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The Attention Age
My 2nd grader's friends already have cell phones. I refuse to get her one yet, but this year seemed like the right time to get my 6th grader one. It wasn't even a week before she needed a lesson on texting etiquette. She was constantly texting at places like the dinner table
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Comments (43)
boomstick
My little brother is ten and has a cell phone. My mom lives in a small town and he and his friends like to walk around. It's hard for him to call home if he needs a ride because there are absolutely no pay phones anymore.
My sister is 7 and doesn't have a cell phone. She doesn't need one because she's so young. She's either in school or with my mom or at a friend's house. I guess it depends on the kid.
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coinin
Texting didn't create self-centered brats, it's just a new and exciting way to display that self-centeredness. Parents who cater to their child's every whim, however...
That said, I'd probably start my kid off with a kiddie phone that is programed so she can only call us and emergency, and that would be when she starts going to school on her own (likely 9 or 10 depending on how far we live from the school). After 2 years of successfully hanging onto that and rigorous cell phone training, she could get a real phone on a prepaid service and she'd have to make sure to keep up the bill herself with her allowance (she's gonna work for that thing).
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jewe1z
I agree, but I definitely see how preoccupied and self-absorbed some of my own friends have become with their phones. My best friend and I are usually on the same parenting page with everything, but her 5 year old even has a droid and my friend herself is so cell-obsessed that we frequently pull her phone out of her hand and put it in one of our purses when we're out with her. And she's THIRTY.
I did get my youngest one of those kiddie phones. I think those are perfect for her age.
*edit: end /i tag fail
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coinin
And I can't imagine giving my daughter a cellphone, let alone a smart phone, in 3 years. I refuse to spend 100x the age of my child ON my child for what is essentially a toy. Especially one that easy to lose.
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elephantsrock
I txt a fair amount. My parents actually prefer a txt to let them know I am still alive.( i moved out and hate calling,always have hated to pick up the phone even as a kid) If it is a old movie that has been seen a millions times then txting is ok.
I hate netspeak or the hi hw r u doin'. I can't send or recieve photos and I am 23,but then again my daddy still pays my bills. :)
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heatherbird
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elephantsrock
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elizabethann40
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flinkmaster
I got my first cellphone when I was in high school, even though the other girls had them since middle school. Same with my older sister. Right now in college I have a smartphone but I never use it. I don't text, I don't use it to call except for "business calls" i.e. calling for a ride, talking to mom about errands I need to run, etc. I've never felt it was important other than for emergency purposes and using the calendar function.
I hate seeing all these >children< abusing cellphones. If I had a daughter I wouldn't give her a real phone till I knew she was ready for it, and when she was in middle school I probably would give her one of those "kid phones" with the limited functionality. What does a child need a cellphone? I was fine without one ( ... )
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