Kids with cellphones

heroincredible · #1 06-26-2008, 08:43 PM

Do the youth of today require the use of a cellphone?

cheesemonkey · #2 06-26-2008, 08:46 PM

no F***ing way... i don't have a cell phone and probably won't get one for a couple more years (maybe more.) and i want to strangle the stupids teens that go nuts if they forget their precious cell phone anywhere... god its annoying...

WickedPissah · #3 06-26-2008, 08:56 PM

I need it and use it a lot, however, when my sister's friend's brother, who is 11 trotted out his fancy new phone, I wanted to smack him in the head.

Visirale · #4 06-26-2008, 08:58 PM

I believe kids need phones... it's very convenient for parents to find out where there kids are, or if something comes up and a child needs to contact their parents easily.

Kids don't need iphones or sidekicks... leave those for after HS.

Kids do need to be taught when and where to use phones...

IconBasser · #5 06-26-2008, 08:58 PM

hm... not really.

I'll maybe use mine once every 2 days or so.

by far the most important function that mine offers is the alarm clock. As my other alarm no longer wakes me up, my phone is now invaluable.

cheesemonkey · #6 06-26-2008, 08:59 PM

yeah i understand if someone has a normal little cell but when they all get those fancy phones it makes my head explode.

DayoftheGreek · #7 06-26-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heroincredible

Do the youth of today require the use of a cellphone?

Depends on your definition of the word "youth."

Yes. I won't say I "need" mine, but its the only phone I have. I don't use it constantly, but its always there in case of an emergency. If anything, I feel that cell phones should replace home phones completely. There is no need at all to have both and if I have to pick only one, its going to be a cell phone. They are getting smaller and getting stronger reception. Its just far too convenient for me to think otherwise.

Edit: My phone is normal. I don't have a super texting pocking internet machine. Its a Sony Ericson W580i. I love the fact that its an MP3 player too. Great feature. Saves me from buying a flash based playing for when I need something that can be moved around.

iamlowsound · #8 06-26-2008, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Visirale

I believe kids need phones... it's very convenient for parents to find out where there kids are, or if something comes up and a child needs to contact their parents easily.

Kids don't need iphones or sidekicks... leave those for after HS.

Kids do need to be taught when and where to use phones...

Agreed.

lowsound

scootron · #9 06-26-2008, 09:02 PM

The other guys in my band are between 16 and 19. No kidding, they make or receive a minimum of six calls/texts each during each and every practice. Drives me up the wall. I have suggested a number of times that practice be cell-free, to no avail.

(BTW, there is a number their parents can call if there is a family emergency, etc.)

Mon Rominee · #10 06-26-2008, 09:08 PM

Am I a weirdo for not giving my kids "hapenning" cellphones?

yeah, it cheeses me off too.

steve66 · #11 06-26-2008, 09:14 PM

My 11 and 15 yr olds have a cell phones. In this day and age you need them. When I was younger, there were public phones on most street corners. the phone call cost you 10 cents. now if you happen to find a public phone your lucky.

Bad Brains · #12 06-26-2008, 09:27 PM

I still can't figure out how these little kids afford their cell phones? Those things don't pay for themselves. Hell, I can barley afford mine and I'm an adult.

Brummie · #13 06-26-2008, 09:29 PM

We held off until ours were 15 but my son had been robbed 3 times at knifepoint and couldn't be bothered again untin a few months ago (he's nearly 18), mugging at knife point is a sport here in England - I think every boy I know aged between 14 - 16 has been robbed, it's very sad, the kids who do the robbing usually just throw them in a drawer at home after they have robbed them.
My son knew the first guy who robbed him & he was banged up for a number of robberies (not just phones) he got 2 years in a youth offenders institute - which equals 6 weeks inside with good behaviour, it's no Deterrent, but that's the subject for another thread - I'll have all the liberals who live in crime free areas getting at me know.

GeneralElectric · #14 06-26-2008, 09:30 PM

I don't know. I mean on one hand, people use their cellphones way too much. But once you have one, no one will ever call your house phone looking for you.

I use mine as an alarm clock and schedule planner. I make a handful of phonecalls during the week, usually to order food. If I'm talking to someone on it, they're usually callin me, not the other way around.

I do text far too often though.

I think a basic phone is fine until whenever. I never understood the point of $300 phones. If your kid wants a phone, make him pay for it. Thats what my parents did.

Vince S. · #15 06-26-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brummie

We held off until ours were 15 but my son had been robbed 3 times at knifepoint and couldn't be bothered again untin a few months ago (he's nearly 18), mugging at knife point is a sport here in England - I think every boy I know aged between 14 - 16 has been robbed, it's very sad, the kids who do the robbing usually just throw them in a drawer at home after they have robbed them.
My son knew the first guy who robbed him & he was banged up for a number of robberies (not just phones) he got 2 years in a youth offenders institute - which equals 6 weeks inside with good behaviour, it's no Deterrent, but that's the subject for another thread - I'll have all the liberals who live in crime free areas getting at me know.

I thought that was no violent crime in Britain?

Brummie · #16 06-26-2008, 09:40 PM

Attachment 95458
We have everything now - even gun crime & Bobbies like these to protect us.

heroincredible · #17 06-26-2008, 10:07 PM

IMO, unless the kids can pay their cell phone bill each month, they shouldn't have a phone.

skaliwag66 · #18 06-26-2008, 10:13 PM

yes. it is a useful safety tool

IconBasser · #19 06-26-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skaliwag66

yes. it is a useful safety tool

lol! You gonna dig for an emergency food source with it?

Visirale · #20 06-26-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heroincredible

IMO, unless the kids can pay their cell phone bill each month, they shouldn't have a phone.

I know in a lot of cases that's true... but in a lot of cases, cell phones really help out.

When I was 14 or so my parents and I were on a cruise and land tour of Alaska/Canada. I was exploring around on one of our ferry rides from Vancouver to Victoria and apparently missed a stop (don't ask, I don't know how I managed that). My parents had to leave with the tour group and my mom was frantic. I had no phone and they had no clue where I was. As far as they knew, I had been kidnapped in a foreign land. Luckily I did find them, but a cell phone would have turned an extremely stressful situation into a "Oh, he's just screwing around and missed the port" thing.

Also if your kids ever travel, cell phone use is a lot cheaper than using local phones. When I was in Europe last summer I was able to call my parents easily... and far cheaper than using the hotel's long distance. Given I was 18 at the time, but I'm sure "kids" go to Europe or other places and I know most parents would like to talk to them for under $5 a minute.

Another example... after getting done playing at a camp last week, me and my guitarist went straight home while all the kids were going to a theme park the next day. When we got home he asked me if I knew what time the kids were getting back so he could go pick them up. I forgot he had gone off on a lot of rants on why the youth of today don't need cell phones. I asked why he didn't just call her... and he kind of reluctantly said... "Because she doesn't... have a phone."

My point is, even if it's just a family plan that allows a kid to call their parents... cell phones are extremely useful. Making kids pay for that bare bones essential plan is a little unfair, IMO. The peace of mind I would have as a parent is easily worth the free cheap phone and $20 or 30 a month or so.