I need some insight…. according to Olivia, most of her classmates have cell phones, and she’s been badgering me and Loverman to let her join their ranks.
Olivia just turned 10 and is in the 4th grade. Besides being cheap and in no rush to assume another monthly expense, I can’t seem to process what in the heck my girl would do with a cell phone other than create inane reasons to call her girlfriends. We take her and her brother to and from school every day. We’ve yet to find ourselves in a situation where we needed to get in touch her and couldn’t.
I’m clear on why she doesn’t need a phone now, but I haven’t been able to get my head around when is the right time/age? For now it seems a phone would be necessary if she would was traveling alone on a daily basis. I know pay phones aren’t as prevalent as they were when I was a kid and I think if Olivia was traveling alone (or with her younger brother) on public transportation a cell phone would be useful, but unless I’m missing something, I still have a little more time before I have to cross that bridge.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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3 comments:
Lol! Ten is exactly the age when they mustmustmust have a cell phone. You're right that she doesn't need one unless she's traveling alone, and yes, she would always want to call her friends. On the other hand, it's pretty harmless. My suggestion: Give an inexpensive one to her as a gift on the next gift-giving occasion--she will have built up such a want for it, it will be the best gift she ever got (for a while). But get a pre-paid phone, like a Go Phone or something, so you don't have to deal with another bill arriving in your mailbox. And then, you and Olivia can agree to some 10-year-old-using-a-cell-phone rules beforehand: She hands over the phone at a prescribed hour each night (otherwise, trust me, they will be up texting one another at 3 am); you will put an agreed upon amount of money on the phone each month, or maybe even every two months (I think you have to add $20 every 90 days), so she will have to ration her minutes, etc. Her request for a cell is a sign that she's entering a whole new stage. And she wants it enough now to agree to all your terms. Enjoy! She sounds lovely.
I think highschool is a good time, before that, I don't see why she would need one lol
I don't really see the need for such a young child to have a cell phone either. Like you say you and your husband are still her primary sources of transportation, etc., etc. But, I know I'm in the minority. Every parent I know who has a child in the 9, 10 yr old range has caved in and bought them a phone. I don't get it. Lovegirl will probably get one in high school - if we're still using cell phones by then.
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