Cell Phone for 10 Yr Old

Does he want it for the phone aspect or the toy aspect? Is he always on the phone at home? If not, I would say it is for the toy or status aspect, and therefore wouldn't get him one.

Personally, I think kids get way too much too early and then have nothing to which they can look forward. Phones should be for responsible young people who need them when they are driving, out at night, etc.

I don't see what the big problem is with cell phones. My 7 year old has one because she is in dance and there are times she is in rehersal and I can't get in, but I want to be able to keep in touch with her. The rules are simple. The phone is mine at home (so she is not up late or early texting or making calls.) No answering or calling/texting from numbers that me or my husband have not pre-programmed into her. A select few friends, and famiy. I pay the bill, so I have the right to look at what texts are being sent and received. And I have blocked the internet on there so she cannot download any ring tones or go online, etc. I really don't see what the issue is. You will get a lot of responses telling you definitely no, but seriously. We are in 2010 and technology is a huge part of our daily lives, whether people want to like it or not. Unless he is going to have free reign of the cell phone, why not let him have one?

We also do not have a home phone. We got rid of it over the summer as we had planned to after giving our daughter one of our older phones.

Tell your ex and your son if they can come up with 5 valid reasons why he needs (not wants) a cell phone you will let them get it.

However, if you believe he will behave responsibly and want to let him have it - first make sure you set ground rules - no talking after X, or before his homework is done etc.

Also, calling him rather than the parent might allow him to grow even more responsible.

Just my two cents...

Good luck!

I made both my kids wait till 8th grade before caving in to the requests for a phone. By then, they were literally the last ones in their grade to get one. I truly felt that they didn't need one before that, and it was really just a "status" thing. By the time they each reached 8th grade though, there were legitimate times when I thought it would be a good thing for them to have to stay in touch with me. Before that age, they didn't really go out anywhere with friends for extended periods of time. They both were, and are, very responsible children, so that was never the issue. But we DID argue about it, and they did beg for it, and for awhile I WAS the most unreasonable mother alive (lol) but once I made the decision to wait until 8th grade to get the phones, I stuck to it. I just don't go in for the argument that they needed it because "everyone else has one." If you think your son LEGITIMATELY needs a phone, to keep in touch with you or whatever, that's one thing...but to give it just so he "fits in" or is a good kid seems misguided. Just my opinion.

How old were you when you got a phone in your room? Or did you get your own "kids" line?
I say that because I equate the cell phone discussion of today to the phone in the room discussion of yesteryear. I was 10 when I got my swatch phone LOL!
If he is responsible, good grades and you set clear boundries on the phone use, I would go for it! IMO Cell phones are no longer a "luxury" item only for the busy and important, When you can get one for $30 and do a pre-paid card for minutes. . . it is a utilitarian device.
That said, the "everyone else is doing it" arguement is insane. That mentality needs to be addressed with ex in a polite way when/if you all agree this is an appropriate gift for your son and set the parametersof use, etc.
Best of luck with your decision!

no- I am not a fan of cell phones for kids- first of all - THEY ARE NOT TOYS! if you want to get him a DS or something like that- it's expensive- but it's A TOY for A KID! What does a kid need a cell phone for? It is not a substitute for parental supervision. And if your child is ever out somewhere without you or his dad- there is ALWAYS a way for him to get a hold of you. and no, not everyone else has one. But ultimately it is up to you and his dad on whether or not you get one for him and what the rules are.
Sorry, but this is one of my pet peeves and it really bothers me to see kids with cell phones!
~C.

This topic often creates a stir among the mamas.... It is a PERSONAL decision and has to be the decision that is right for your family.

My almost 16 yr old was about 10 when she got her first cell phone. It was very basic and I just added her to my plan on AT&T.

I personally like the cell phone for responsible children for the safety feature. My daughter is active in many extra activities and the phone comes in handy to keep me up to date on her schedule and any changes as well. I especially like the texting.... she had 1 incident at a sleepover and did not want to stay in the home. An older sibling was doing things to scare the girls and my daughter just said enough. To spare her the embarrassment, she texted me. I then called and said I needed to pick her up. Another time she texted that a lock down was going on a middle school.

Yes she texts and talks a lot.....so do I.

Most children I know from divorced families do have cell phones. It is a way for them to stay in contact with the other parent. That other parent (ex) the child is not living with means a lot to the child. it is not an (EX) to the child, it is mom or dad and the phone gives them a connection.

As far as getting one simply because "everyone has one", no, I wouldn't buy into that. If your kid is a good kid, which it sounds like he is.... I would allow him to have a cell phone.

Good luck

Thankfully, everyone in my neighborhood has agreed to wait until Middle School to get phones. That being said, the "i-touch" is WONDERFUL! My son can download all the free apps he wants, but can not use the phone. We put in a security code so that he can't surf the net without us knowing. I would look into that as an option.

