Kids and cell phones
Posted 3:23pm Mon Sep 11th, 2006 by Cate
- 1090 reads
As a person who spent much of teenage life with the family phone attached to her right ear, I'm wondering what it's like raising kids in an era of cell phones.
Does your child have a cell phone? What age do you think a cell phone is a good idea, or at least an acceptable one? If your kid does have a phone, what does it get used for? Do the potential benefits (keeping tabs, emergency calls) balance out the potential annoyances (constant yakking, vying for your kid's attention, expenses, annoying ringtones)? Very curious!
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Re: Kids and cell phones
when I used to teach at an international school, (here in Beijing) there was a kid in my class who used to come to school with a cell phone.. he was 4 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He knew how to use it too. and wore it arround his neck, i had a very serious talk with mommy and daddy before we agreed to let him keep it in his locker.
other than that, all of the kids had them at school from grade 4 upwards. expat kids mostly.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
Wow. What was the parent's rationale for the phone? How did they feel about your rules?
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Re: Kids and cell phones
check this:
http://www.fireflymobile.com/
The Mobile Phone for Mobile Kids
[img]http://www.fireflymobile.com/sc/catalog/images/product_home/home_productshot.jpg[/img]
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Re: Kids and cell phones
Those haven't come to China yet, have they?
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Re: Kids and cell phones
I saw that phone on an episode of CSI the other day... its a really good idea, it speed dials 2 things only 1. the police 2. mom and dad.... brilliant.
the kid in my class with a phone, his parents told me that its to make him feel comfortable and that he takes it everywhere and likes to call daddy at work.
man.. nothing worse than brats of the Neuveau Riche
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Re: Kids and cell phones
the kid in my class with a phone, his parents told me that its to make him feel comfortable and that he takes it everywhere and likes to call daddy at work.
man.. nothing worse than brats of the Neuveau Riche[/quote]
I do not think just having a phone makes kid a brat. Phones are cheap here and if a child is responsible enough even at a young age it can be a lifesaver. I know a friend of my daughter's, she is 6, certainly not a rich brat and she has a cell phone. She only uses it when she really needs it and her mom has a contact with kid if she needs to while she is away. I am planning to get one for my kid soon. In emergencies it is a good thing to have. You just have to have a smart and behaving kid.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
does that cultivate a person who never has to sort their own problems out? "If i have a problem, i call mum & she comes to fix it for me"
don't kids have to learn to sort their own issues?
(OK- so here i'm not covering potentially dangerous situations - but they can usually be avoided by the kid being told to not be alone with strangers)
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Re: Kids and cell phones
Quote:I do not think just having a phone makes kid a brat. Phones are cheap here and if a child is responsible enough even at a young age it can be a lifesaver. I know a friend of my daughter's, she is 6, certainly not a rich brat and she has a cell phone. She only uses it when she really needs it and her mom has a contact with kid if she needs to while she is away. I am planning to get one for my kid soon. In emergencies it is a good thing to have. You just have to have a smart and behaving kid.
i think thats pretty insane.. and even though there is a big difference beween a 6 year old and a 4 year old its still too young! there is no reason for it. the child should not be out of sight of a responible adult at that age anyway!
PS. that kid was a total brat!
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Re: Kids and cell phones
How many of those who answered actually have kids?
Have you imagined a car traffic accidents, earthquakes violent adults (family or not) that can overpower kids????
I hope none of these ever happens to any of us, but shit happens...
P.S. A child should be properly brought up and not coddled, cell phone or not and I agree that there are a lot of brats there. Also, there was a time when e-mail and PC seemed like an insane idea for kids.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
I have to reply to this as a parent of two kids, both of whom have cellphones. They have cells with them because we have just arrived in Beijing and they don't speak the language. They are restricted in using them, can't have them in the classroom for example.
We aren't "rich expats" and they aren't brats but we feel that this expense if warrented for their safety and our peace of mind.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
I dont want to get into an argument. i try to avoid that.
But i was not talking about expat kids. I was talking about a spoiled 4 year old emperor.
at 4 years old there is not reason for a child to have a phone of any kind. except maybe one of those toy powerangers phones with candy inside that beep and play little songs.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
Kids in Canada and US have cell phones as well. The firefly phone was launched in Canada and although there are much debate about it, it was one of the popular "peace of mind" presents parents gave to their kids (or maybe to themselves). In Canada, children walk to school and there have been incidents where strangers were asking for directions etc etc. Children as young as 6 or 7 walk sometimes about 20 mins to get to school and having the cell phone so they can call if they need help can actually promote confidence and independence. Unfortunately in the name of safety, children these days are deprived of stuff that they should and are able to do themselves like going to the store to get a jug of milk. Schools set rules in that cell phones are not allowed in class and has to be switched off during school times.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
What about the cellphone safety issue? my 7-month-old loves nothing more than playing with my cellphone.
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Re: Kids and cell phones
If the cell phone is on, there is a low risk.
If the cell phone is actually connected during a call, and the cell phone is held close to the head, there is a definite risk.
from http://www.mercola.com/2006/apr/20/cell_phone_users_240_percent_more_pro...
"Cell Phone Users 240 Percent More Prone to Brain Tumors"
Cell PhonesA new Swedish study indicates that mobile phone use can raise the risk of brain tumors. In the study, 2,200 cancer patients, and an equal number of healthy control cases, were examined for mobile phone use.
Among the cancer patients, about a tenth of the nearly 1,000 with malignant brain tumors were also heavy mobile phone users.
Heavy use was defined as 2,000 or more hours, or about 10 years' use at an hour per day.
Brain cancer patients also showed a significant increase in risk of tumor for the side of the head where they generally used the mobile phone. The researchers who conducted the study said that the figures demonstrate a 240 percent increased risk of a malignant tumor on that side of the head.
Wired News March 31, 2006
ZDNet March 31, 2006
I know there are industry funded studies that say EMF and radiation, geez, GM foods, mercury, or whatever you can think of, is "safe", I am not here to debate and will not, I am just trying to help people's health by presenting information I trust, and I believe to be factual.
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