...interesting headline? With ringtones, games, and all the cool looking phones there are these days it’s no surprise every kid thinks they ‘need’ a phone. And the sad thing is the age kids are starting to get them nowadays is getting younger and younger.
So what exactly is the right age for kids to start having cell phones? Is it when they start middle school? What about when they start driving? Or maybe it’s when they can pay for it themselves.
There are risks and benefits to just about anything in life and it’s no different with phones. Cell phones come in handy when practice runs earlier or later then it should have and you have to rearrange a ride. And without them, what would you do if your car broke down or there was some kind of emergency? Cell phones offer a sense of security and safety.
But of course they also have some cons. Cell phones put kids at greater risks of becoming involved in cyber bullying, sexting, etc. They also have a way of distracting kids from other responsibilities.
Would you rather text or be doing homework? The answer’s pretty obvious. I can’t even count how much longer it’s taken me to get assignments done when I’m busy with my phone. Students have enough distractions as it. Do they really need more?
What it comes down to is responsibility. I wish there was a definite or set age, but the truth is everyone matures differently. If kids can stay on top of their school work and keep up with their responsibilities there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to have a cell phone. Kids just need to use digression and not go overboard with the calls, texting, internet use, etc.