I think that 10 is pretty young (although my 10 year old son believes he needs one). I do however see the need with some 10 year olds. When there is a home where the kid is shuffled between mom and dad then I can see where a phone is necessary. When he is at dad's and wants to maybe call you, text you, etc. It would be nice to have one. I also would be nice for you to be able to call him when he is at dad's too. Now if both parents are together and the child really isn't away from parents yet, I don't see the need either.

Another reason that I could justify a phone for a 10 year old is if there is not a home phone.

Outside of those two reasons, I do not see why a 10 year old needs a cell other than to screw around on it with his/her friends. It could even possibly open the door to poor judgment and behavior on the child's part. I have already seen two incidences where the kids abused the phone. One girl got involved with sexting and such with older kids and another girl at his current school has called my son at weird hours of the night thinking his number was his cell. Both girls were 10 years old and did not get caught for a long time because they did it behind their parents backs and I am sure their parents never thought any of this would happen with such young kids. A bit scary.

I am sure you would not want to be the bad guy but I would. It just seems to young to me unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Good luck!

We have 8 kids ranging from 4 y/o to 21 y/o. I'm a stay at home Mom and our rule is no cellphones until highschool. When they finish 8th grade we go shopping for their phone. Of course that is, if they are good members of the family, have good grades, etc. Our oldest didn't get hers until 2nd half of tenth grade because she had not met the requirements. They all ask for cellphones early. Most recently since elementary, then more vehemently on Middle School. "Everyone has one!" Do what you feel is best, but I think your gut feeling is right. He doesn't need one now. Best wishes and God bless!

we got one for my son this year, he is 10 also, our situation was a bit different in that we had a extra line on our plan (long story for a different day) but to cancel it would have cost us, over $100 or we could give him the phone (which in the long run will cost more than $100 over the next 10 years) so we gave it to him, he is rarely without me so he could easily use my phone but we have encouraged him to do things like text his grandmother, (he is not aloud to use shortcuts he has to type out the whole word) which is good for his writing skills development, and to call/text his dad (when he is away working), grandmother, Aunts and Uncles. If your Ex doesn't live with you it could be a way for them to text/communicate develop a closer relationship. We have been happy with our decision and he has not taken advantage of it, at this point and he has also begun to do things away from me with out church and school so it has been helpful also. We did establish a lot of boundaries that he has to follow, or he will lose it. But for us it has been good, and it is not a financial burden for us we were able to get an affordable rate by adding him to our plan.

ps he loves texting with his grandma, and she loves hearing from him, it is kinda cool

You could consider an iTouch which is similar to the iPhone but doesn't have the phone capabilities and doesn't have a monthly bill. He could use it for game playing and learn how to make skype calls on it.

We got our oldest a cel phone at 10 but he was staying home alone. So for us it was a good choice to make. It has also come in handy when we are out in public especially if it's just me and my two boys. He has his phone with him so I will let the go in the men's restroom as he's too old to go in the woman's and it gives me more of a piece of mind! Also if he goes places with friends or school you will feel better knowing that he can call if he needs to and not depend on someone else. I have never regretted getting him the phone. And if your ex wants to get it for him he's the one that would be paying for it I am assuming.

Good luck and God bless!

I know this probably sounds funny, but my concern with cell phones and young children is the radiation that can be emitted by certain models, especially smart phones. Young children have developing brains that may be affected if the phone is held to the head for very long periods of time, according to some studies. It still seems as though the jury is out concerning the safety of cell phones and the amount of radiation that can or cannot cause harm, but I think it may be worth doing a little research before settling on whether to get a phone, and if so, which model, since some emit more radiation than others. Just something to think about! Good luck with your decision!

Your ex's #2 and #3 reasons for getting your son a cell phone are completely insane! Does he get everything he ask for just because he wants it? Does he get what he wants just because "every one else" does? I doubt it so why would this reasoning apply to a cell phone? If there is no real need for it, then it will be more of a detriment than a help.

Cell phones are not just phones nowadays. They are personal game consoles, music systems, and communication devices too. I see nothing wrong with a 10 year old having one if the other party pays for it or if I could afford the bill myself. If hubby wants to pay the monthly bill then go for it.

In general my thoughts have been to wait until the 13th birthday; this is about the time kids are doing things without parents and would need the ability to phone home. But phones these days can be like toys with all the apps and videos - kind of like a video game that also makes phone calls. The second thing is that if you have a good kid, than he's ahead of the curve in handling all the responsibility that goes with it. It sounds like this would be more of a toy than a phone. One thing I would consider is not letting the phone go to school - that could be too big of a temptation for trouble, even for a good kid.