Dads Debate: Kids and Cellphones — When Is The Right Age?

When a kid should be allowed to have a cell phone has become one of the most divisive issues in modern parenthood.

How do we know this?

Gulp, because we asked the Life of Dad Facebook community what age should a kid have a cell phone! Nearly 500 comments later, we know that dads and moms have a lot of strongly held opinions.

John Kenya:
1. When they can afford it.
2. They must have a job
3. Since they can then afford it, they can pay rent.

I might be one of the few last non PC parents out here. I love my daughters, but I do not give in.

Ian Nelson: I don’t see why everyone feels the need to keep their child away from cell phones.
With how things are going I say don’t hinder your child’s interested in technology.
Set up some parental restrictions to your choosing, buy a case, and then you can take it away as punishment.

David Covington: wow, what a question, this should yield some interesting responses!

We all know that it should be when they can afford it, but the reality is what happens in society now. I’ll say for a generic answer 13-14 years old. I can see that in some cases that it may be warranted earlier, and in some cases where even 16 year olds should not have a phone. It’s sad we have let these devices control us now. Heck, I remember using a string and two soup cans when I was a kid!

Jonathan Hook: I think the more accurate question is when do the parents need the kid to have a cell phone. My kids are 8, 10, 14 and don’t need phones. They know when they leave the house what time they are expected home. I don’t need to call them in 10 minutes.

Shaun Hassanali: No younger than 6, no older than 6 1/2.

This is the perfect age for the kids to keep in contact with their peeps. It keps them organized by putting their play dates and school work in their phone. PLUS… when mom and dad want to contact them to see where they are and why they are putting that roll of tinfoil in the microwave, then – VIOLA! they have a means of contacting them!

As you guessed, total sarcasm above.

My kids will get a cell phone when and only when they an pay of it themselves. Living in Canada, having one of the most expensive rates around, they might get it when they are 21.

Gladys Figarella: It all depend of the circumstances and the kid. My son is 12 years old, and even though I was against giving him a phone, I had to give one to him when he started in a public school. He has shown maturity and responsibility in the use of the phone.

Dara Miller: My step daughter turns 10 on Sunday and her gift from us is a cell phone. Whether or not her bill gets paid depends on 1) school performance 2) respect for the long list of rules we have written out in order to keep said cell phone (which includes agreeing to have a tracker put on it that sends all incoming and outgoing calls and texts to my email) and 3) if she keeps up with her chores (which in reality her only chores are keeping her room clean and folding and putting away her clothes for now).
She’s a good kid, she’s respectful and has never once ever mouthed off or argued with anything her father and I say and the majority of her friends in class have a cell of some sort.

James R Woodhead: What age do they need one? If it’s 7, then you have a totally different set of requirements to if it’s 14.

If you actually bother to set up parental controls and put sensible protections on internet access, then there’s no reason they can’t have access to technology if there is a need for it.

Josh Evraets: We got our son an iPhone for his 11th bday. The phone was what he wanted but we also wanted it for him. It’s very nice to be able to have him check in if he’s at s friends house or to be able to text him from work. We monitor the phone use and the web history very closely. If say whenever you think your child is responsible enough to have one then go for it.

Whitson Stephanie: My middle school student has one. It became necessary when she started middle school and had clubs and activities after school. We had to be able to coordinate Pickup times. And who knew, you can’t use the schools phone or a pay phone like I did at that age.

What do you think? When should a kid be allowed to have their own phone? Tell us on Facebook!

Flickr photo by Analog and Digital VOL. Entertainment, used under Creative Commons license.