Should my daughter get a cellphone?

Question

Ok my daughter is 11, almost done with 5th grade and off to middle school. She has also been asking for a cellphone.
But the thing is she is getting homeschooled in 6th grade probably not 7th though. She will definetly not charge up the phone bill but she will talk on it though. Should I get her the cellphone if you do say no please tell me what age you think she should get it.

Answer 1

11 is a little young and since she is getting home schooled, there probably isn't a point in getting her a cell phone, since she'll be at home most of the time. She could always use her home phone though. I would probably get her a cell phone when she's in the 7th grade. That's when she'll need it in case of emergencies at school.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

No, for the love of God!

She doesn't need one. She's being homeschooled. That means she'll be home -where, presumably, there is already a phone. In case of emergency, she would be able to use your cell phone.

11 is NOT a teenager. She is a child. I don't think there is a magic age that cell phone use becomes appropriate, however, I do think privileges need to be EARNED.

Has she shown you that she is responsible enough to have an expensive piece of equipment? Does she know how cell phone bills work? Is she doing ANYTHING to assist in defraying the cost for the phone itself and the monthly plan minutes?

Has she, consistently, kept up with her grades and other responsibilities without constant reminders from you?

She's 11 so, I think, there is a good chance she hasn't met most of these requirements.

You know what to do.

Answer 4

Call me "Old -fashioned", but what kind of an emergency can an 11 year old have exactly, that would require the use of a cell phone?
Children that age should still be in the constant presence of an adult. Supervision is key. Knowing the comings and goings of your children is key.
If she's home schooled, obviously too young to date, obviously too young to hit parties, doesn't drive and I'm assuming, not backpacking through Europe, I cannot think of one good reason for giving your child, or any child, a cell phone.

I can't help but wonder if cell phones aren't simply the modern day answer to taking over the role that televisions use to play when it comes to absentee parenting.

I'm 28 years old and have never owned a cell phone. Granted, there have been many a time that having had one would have been convenient but never a necessity.

Answer 5

Absolutely Not!

I have an 11 year old sister (mom's 2nd marriage, I'm 22). My mom thought that it would be 'cute' to give her a cell phone for Christmas. Since than she has ran the phone bill over $200 twice talking to her friends without realizing how long she has been on. Lost it numerous times (like left it at the mall or at a playground). Went on the internet with it and ran up the phone bill beacuse she didn't know any better. Downloaded a ton of ring tones that my mom had to pay for, again beacuse she didn't know any better. Her friends play with it (non of them have cell phones) and have found out my phone number so now I have 11 year old girls prank calling me! They actually prank called my mom at work too beacuse they thought it was funny. She always lets her friends play with it. This one time they took tons of photos and send them to everyone on her phone list, this ran up a huge phone bill. She didn't do these thing on purpose. She just didn't know how to use the phone and at 11 years old was not ready for such a responsibility yet.

My mom told my sister the phone is for emergencies only and she is supposed to take it if she goes somewhere with her friends so that my mom could reach her without having to call her friends parents. She will usually forget to take it so it serves no purpose. She also forgets to charge it so the battery dies a lot. She turns it off, or leaves it in another room so it is never on her when my mom calls.

My mom ended up taking it away beacuse it has been nothing but nightmares and bills. I work as a camp counselor and am going to college to become a teacher. From my experience with my sister and other 11 year old I have worked with, I think it is WAY too young to have a cell phone.

Answer 6

Its heartbreaking to see 7 year old girls crying coz they cant have a cellphone, but Im sure its just not safe for kids to use those things too early. There is a slight possibility of brain tumors from using cellphones over a long time, the phone companies wont admit it, but common sense tells us that any radio magnetic fields must have some effect on the electric brain waves in the skull. Since your girl is 11 I would think 12 and a half might be an ok time for her??

Answer 7

I say let her get one. BUT make sure she deserves it. I'm sure she already has chores to do. If not give her some. If she misbehaves take it away. It is a dangerous world out there. It could come in handy for her...and you if she's out some where. You can keep track. They make some phones with tracker systems in them so you'd know where she's at. My 5 year old niece has a firefly cell phone. It's made especailly for kids. I think only people through cingular can use them. They have special buttons on them for "mom" and "dad" and "911" You can turn the 911 button off though. They also have a phonebook which you can store other cingular numbers in. And no one can call it unless their in the phonebook.

Answer 8

My daughter is 13 and just this year asked for a cell phone, because all the kids in her grade had one. So I finally bought her one and to be totally honest once the novelty of having one wore off she hardly ever uses it now. She would rather use the computer to talk to her friends or the telephone. I know that all of her friends each have a different carrier and it costs to talk so they just don't the kids that have the in network talk constantly. So I guess it depends on maturity and is she going to respect the right to have the cell phone.

Answer 9

I honestly think that it is best to hold off on the phones for about a year or two till she gets to 7th or 8th grade where she is requesting more independence. The problem with giving a child a phone at a young age is that they start to act like the paris hiltons or nicole richies who are constanly texting and instant messenging their best buds. What I have found is sometimes you may be hanging out with that person but that person you thought was hanging out with you actually is in a whole another conversation with someone via phone. If kids want to keep in touch with their best buds they can do it the old fashion way email or call them when they get home or also just see them at school.

Answer 10

My grandson is 9 1/2 and I got him a pre-paid cell phone. The world is a different place today and I wanted to make sure that he knows that if he is ever at a friends house or anywhere else, that if he doesn't feel comfortable there for ANY reason, he can call for a ride home.

He doesn't use it all the time. He does play the games a lot. But I have the peace of mind that he always has the option of making that call.\

I also suggested that if he does start using it to call friends, he be responsible for doing chores to earn the money to put more minutes on it for his enjoyment.