why do 11 year olds have cell phones?

Question

who do they need to call? their babysitter?

Answer 1

could be for health reason, my 11 yr. old cousin is diabetic, and he carries his cellphone so that his mom can keep in touch with him esp. to remind him to check blood sugar and stuff like that. And I believe he got that phone where he can only call certain numbers, like emergency numbers

Answer 2

That is certainly a question that I would pose to the parents of the 11 year olds. I teach in the middle school grades and I recall the year they allowed cell phones in schools. We had a horrible snow storm in our city and within two hours, snow was ankle deep. You would have thought it was an earthquake and kids would never see their parents again. Of course, the school's two office phones were in constant use; there were no phones in the classrooms (there are now) and only a few kids had cell phones. NOW - everybody has cell phones. They have become completely disruptive in the classroom, a method that students can cheat (I have seen students take pictures of the tests and pass the tests to other students), they text message each other in classrooms AND other schools; they use inappropriate language and it has truly hurt the language arts teacher who is trying to teach grammar, mechincs and use. And to end it all - they get lost, stolen, etc. Our policy is - ok to have them, but OFF POSITION and NOT SEEN. I can tell you for the school year 05-06, we collected 15 cell phones, 5 were lost, 7 stolen. Parents are the only ones who can retrieve them because at the beginning of the year, parents and students sign a contract and when the contract is broken, only the parents can pick up the phone whereby they are reminded of their commitment and asked to remind their children. I can understand the need - we are not living in the past - the social force and technological world we live in pushes and forces us to move toward greater degrees of knowledge and power - but I still say no 5-15 year old has any business with a phone. Look what's happened around us - with the influx of cell phones, you can hardly find a 'coin' phone on the corner anymore. Then, if you do, you probably will pay up to 50 cents for a call in the city. Plus, you have to watch your back and be in a well lighted area, fearful that someone might try to rob you.....I guess we can't win. (smile) Have you heard about the implants? They are already in place. A small microchip can be placed inside the forearm of a newborn. The chip contains information about the child, parents, blood type, etc. etc. It is also a tracking device - so that if the child is taken for whatever reason - can be easily located - no matter what! And this is only 2006.....(smile)

Answer 3

Cause they have social lives too most parents dont let 11 year olds to go out to the mallz or w/e with there friends so they need a cell phone to stay in touch

Answer 4

i've been trying to figure this out for 2 years now. i have a 5 year old son that has been begging me for a cell phone since he was 3. he knows everything about every make of phone there is. i know they make children's phones that can only call 3 or 4 numbers plus 911 but i still think he's too young. he's hardly ever home, going from friend's houses for sleepovers and to his grandma's, but i'm always in touch with him. at least 4 times a day. how do i stop the begging and the obsession with phones?

Answer 5

my 10 year old has one because most of his friends parents don't have home phones anymore and rather than drive over there to tell him something I chose to buy him a cell phone. In addition to that he has after school activities and I like that he can just call me to pick him up without worrying if there is a payphone or if he has the change to use one. I also have him take it when he goes with his dad just in case his dad gets some bright idea that he is going to steal him from me and take him somewhere I can't find him, he has his phone in the bottom of his bag in a pair of socks so he will always be able to get ahold of me to get him.
He is responsible with it. He has 300 anytime minutes a month and he has had it for over a year and never once went over the minutes.

Answer 6

It's hard to say why, I know my neices have cellphones at that age but thats because they are active in sports and need to call their parents for rides after practice. I can't imagine there are many 11 year olds out there carrying a phone for no particular reason and if so thats pretty irresponsible parenting. But again it depends on the circumstances and whats going on in their lives. Plus I don't think it is a bad idea to have one of those 4 button phones, it may even help hinder child abductions...

Answer 7

Their parents, their other 11 year old friends with cell phones, babysitters, taxi cabs. etc. This particularly interesting for those who have dead-beatish parents that forget to pick up their kids on time or for kids that like to run around and not be able to be found at the right place. Then the parent can call them and be like..where the hell are you so I can pick you up etc.

Answer 8

because these days 11 is the new 16...seriously. Kids are maturing way faster than they used to...talk to a 6 year old, they will sound like a 12 year old it is unreal. So I guess alot of 11 year olds beg thier parents for cell phones just like they see on tv shows and the parents give in...under the notion that is is for safetys sake.

Answer 9

Because their parents buy them for them. I don't see anything wrong with 11 year olds with cell phones, they're in middle school and probably have band practice or other activities. They are even advertising to young kids. Have you ever seen the T-Mobile commercial with the cheerleader talking? That's what all the cool and popular kids have these days.

Answer 10

Seriously...good question, I'm 12 and I have a cell phone, but its because I go to many places alone, and most of the time I need a ride home, does that explain it for 11 yo's too?

Answer 11

As a single parent of children with disabilities, and who HAS to have income to pay for their needs, my children have cell phones to call for emergencies. Now they are late teens, and the phones are just that -- for emergencies. The numbers programmed in are for safe places. They also used the phone a couple of times when the school bus broke down and they were going to be really late home, and I did have a medical emergency and it was very comforting for me to call them and get them to where I was at.