home/cell phone and children

[MonitorPooptarts]

First off - how many of you still have a home phone/land line? Especially those of you who no longer live with your parents.

Assuming you have no land line, at what age would you get your child their own cell phone so that they wouldn't need to use yours if they ever needed to make a call? Would that age be different if you did have a land line? Do kids even make phone calls to each other anymore?

[dietcoke]

First off - how many of you still have a home phone/land line? Especially those of you who no longer live with your parents.

Assuming you have no land line, at what age would you get your child their own cell phone so that they wouldn't need to use yours if they ever needed to make a call? Would that age be different if you did have a land line? Do kids even make phone calls to each other anymore?

We still have a land line, only because my parents are self employed and it's used for business. When I move out I won't be using a land line at all.

I dunno, the idea of allowing my children to be mini adults really disturbs me, so i'm not sure if i'd allow my child a cell phone at a young age, although it seems like having a phone from the age of 6 is the norm now. Like I see these girls prancing about with their hair done to perfection, blackberry in hand, skinny jeans and Hollister and they're literally as young as 9 years old and I just think it shouldn't be like that. But I guess i still wouldn't want to be that weird Mom that can't keep with the times haha, so I guess around 10ish when they're leaving primary school and are at least becoming in charge of their own social life, I mean, why do kids need phones to communicate when their parents are still arranging their days out for them/everything is done with a parent/guardian present.
When my kid gets to a stage where they start arranging to meet up with friends on their own terms and starts wanting to go places without parents etc. present then I guess they can have a cell phone, before that it will just be a pointless waste of money

[MonitorILoveTheBam]

I still live with my parents, and we have a land line. My father, brother and I are the only ones with phones. My mom and sister use the land line.

I think a lot of factors would play into what age I would decide to get my kids cell phones. For example, I might be more inclined to get my child a cell phone earlier if they were involved in a lot of after school activities, or walk home from school.

My friends nephew had his own phone in the second grade. It was one that could only call his parents, grandparents, or the police.

And yes, kids still talk to each other on the phone lol. My friend has a 7 year old daughter who's friends call her quite a bit lol.

[Mrs.PotatoHead]

Me and my bf just have cell phones, but when I lived with my mom she didn't have a home phone either.

I would probably get my kid a cell phone when they were 12, or earlier if it was needed.

[popsicle.pirate]

I don't have a land line at my apartment, and haven't had one since I moved out at 18. My parents have a landline. I think I'd get one again eventually, when I know I'll be living in the same place for more than a year. I think cell phones are unnecessary until you start driving.

[MonitorVendetta]

Once I have kids/a home, I would get a landline. Kid needs to know how to call 911 and I just think its a good idea.

I feel like I may let my child have a ****ty pre-pay phone that only connects to a few numbers (home, me, etc) since that seems to be how the world is going.

[ღεиchαиtεdღ]

I live with my mom, and we still have a land line. No one ever really uses it, but it's there. I think when I get my own place I will still have one because I just think it's a good idea. Cell phones can break and whatnot.

When I have kids, I'll get them a cellphone when they're going to start going places alone.

[Dr. Drakken]

We have a land line, but only so that my mom can call my little brother when she's at work.

[Tokyo]

First off - how many of you still have a home phone/land line? Especially those of you who no longer live with your parents.

Assuming you have no land line, at what age would you get your child their own cell phone so that they wouldn't need to use yours if they ever needed to make a call? Would that age be different if you did have a land line? Do kids even make phone calls to each other anymore?

I have a home phone/landline but only because my boyfriends in prison and he cant call cell phones. I wouldnt have it if he wasnt in prison. I would get my child a (really cheap) cell phone whenever they started an after school sport or started sleeping over at friends. I would make it just call/text no fancy phone. It wouldnt matter if I had a landline or nor. I dunno is kids make phone calls lol I'm not a kid anymore

[broccoliandchz]

by the time i have kids old enough to use technology it will probably have changed significantly. i dont have a landline, but i have an extra cell phone with a different carrier in case the first doesnt work. my parents have a land line but the only phone is in my brother's room and he never answers it lol

[turtle]

It's weird because i was having a discussion with people that i work with about this yesterday.
My mom doesn't have a landline, but my dad does. I have no answered/used that phone in 8+ years. I think if you have a kid under the age of 14/15 you need a landline. A girl i work with who has a 4 year old disagrees. But i don't think children need cellphones, nor do preteens. IMO a cellphone and a preteen and even a young teen, will do more harm than good. But i guess highschoolers sort of "need" them.. not really but kinda.

[Battlemaid_v2.0]

I've had a landline all through growing up. My mom is not very tech savvy so I suppose that's why. In my dorm I didn't bother getting a landline although they offer it.

As for my kids, I'd say my mom's approach worked fine on me. I didn't start really needing a cell phone until sophomore year of high school (I was shy and weird lol). Assuming my kids aren't as socially crippled as I was, they might need a cell phone earlier. I dunno.

[Albi]

I was the last person of my group of friends to get a cell- 18.
I will buy my daughter a cellphone when she turns 13

[ShallowBay]

I'm going to get a land line once I'm out on my own. I hate relying on my cell phone. I have a landline at college as well.

My children will get a phone when they start driving. I don't see the point of giving them a phone otherwise. I got a phone when I turned 18 because that was when I started driving and started being able to go places on my own. Before that my dad got my friend's numbers (they'd give me rides places we'd go) if he ever needed to call me and my friends all had my home phone or my dad's cell number. The system worked out fine.

Or if they happen to be like I was at eight years old and ran all over the neighborhood with friends and I needed to reach them for something I'd get a cheap tracfone and only let them have it when they knew they'd be going all over the place. They'd give it back when they come home.