A cell phone for an 8 year old!?!

[Anonymous]

My oldest is 8 and has been asking me for about a year for a cell phone. My answer has always been no. I mean really, what 8 year old needs a cell phone? Mine sure doesn't.
Anyway, my kids have been away for the week and DD calls me to tell me her grandparent's friend gave her a cell phone. She said it's a pay as you go phone and I need to activate it. She's so excited and wanted me to pick her up three days early just so she could activate it. I didn't want to get into it with her while she's with her grandparents but I am really hesitant to activate it. I have no clue who she's going to call with it. We have a house phone and she's not allowed to bring it to school. To make it worse she said she's to share it with her younger brother. Yeah, like that won't cause fighting.


I know that there aren't lots of other parents out there like me. I am a hold out on technology for my kids. I let them watch T.V. or use my computer on occasion but that's about the extent of it. I want them to be children.

At least I have a few days before they come home.

[Anonymous]

Grandparent's friend gave it to her? Isn't that a little like getting a pet for someone else's DC? Why did they give her one? Did DD ask for one? You don't have to accept it.

[Anonymous]

"Great! Bring it home; we'll be happy to hold it for you until we're willing to activate it!" In three to four years ...

[Anonymous]

No. The only kids that age I know with cell phones have divorced parents and two homes.

If you ever feel the need, there are ones made by FireFly that have a Mommy button and a Daddy button, and that's it. No Internet or text.

[Anonymous]

Kids from divorced homes get cell phones early. Middle school is the norm at our school and that is too early for me. Way to early.

[Anonymous]

What about if you don't have a home phone? We haven't had a landline in almost a decade, and have no intention of getting one. For that reason, I sort of thought we would get a "house cell" when my kids get old enough to want to talk or text with friends. It wouldn't belong to any one person, but would be available like an old-fashioned landline. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grandparent's friend gave it to her? Isn't that a little like getting a pet for someone else's DC? Why did they give her one? Did DD ask for one? You don't have to accept it.

They're Korean immigrants and it would have been rude for DD to not accept it. Usually this friend gives them money so I don't know what prompted her give my children a cell phone.

I am not planning on activating this phone anytime soon. I am just not looking forward to this talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about if you don't have a home phone? We haven't had a landline in almost a decade, and have no intention of getting one. For that reason, I sort of thought we would get a "house cell" when my kids get old enough to want to talk or text with friends. It wouldn't belong to any one person, but would be available like an old-fashioned landline. Thoughts?

Heh. Never thought of that, honestly. We don't have a landline either. My 11 year old has an iPod touch, and you can text and call with that if you have wireless Internet. There are several apps for making free phone calls. If that type if thing is still around, I might consider that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if you don't have a home phone? We haven't had a landline in almost a decade, and have no intention of getting one. For that reason, I sort of thought we would get a "house cell" when my kids get old enough to want to talk or text with friends. It wouldn't belong to any one person, but would be available like an old-fashioned landline. Thoughts?

Heh. Never thought of that, honestly. We don't have a landline either. My 11 year old has an iPod touch, and you can text and call with that if you have wireless Internet. There are several apps for making free phone calls. If that type if thing is still around, I might consider that.

*11 year old nephew has this. Not my kids, who are younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if you don't have a home phone? We haven't had a landline in almost a decade, and have no intention of getting one. For that reason, I sort of thought we would get a "house cell" when my kids get old enough to want to talk or text with friends. It wouldn't belong to any one person, but would be available like an old-fashioned landline. Thoughts?

Heh. Never thought of that, honestly. We don't have a landline either. My 11 year old has an iPod touch, and you can text and call with that if you have wireless Internet. There are several apps for making free phone calls. If that type if thing is still around, I might consider that.

My cell is the house cell. We have a land line but no one really uses it.

[Anonymous]

We got our daughter a cell phone when she turned 12 (right before 7th grade). Frankly, I would have waited longer but most of her friends had cell phones around 5th or 6th grade. I think that's still kind of young.

[Anonymous]

One of my 8yo's friends called a few weeks ago and announced he had gotten a new Iphone. Honestly my kid is so far from stage still that I don't care if someone else's child has one. But it made me wonder about the parents - who gives an 8yo an Iphone?

Btw, what's the connection between cell phones at a young age and divorce? It applies in this case, but I didn't realize it was a typical thing.

[Anonymous]

Cell phones can be helpful for kids of divorce. It facilitates contact with the parent they aren't currently staying with. Especially good if parents hate speaking to one another. Texting is huge, too.

It can be a safety issue too. My friend's ex took her kid up to New York for the weekend with a new girlfriend, and ditched the child with the new girlfriend's brother as babysitter. A man neither the parents nor the child had ever met. That was a pretty horrible weekend, but at least her son could call and text her to let her know he was scared.

[Anonymous]

I would activate it, let her use up whatever minutes came with it, and that's the end. Wasn't that a fun thing to try for a little while? When you get older, we'll get you a real one.

[Anonymous]

sincere question -- what's the objection to her having a cell phone? i know she's young, but what are you concerned about specifically? my kid is only 5, so not really an issue yet, but for me it would depend on why the kid wants one AND why the parents are opposed to it. if her reasons are good (i.e. would feel safer, etc) and i four reasons for not wanting her to have it are more about what others might think about it, maybe it is a good opportunity to set rules about where/when/how much she can use it and give her an opportunity to follow them and develop responsibility.