re: Cellphones and what age to give your kids one?

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Girls are generally more mature at that age than boys anyway.

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by mature you mean usually trying to slut around first before boys than absolutely you are correct.

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Just a douche response.

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not really, i'm quite the expert. obviously all individual kids are different but its them girls you gotta watch out for mostly at first.

I was given a Nokia flip phone in 8th grade. My parents wanted me to tell them where I was going and to call them when I got there, sometimes from the house phone to see the caller ID to know I wasn't lying. Worked out fine really.

Kind of funny how I have a better relationship with the friends I had before phones than some of the ones I have today. Those phones can be quite a distraction.

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So no cell phone means the kid can't participate in sports or other similar activities?

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obviously not, as I did all those things as a kid without a cell phone

but it makes life easier

I remember many a times sitting around for hours waiting for my parents to pick me up because practice ended early or was canceled

I got mine phones when they were 8, but that was before the days of data plans. They were tickled shitless with the crappy free phone.

I didn't get a phone till I was 16. This was 2006. I can tell you for sure. Within a week me and the gf at the time were having phone sex almost every school night.

Hold out at long as possible

Especially with media

Flip phone with no ability for internet at 12.

14 they can earn a smartphone. That's how we did it.

My oldest (son) will be 12 this fall and is starting 6th grade. He has been begging for one. Many kids in his class already have them, but none of his closest friends do. 11-13 seem to be the ages in his class/school to get one.

He is extremely responsible and I haven't ruled it out sooner than later, but I wanted him to understand why I didn't automatically say yes. I told him he needed to write a research paper for me on the dangers of internet and social media usage, primarily through the phone, for tweens and teens. At least 5 sources, which means he would have to read at least 10. Notecards and the whole 9 yards just like the research papers you have to write in high school.

It will take him forever, and I still didn't promise him that he would get one if he completed the paper. That being said, he has now decided that he wants to buy a flip phone with his own money and just use that. Decided he didn't need or want a smart phone.

I think it does come down to the fact that most friends don't have land lines, and they are always having to call the parents' cell. I know in my case, I get texts all the time from kids asking for him to do something while I am at work. It is kind of a pain in the arse and I do wish they could just communicate directly.

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We moved away from the family and they kept calling me to talk to him. Now they can call him

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There ya go, that's another good reason. I hadn't thought of that one.