Is Giving a Child a Cellphone a Bad Idea?

23 Comments

  • Video - 15 years ago

    For parents it's for security

  • Alarme - 15 years ago

    I don't know if young child need it !!!!

  • Goyal - 15 years ago

    Josh Fuerst i just fell in love with you!

  • PaulIsACunt - 15 years ago

    Paul, you are a cunt too.

  • Microphish - 15 years ago

    @ JoshFuerst: At 21, your comments are the wisest I have read here; and I am 43 with two small kids.

  • JoshFuerst - 15 years ago

    I am almost 21 and I got my cellphone when I turned 16 and got a car. I feel that this is the appropriate age to receive a cell phone. At this point in a child's life he/she is now free and can go where he/she pleases because of the car. Now is when a cell phone becomes handy for talking to parents and accents and such. Anytime before 16 is just ridiculous. The children are too young to drive so anywhere they go mom or dad or some adult will have to take them and pick them up. So you as the parent get to set the time. Also most of the time they are at a friends house and someone there will have a phone. Landlines are not obsolete yet. In addition to that payphones are also readily available. Basically... if your child is any younger than 15 and is running around so much that you cant keep track of them... the issue is parenting not the need for a cellphone. Take care of your kids... don't rely on technology to do it for you.

  • Jim - 15 years ago

    I don't have any kids yet, but if I do, they won't be getting cell phones until they can pay for it themselves. I don't consider it a necessity, even for myself, to have one. It's a convenience, a luxury, not a need.

  • Paul - 15 years ago

    Thank you Eric ´the red´. Flaming is so lame.

    The message I have imparted is caution in relation to children using cellphones, which is advocated by the WHO and other organisations. Why caution? Because there is not enough evidence at present (that has been accepted by the WHO) to show that there is NO harm to children or adults. I do not believe I have 'sprouted crap', you should look up the meaning behind Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic radiation, I think you are the one misunderstanding the subject.

    If you wish to learn more about the subject I am more than happy to help you. If you believe I am just a mad preacher of doom concerning cellphones you are wrong but you are welcome to your opinion.

    One reminder, check your healthcare policy, you will find that cellphone related health conditions/problems are not covered, I wonder why?..................

  • Eric the Red - 15 years ago

    Hey, look, another "electromagnetic radiation is bad mmmm'kay weenie".

    People should learn a bit about electromagnetism before spouting crap.

  • paul - 15 years ago

    I wonder how many of your readers are aware that cellphones emit electromagnetic radiation and with childrens brains still growing, cellphones may cause them harm. Scientific opinion (including the World Health Organisation) stresses caution in the use of cellphones with children because of this. There is massive amounts of scientific and research evidence already to show the dangers of Electromagnetic radiation : http://powerwatch.org.uk/science/studies.asp, so therefore I would state to any parent considering a cellphone for their child to read about EMR and if they do purchase a cellphone for their child to advocate the use of hands free sets which help reduce the radiation emitted to the head/brain.

    If you check with your cellphone company they will give you the barest of details and state that the emissions from the handset are within government and WHO limits - so they are safe, yet evidence abounds concerning EMR from cellphones and its dangers.

    It is no surprise that cellphone companies will not emphasise the same caution that Scientists advocate since their business model is selling cellphones and voice minutes. Parents think about the issue.

  • Donna - 15 years ago

    My daughter had asthma in elementary and middle school. Asthma can turn into a bad situation quick if you don't treat it. Of course medicine is taboo in schools and you have to look like you are on death's door to go to the nurse...so...
    My daughter would go to the restroom and call me to come pick her up. Worked for us and I wasn't as worried.

  • Guillermo de la Maza - 15 years ago

    Security in terms of the USA might be a good reason to give a kid one of these but in a country such as mine (down south) a kid is going to get kidnapped, raped, killed or trafficked no matter what kind of cellular, gps or underskin chip he/ she is wearing. So parting from that POV I really think they already have enough tech to learn and worry about with their computers, portable and home consoles and the tv. Better for them to go out and ride a bike than having them text their friends with cryptic messages that even they have a hard time understanding.

  • jeffisdumb - 15 years ago

    Jeff, you are a cunt.

  • Michael - 15 years ago

    I am divorced and my ex tries to keep me from my son as much as she can. He is only going to be 5 soon, but a firefly would be great for us. If I add a second line to my phone he could call me on the ATT Network as much as he wants. This is one of those one off situations. Otherwise I think that 10 would be the best age.

  • wykell - 15 years ago

    No - the trick here is communication and trust. Good communication and good trust amongst the parent and child = less restrictions on the usage. Bad communication and bad trust = safety measures to be taken, including restricting numbers called, monitoring texts (most smart phones can automatically resend texts to an e-mail address or another phone, and there is a pay service that does similar things as well), and the ilk.

  • Ndziotog - 15 years ago

    @Lewis I don't know where you live but around where I live you would be lucky to find a phone booth. There used to be pay phones in our schools and by the supermarket but as of now they have all disappeared. But really as long as the kid isn't a moron there is no real problem with them having a phone.

  • Lewis - 15 years ago

    No, because they don't need one. Cell phones are a luxury. Kids should earn their excess luxuries by getting a job. Phone-booths may be old technology but it's not bad to use one to let parents know if they are coming home late or need a ride. I am all for keeping my kids (when I have them) up with technology, they just need to earn it and also learn to live without it as well.

  • jeff - 15 years ago

    @miggity, restrictions are just going to make a kid mad, maybe a phone with out the camera yeah but texting is just going to run you up a bill!

    @thom if you kid didnt instigate things then they wouldnt be in that situation, maybe getting his/her ass kicked would be good for them. I know that sounds like a dickish thing to say but till this day nothing has been better for me then when i was 17 and i used to allways run my mouth and a kid kick the living shit out of me. it set me straight i actually thanked the kid a few weeks later.

    @dave if you want safty and security buy them a rape wistle.... a phone call to mommy isnt going to save them from a assbeating

    @smash so far thats the most logical i have read so far.

    @everyone else... i finished my work early and i have to wait till 5 to leave... im bored as hell thats why i responded to everyone(4 poeple ha)

  • David - 15 years ago

    Get a Phone like the Firefly, is GSM, so you can put a cheap Prepaid SIM, it only works with Voice, Nothing else like Text/email/web and you can lock it down so it only makes/receives calls from the numbers in the phone book which you can also lock out from being re-preogrammed. I have one for my Son, it was good for him for when we are out and incase he gets lost, it was also good for him when my wife had to go to the ER. He went to stay with friends, but was able to call me and know that 'Mommy' was OK when he got worried.

  • smash - 15 years ago

    i think it is... look at the number of kids getting arrested for sending naked pictures of them selfs to people...

    HOW EVER i say if hte kid is old enough to have a job and pay for it them self then they should be able to have/do what ever they want.

  • Dave - 15 years ago

    For safety and security - Yes.. We have the invention - better that our kids use it.

    For Entertainment (texting, video, tv, messaging, etc) - No. Kids can do better things without these things. There are other important things for them to learn than these things.

  • thom riddle - 15 years ago

    no, for safety reasons. my son is 11 and has had one since he was 10. he has called us a few time concerned coming home from school about situations.

  • Miggity - 15 years ago

    Because kids are dumb and do stupid things.

    If anything give them a phone that is only a PHONE and locked down like mofo.

    No camera. No texting. Etc.

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