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Moms Talk: Should Kids Have Cell Phones?

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Question: For the past year, my 5th grader and I have been going round and round about him having a cell phone. Of course, he says "aaaall" the kids in his class have one. I feel he's too young and doesn't have any need for it. Am I old fashioned?

Answer: When my kids ask me how old I was when I got a cell phone, I tell them I was 28! You should see their jaws drop. But since times have changed a bit, we have to be more realistic. My oldest (age 14) has carried one for the past two years since he started riding the bus to junior high. He has a basic phone that he can only text from; the purpose is for him to let us know he's gotten home safely, etc. Since many younger kids walk to school these days, I could see the advantage of a cell phone for safety reasons. But do our kids need the iPhone 3 just so they can play Angry Birds? I think not. If you do cave, shop around, as many local providers offer cheap family add-on service.

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