my son is 12 will be 13 in sept should i get him a cell phone befor school starts in aug?

Question

he is a only child .

Answer 1

Try Verizon. I don't know if other companies have this or not but try this phone. It has only 4 numbers on it 1,2,3,4 and an emergency button which calls 911.

You pre-program the phone to have your number your husbands, a relative, and anyone else. You set it and he can only call those numbers. This way you don't waste minutes and its cheap.

Though the phone is not something a 13 year old would think of as cool. You should only get him one if he truly needs it. He doesn't work so he can't call in sick. Wait till he has a job and make him pay for all or half. This way he starts learning about bills.

All in all you can get him a great phone with a mail in rebate for free after the rebate. Every phone company has mail in rebates. Just shop online or at your local provider. Good luck shopping.

Answer 2

My answer to this is definitely, yes.

Firstly and most importantly, you'll be able to contact him when he is out ( he is 12 going on 13, surely he'll be at the mall hanging out ) no matter during times of emergencies or just casual knowing of when he'll be home for dinner.

Second, by giving him a phone, you are entrusting him to be someone responsible enough to take care of a valuable item. Be sure to tell him this and point out to him that he is a trusted and valued member of your family.

Moreover, he is stepping into his teenage years. Predictably, this will make him unpredictable (no pun !). Remember the peer pressure you had in your childhood ? Yes, it is going to be there for him if he is without a phone in school. By giving him a phone, you rid him of one less worry ( being a loser ?) and you are automatically promoted to a COOL mum in him and his friends' eyes.

However, giving him what he want can be a tricky business if he cannot control what he has. Be sure to state down ground rules such as how much you are willing to pay each month for his telephone bills and that he should pay the rest if he exceeds the certain amount.

So, yes, I think you should give him a phone. Yet, if you should really do it, you should always be aware that you should never use this as a bargaining chip in arguements because though giving him the phone is a decision made by you, it is GIVEN to him already. Hope you find this useful.

Answer 3

Children in these days are so lucky to get a phone, specially at the age of 13, I remember that at that age, I was not even allowed to touch the home phone without permission. I'm not saying for you not to give him a phone. I'm at teacher at school, and we only allowed children to have there phone if they are car riders. Other wise their phone will be taken away and give to the parent. But as I can see in schools many children leave their phone on just to interrupt the class. Make sure you give him some tips and rules to the child. A phone could be good and could be bad, just like computers. What we parents need is to put the cards on the table and tell them the rules.
Just my advise and opinion.
You r a good mother.

Answer 4

Depends, how well does your child do in school? Do they listen and are they responsible? Do you know where they are all the time? Do they spend too much time on the phone? A phone is okay if they are responsible and do well in school and if they are doing what they are told. It is a luxury not a necessity for them; however it can be a good tool for a parent to be able to keep tabs on their children and to let them know when to come home and check in or if they are hurt and need your help. When school is in it is only good for them to have it on the weekends or after they are finished with their home work during the week. If you can afford this endeavor then go for it but set ground rules and restrictions. as long as they are doing good then it shouldn't hurt giving them this most wanted treasure by most kids.

Answer 5

Hell no did you get a phone at 13 i bet you didnt what is up with the kids and the damn cell phones my daughter is in the 6th grade and she tells me all her friends have cell phones and i said to her when you turn 15 or 16 and you have a job and you can pay for it then we will get you a prepaid..why is this generation of children all into spending mom and dads hard earned money for if you let it happen then it always will

Answer 6

no. my neice has one and she's gone though 8 phones (losing them breaking them). if you really want him to have a phone then try the Firefly Mobile Phone for Kids, it can be found at target and possibly walmart.
$99.99
• Pay-As-You-Go Cell Phone
• Open-Face Style
• Talk Up to 360.0Min. Before Recharging
• Up to 216.0Hr. Standby Time
• Features Speed Dial, 12 Pre-Loaded Ringtones, 5 Pre-Loaded Animated Graphics
• Display Features: LCD Display, 7 Screen Back Light Colors
Keep your children just a call away with this mobile phone designed specifically for kids. The phone, small enough to fit in a child’s hand, has a kid-friendly 5-button keypad with Mom, Dad and 911 assistance speed dial keys. Phone comes with a PIN-protected phone book that stores up to 20 numbers and has an option to reject incoming calls not in the book. Includes 12 ring tones, 5 animations and 7 LCD screen backlight colors to choose from.

Answer 7

Teenagers and cell phones are a teacher's nightmare. Kids text in class no matter what they say.

They do have those little emergency phones where you program the numbers they can call. That would be a good thing to have.

Answer 8

How responsible and mature is your son? Do you think he would abuse the privilege of having a phone or not? My sister let her daughter get her first cell phone when she turned 13, but she was very responsible girl. Only you can answer that.

Answer 9

No -- there is no need for 12 year olds to have cell phones, I got mine at high school graduation. All cell phones w/ text messaging and such things as aol instant messenger do is teach children to hide behind something & they have trouble communicating in person.

Answer 10

I got my daughter one around that age.. one BIG mistake.. I didn't regulate the text messaging which I should have..also the minutes.
I would get it because I like the extra security factor that it brought my daughter..however, you might want to get a prepaid sort of phone or limit the minutes and text messages. I checked my daughter's and well..found out she and her friends were texting during class and such.. so check yours as well.. It will be an asset for good if done and used correctly.