WHY THE FU#K DOES YOUR 10-YEAR OLD NEED A SMARTPHONE?

[Spanky]

So you get a child a cell phone that is GPS enabled and has pre-programmed numbers put in by the parent as well as 9-1-1. No text, no internet, no email.

A phone such as that would fir the bill perfectly for younger children. 

 

[Fishbone Jones]

So you get a child a cell phone that is GPS enabled and has pre-programmed numbers put in by the parent as well as 9-1-1. No text, no internet, no email.

That is exactly what I have been saying since the beginning of this thread.

 

[RememberanceDay]

Here's my view on this.

I don't have a cell phone, and I'm 14 going into highschool. It's not that my parents don't trust me or anything, I've just never wanted one. Now that I'm going into highschool, and leaving all my other friends behind (I'm going to a different school than everyone else) we've both agreed that a cell phone (just a flip phone) is becoming ideal for several reasons:

1. Plans are becoming cheaper now.
2. Good way to touch base, especially since the school is far away and I would need a ride for any teams I join.
3. Keeps me in touch with friends, instead of calling them (texting).
4. It's a small town, but you never know when an emergency might happen. What if we're out for a walk, and someone gets hurt?
5. I'm responsible, and will not use it in class/inappropriate times.
6. We have coverage all over my area.

So that's basically why I'm getting a simple phone.

 

[BernDawg]

RemembranceDay:
Well said, you're far more articulate than many teenagers I know.

 

[Hawk]

Check Remembrance Day's profile - she's a Leading Cadet! This proves what I've been spouting since my son was a Cadet - there's no organization better for a kid than Cadets! She's learned about responsibility, and seems to be putting it into practice.

Hawk

 

[Mudshuvel]

I work for the Red Circle communications company here in Canada. You would be appalled concerning how many calls I recieve a week because their 'twelve year old child" either: lost their phone, broken their phone, had their phone stolen.. etc

Most calls consist of: "Well, my child is careful, the screen broke on its own."  "The phone's defective, they should be made to withstand short falls."  "Apple should know kids will use this phone, its stupid they have an easily breakable phone."

I'm sure that all kids need a phone for emergency purposes, I understand that. However, the child does not require a device that is one giant screen that plays movies, mp3s, Super Nintendo games, and facebook. Get them the Firefly or a Nokia flip. Those phones can easily be dropped and saved as opposed to the $550 Sony Ericsson Play or iPhone 4.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

We're circiling the drain people. Everything here has been said at least twice now.

Wrap it up or post a new perspective.

 

[RememberanceDay]

Thank you, BernDawg and Hawk.

I know this is off topic, but please, bear with me.

I've found Cadets to be a great program. It helps teens become the next generation's leaders, and teaches them the proper skills to do so. In my short time, I've already had experiences that I've never had, or would have, before. I've learnt to shoot a rifle, sail a boat, command a division, participate in a drill competition, be a quartermaster, be a DPO, and so many other things that I can and will  use often. It has made me open my mind to things outside just my home and my community. I've made great friends, including many in the Forces. My friends at school think that it's crazy that I like, even love something like that, but I think that it's incredible. I tell them to come for one night and try it out. They come, and I don't know what it is, but they always have a great time.


Moving on.

At my school, there's been some issues with cell phones. Within 22 minutes of each other May 23, two 911 calls were made. The officers responded to both, and now cells are confiscated if seen. That's the story in an eggshell. They were deliberate calls, and both were in my grade.

Just putting that out there.

 

[Steve1987]

The same can be said for Facebook. Make sure your on your kids friend list and subscribe to their posts. I know what they're talking about and they're OK with that. I see the opposite every day from friends of my kids that asked to be friends of mine (I never ask them) and they say some pretty wild stuff. my kids? Not so much, cause they know I'm "in the room".  I know my kids aren't angels but at least they may appear that way on a public forum.  Facebook can also be used as a communication tool. I coached youth soccer and created a page for the team, added all the players with FB accts and any of the parents that wished to be subscribed as well. Funny thing, people that have bad habits when it comes to email check their FB acct and, lo and behold, information gets passed on.

Hi Bern,

With facebooks privacy settings, you kids are only letting you see what they want you to see as one their "friends".

I'm assuming your kids are intelligent so really they could hide whatever they want from your account, I'm not a parent, but why bother browsing your childrens account from your own account when they could be easily censoring what you see anyway?

My little brother does these tricks to hide things from mom who is his "friend" on facebook all the time.  He'll make it so she can't see certain pictures, wall posts, messages, relationship status ect. ect. it's very simple.

-Steve

 

[navymich]

With facebooks privacy settings, you kids are only letting you see what they want you to see as one their "friends".

Our kids know that their computers are a privilege, not a right.  Hubby and I have the admin accounts on their computers and have also put the Windows live family safety program on it.  As well, we have their user names and passwords for all sites that they have access to.  They know that if we ever have any doubts, that the sites will be checked out.  We do give them their privacy but they know that at any moment, we could do a "spot check" on them.  So far so good!

 

[Cui]

I totally agree with the post above. Cadets is a great thing for youth to be involved in, taught me to be very responsible.

I am currently in grade 12 and have never had a cell phone before this past September. I just never saw the need for one. My dad got me a smart phone from Wind Mobile because they had a cheap plan for students and a discount on handsets. I personally found it useful since I'm a flight commander at my cadet unit, so if the SWO or one of the officers wants information to be passed down the chain of command, they can call me on my cell, and then I can call or send a text to my 2IC and section commanders, without me having to be at home. As well I started driver's ed, so I can co-ordinate in car practice sessions with my driving instructor without tying up the land line at home. As well I can co-ordinate my schedule, make notes to myself, and use it as a calculator when I don't have one on hand.

