last location. And of course, she can use to call for help. FYI, if it helps, she is the third girl to get one in her class.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

My 13 year old is getting a cricket phone this Christmas.
I considered prepaid but the minimum is $30 a month for only 300 minutes. (if you dont buy a card at least monthly it gets turned off, except for T-moble if you buy cards that are $100)
The Cricket phone has unlimited local minutes for $35. So we are going with that instead.
Last thing I want is to get her a prepaid phone, pay for it to be activated and have her use up all the minutes and have it be dead when I need to reach her!


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## kidbound (Jan 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan*
What reputable site would this be? Another poster mentioned this "reputable site" earlier in this thread and they haven't come back with a URL. If the site is a legitimate source of information on this topic, you will provide a link and let us judge the accuracy of the information ourselves. I realize you are new here, so you probably haven't learned that MDC users *think for themselves*.

Wait a second, I just finished reading the second part of your post. Now you're saying that it comes from a "med student friend of yours"? Look if you've got this great source of information, it's a bit mean of you to tell us to do our own research. Seriously, a med student probably learned about this from a study published in an established medical journal (not that that necessarily indicates accuracy) and you could find out the name and author of the study?

Apropos of nothing









:


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## aisraeltax (Jul 2, 2005)

you can add another line to cingular for only 9.95 a month. thats what we did w/ ds1 a few years ago (around 13 i think). it was necessary then b/c i had a huge commute...its necessary now b/c i think he would DIE w/o it (his belief, not mine).

rach


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## Kari_mom (Jun 1, 2003)

Quote:

you can add another line to cingular for only 9.95 a month
We just added dd to our plan, they are giving us a phone and a sim card if we want to use an old phone we have. It was really the best deal we could find.

My dd is 12, she has been asking for a phone. I like knowing I can call her when she is away and that she can reach us when she wants.


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## kibba (Oct 11, 2005)

I got one when I started to drive and will probably do the same with my own children unless if they are in sports, I remember when I was in sports before I could drive I was ALWAYS using the payphone, or borrowing someones phone. Sometimes it was a pain because there was no payphone around or it was broken if there was one. I don't see a reason for a teen not to have a phone, unless of course they abuse it and dont follow the rules ( calling friends all the time ect..)


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## SherryR (Dec 15, 2005)

We were always completely against getting our dd a cell phone. However (lol), we now realize it is becoming a necessity. She's 14 now and involved in so many after school activities. I'm going to add her to my plan. We have checked every type of trac phone, etc but the minutes/charges are just way too much. So, for an extra $15 per month, I'm adding her to mine. I can check the minutes any time day or night. I DO trust her very much BUT I know how they can get out of hand no matter how trustworthy. So, she is getting it on a "probationary" period. We'll keep track every day and if she abuses it, it's gone. She's paying the $15 each month toward it, too.


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## maigheach (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan*
What reputable site would this be? Another poster mentioned this "reputable site" earlier in this thread and they haven't come back with a URL.

sorry, haven't been back to this thread since i posted my original comment. the site to which i was referring was:

www.mercola.com

dr. joseph mercola is a naturopathic doctor.

roxanne


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## blarmy (Dec 22, 2005)

They sell those firefly phones anywhere that you can buy a cell phone. They're okay for little kids, but a bit restrictive for teenagers. I used to be totally anti-cell phones for kids, but then schools can be such jerk's about using the phone in offices, so I've since changed my position on the issue. I remember when I was going to grade school (and I'm 22 now, so it wasn't all that long ago), sometimes my car might break down in the high school parking lot (it was an old junky hand-me-down car), or I'd miss my bus in middle school, or I'd forget to tell my mom it was an early dismissal day in elementary school... and the office workers would be nothing but rude when you asked to use the phone for a ride. Also, there's the case of emergencies and not being able to get through to your kid or vice-versa. So, I'm all for cellphones for any school aged kid... though I would say those firefly phones are probably best for the younger ones, and prepaid plans are best for older kids.


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## josie143 (Dec 1, 2004)

IN MY MOTHERS WORDS OF WISDOM WHEN THEY CAN AFFORD THE CELL PHONE THEY CAN HAVE ONE!!


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## SherryR (Dec 15, 2005)

So, I'm retracting my post above.







We decided to give this a trial run a different way. In an attempt to first make her realize what a huge responsibility this is, we are having her get her own pre-paid phone. She ordered herself a cute one from Virgin Mobile & it was only $19.99 w/free shipping & she purchased the top-up cards right away, too. I want her to have to use her own money for it and see what a big deal it is. If she shows us that she is being responsible with it and not going crazy with minutes, etc, then we will consider adding her on to my plan. Part of me feels bad because it will cost her a lot more money doing it this way, BUT, I know it's the best way to get her to see what having a cell phone will entail.


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## lucyem (Apr 30, 2005)

For safety I would have a "family" phone my preteen could have when he/she went out but not one of their own. As for my teen who wants one of their own - well they can go right out and pick up a tracfone and pay for it all themselves. I have a tracfone myself. For the amount I use it it is way cheaper to have it vs a regular plan. The funny thing is around here the tracfone actually gets better service then my husbands verizon or my friend's US Cellular. No other phone companies have available service around here. I charge up my phone once a year and the minutes last as long as I keep recharging every year. Though I find eventually I go away or need my phone once or twice a year. Now for a teen who talks and talks and talks then a regular plan might be better. But the tracfone is a good way to start them paying for their phone without signing a long term contract.

Mobile phones are a necessity today. Especially where we live. I think the nearest pay phone is 20 minutes away.


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## tweetyznan (Aug 10, 2005)

Thank you all ! My dd bought her own prepaid cell phone for Christmas. I really like her having it mostly because I work out of our town and from her school to my job is long distance. They wanted me to supply a calling card for her to call me. She has a whole year of service and unlimited time. She only uses the phone to call me or if we are in different areas of the store..it's good to know where we each are. She has been really good with it. I was very afraid she would lose it or let someone else use it . But, she has shown me that she is old enough.


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Um, has anyone besides me noticed payphones are really few and far between nowadays, especially in the suburbs?

My daughter has had a phone for almost a year and turns 12 on Sunday. It's only $10 per month on our plan. She has it for safety first and foremost: she can call me whenever she needs to, or I can tell her I'll be late, or will meet her elsewhere. She can talk to her cousins and friends for free, and not tie up the landline or my phone.

Around here, most of the nine-year-olds we know have their own phones. No one overuses them. Dunno why.


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