Why are our kids alone?

Question

Okay, see question
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApZIJET8621jHZqZBVxIcInsy6IX?qid=20060922072226AA9uytz
I asked why 14 year old kids think they need cell phones. I had a lot of people respond that the kids need to be able to get in touch with their parents. Where are these kids that they need a cell phone!!

At school: there are pay phones plus a phone in the office.
After school activities: same
A friends house: there is a phone
Mall: phones.

Why aren't we buying them $5 phone cards instead??

And where is a 14-year-old going without a responsible adult?

I think if we were watching our kids like we should they wouldn't need phones.

Answer 1

I am in total agreement with you! My son wants a cell phone, but my husband and I refuse to get him one because there isn't a need for one. You are correct when you say there are phones pretty much everywhere and a phone card is a super idea. We do not let our son go anywhere where we do not know the people, or where we cannot contact him or him contact us. I think 14 year olds with cell phones is ridiculous!!

Answer 2

I don't think giving a cell phone to a 14 year old is such a bad idea. I got a pager when I was 13, a cell phone when I was 16. Hell, I even got a credit card when I was in the 7th grade. My parents gave me these things "for emergencies." I wasn't the only one either, a lot of my friends had pagers and cell phone when we were young and I never abused the privilge. True most of the time kids are at school or friends houses and you can get ahold of them. But even though you know your kids are at the mall, what if you need to reach them. How are they going to know that? And in the city I live in, paid phones are pretty much extinct now. If you do find one it costs like $0.75. Cell phones can be cheaper especially if you have free mobile to mobile. I think 14 is already an ok age to be out on your own without an adult. By the time I was 14, I was already a sophmore in high school. My parents didn't have time to chaufer me around so I had to take the bus to and from everywhere. A pager/cell phone was the only way they could get ahold of me. Instead of my nagging them to take me to the mall/movies/bowling/etc they let me go out on my own as long as I was with a group of friends so in case anything happened, I wasn't alone. They didn't think they needed to keep an eye out for me every single second because they trusted me. As long as the kid is responsbile I don't see a problem.

Answer 3

Some schoold dont let students use phones. If they leave their friends house and go walking they may need to call you or something. $5 phone cards arent enough. what if you needed to talk to your child for 20 minutesand all they have is a 5 dollar minute card. Think about the disadvantages of not being able to call when there is an emergency then tell me what you think. 14 year olds are old enough and should be responsible enough to go places without an adult all of the time. I think you would like to know where your child was at times.

Answer 4

I am fourteen and I feel no significant need for a cell phone right now.

Lots of adults didnt get a cell phone till they were actually ADULTS and they did just fine.

But I think a good time to get one is when a person starts driving, in case their car breaks down or something they can call for help.

Answer 5

Where i live at there is no payphone. Maybe one or two througout the mall. but other than that there is none. Its hard to believe that a fourteen yr old wants a phone but i think that the youngest a kid should have a phone is 11 but it should be a prepaid phone. When they turn about 16 then they can get their own plan. And let them use the house phone.

Answer 6

I agree, kids that are in elementary school are now getting phones. I'm 16 and have a cell but i think its ridicules that they have cells. Where do the kids go other than home, school, and scouts or something?

Answer 7

My aunt's 4 kids (my cousins) all have phones, even one that's about 8 or 9 because they are always at different activities and she can't keep track of them all. Same with my family. My brother's have tennis, parents work, and I have random school sports. My schedule isn't really fixed and sometimes the office has closed by then, so I need my cellphone to call for a ride. Asking for one from a friend is inconvenient because it starts to get on their nerves.

Answer 8

I think a prepaid cell phone is a good idea at this age. If you need to get a hold of your child, then you can. If there car breaks down they can call someone to help them, instead of walking in the dark to try and find a pay phone.

Answer 9

You are right, but sometimes kids are alone, especially kids that walk home from school alone, and pay phones are becoming very rare, and good luck with them working. It's great knowing that you can call your child at any time (if they pick up) and they can call you. Cell phones weren't the big rage 6-7 years ago with kids that they are now, but I would have gotten my son one so he could call me if he spent the night out etc.... there are pre-paid plans. Unfortunately cell phones are here to stay.

Answer 10

I didn't need a cell phone until I started driving and I plan to employ the same with my own children. It's ok if they're out without an adult somewhere, but they *should* be where there's a phone.