Now I actually had more problems with the phones themselves than the plan. My dad paid for the first phone, and told me if anything happened to it, then I'm on my own. Sure enough, my first phone just died on me for no reason, since it was still under warranty, I got a new one for free. But due to my own carelessness I dropped the second one after a few months, and the screen got shattered. I down-graded to a brick phone, paid out of my own pocket from the money I made as a staff cadet during the previous summer, now my phone has all the same features as a smart phone, but for a lot cheaper.  ;D

I think a cell phone is a good thing for older kids if they are responsible enough and have the financial resources to at least cover some of the costs of the phone. But a ten-year old? No way

 

[Armymedic]

She desn't.

My 10 yr old wants a phone because I gave my 14 y.o. my 3 year old smart phone when I upgraded. Because the plan was done, that phone is now a talk and text, pay as you go phone.

She has no need for one, and when she does eventually get a phone, it will be a simple phone with a pay as you go plan for talk and text only.

 

[57Chevy]

People actually take cell phones with them into the backwoods on hunting trips etc. and get very upset when their cell phones has no coverage.

There is such thing as satelite cellphones for those real backwoodsman hunter/fisherman/camper types that get reception anywhere.
You know, like Steven Segal used to call the headshed on the movie "Under Siege"

Satellite phone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_phone

 

[BernDawg]

There is such thing as satelite cellphones for those real backwoodsman hunter/fisherman/camper types that get reception anywhere.
You know, like Steven Segal used to call the headshed on the movie "Under Siege"

Satellite phone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_phone

Or this for emergency communications. Minimal but satellite accessed.

http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=101

Yes I understand that FB acct holders can hide information from certain users but common sense must prevail, if your kid spends an hr on FB and you don't get any status updates from them somethiing's up and it's dealt with accordingly. 

 

[Sapplicant]

My biggest concern for giving a smart phone to a 10 year old, is that with the world at their fingertips, they might not want to bother going out and truly experiencing it for themselves. It just doesn't seem healthy.

 

[c.jacob]

I find it kind of funny (funny weird not funny ha ha).  I own some kind of Samsung cell phone.  I spend more time doing one type of business or another on it than using it socially.  I can flip it open, dial a number, talk and close it.  It can even text and take a picture too.  It has lasted me a few years now and still working great (knock on wood). 

The funny part is when I have that and a young teenager has a blackberry or a smartphone that I've learned is not cheap and it appears to be a necessity for a teenager.  Meanwhile I've seen many of these smartphones and blackberries break easily and often I hear of people having to buy a new one every few months because they've broken it or gotten it wet.  I also don't understand why people give up a perfectly working phone to have the latest phone.

My  :2c:

So all that considered.  I will keep my Samsung thingamabob til it konks out before I see what my best option is.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I find it kind of funny (funny weird not funny ha ha).  I own some kind of Samsung cell phone.  I spend more time doing one type of business or another on it than using it socially.  I can flip it open, dial a number, talk and close it.  It can even text and take a picture too.  It has lasted me a few years now and still working great (knock on wood). 

The funny part is when I have that and a young teenager has a blackberry or a smartphone that I've learned is not cheap and it appears to be a necessity for a teenager.  Meanwhile I've seen many of these smartphones and blackberries break easily and often I hear of people having to buy a new one every few months because they've broken it or gotten it wet.  I also don't understand why people give up a perfectly working phone to have the latest phone.

My  :2c:

So all that considered.  I will keep my Samsung thingamabob til it konks out before I see what my best option is.

I have a Motorola i1 Mike phone built to Mil Spec standards (Military Spec 810F certified for blowing rain, dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, salt fog, humidity and solar radiation.) plus I have it in a hard enclosure. My smartphone won't break easily nor am I concerned about it getting wet. I can do anything on it that I can do on my desktop, and if I can't, I can open my desktop from my phone and operate my desktop wherever I'm at and see the results on my phone.

Oh, and when the wife calls and says she can't do something on hers, I can take her's over from my phone and fix the problem.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I will give my daughters a basic cell phone when they get a bit older so that they can call and text, texting can be quite handy. I want here to be able to call me at any time so I can come get her, to many wolves out there. If she runs up bills then she will have to pay for them out of any money she gets. Most plans seem to have unlimited texting nowdays.

 

[Wookilar]

Another side to consider is the fact that more and more families are getting rid of land-lines altogether.

While I agree that no 10-year old "needs" a smart phone, my youngest certainly needs something. We have no land-line, Mrs Wook and I both have our own (simple, non-smart) cell phones, so what about the few times we don't beat the bus home and she is home alone? I know my paranoia can get the better of me sometimes, but she should be prepared for an emergency as best as we can prepare her.

As for which particular phone, well that really depends on your carrier and your current plan. Many carriers now offer serious disocunts for multiple phones sharing data and time plans, as long as you buy a certain class of phone.

That Firefly phone is interesting, have to do some research on that one.

Wook

 

[chrisf]

Another side to consider is the fact that more and more families are getting rid of land-lines altogether.

Try finding a working pay phone in a public place any more. They're getting rarer and rarer.

I left my cell at home a few weeks ago, had to take a cab to get from point a to b, figured no big deal, I've got a quarter. Couldn't finda pay phone, couldn't find any of those direct lines to the cab companies either. Ended up walking.

(Why did I not borrow a phone? It was 2 in the morning and I was by myself)