PDA

View Full Version : Cell phone for 11 year old...



Soonrboy
1/7/2006, 05:14 PM
I'm debating whether to get one for my son...not for social reasons, but for pure safety reasons. He will be at a school other than where his mother or I will be for the first time. There will be logistics of other people picking him up and he being at the right place at the right time, etc.

I just don't want him to ever be left somewhere.

I hate the thought of kids having a phone, though. I just don't know. Anyone else dealing with this?

BTW, he's 11..very responsible, but 11.

Okla-homey
1/7/2006, 05:17 PM
I'm debating whether to get one for my son...not for social reasons, but for pure safety reasons. He will be at a school other than where his mother or I will be for the first time. There will be logistics of other people picking him up and he being at the right place at the right time, etc.

I just don't want him to ever be left somewhere.

I hate the thought of kids having a phone, though. I just don't know. Anyone else dealing with this?

BTW, he's 11..very responsible, but 11.

They have kiddie ones which are pre-paid and have a button for mom, dad and 911. That's what I'd get an 11 y/o.

Okieflyer
1/7/2006, 05:18 PM
They have kiddie ones which are pre-paid and have a button for mom, dad and 911. That's what I'd get an 11 y/o.

I agree with you. This is the only way to go.

yermom
1/7/2006, 05:22 PM
pre-paid would probably be a good idea

sounds like he would need to call more than just home and 911 though

Okla-homey
1/7/2006, 05:24 PM
found 'em on-line. They're called "Firefly." kinda cool looking too. I may be wrong about 911 service though. It doesn't appear to have a button for that, but it may still be possible thru a menu option.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5030/firefly2od.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Frozen Sooner
1/7/2006, 05:34 PM
They have kiddie ones which are pre-paid and have a button for mom, dad and 911. That's what I'd get an 11 y/o.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Though I think that it doesn't have a 911 button for a reason-i.e. having a 911 button available to an 11 y/o (and not necessarily your super-responsible one) probably isn't a great idea.

Okieflyer
1/7/2006, 05:35 PM
Exactly what I was going to suggest. Though I think that it doesn't have a 911 button for a reason-i.e. having a 911 button available to an 11 y/o (and not necessarily your super-responsible one) probably isn't a great idea.

That's if they can keep from losing it.

Jimminy Crimson
1/7/2006, 05:36 PM
found 'em on-line. They're called "Firefly." kinda cool looking too. I may be wrong about 911 service though. It doesn't appear to have a button for that, but it may still be possible thru a menu option.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5030/firefly2od.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The way to go for an 11 yo.

Jimminy Crimson
1/7/2006, 05:37 PM
I'm just waiting until someone with a 'unique' parental situation gets their feathers ruffled by there being a 'man' and 'woman' icon. :rolleyes:

Freakin libz ;)

yermom
1/7/2006, 05:48 PM
maybe there is an Adam and Steve version

Jimminy Crimson
1/7/2006, 05:50 PM
maybe there is an Adam and Steve version

Or Eve and Genevieve :P

Okla-homey
1/7/2006, 05:53 PM
I'm just waiting until someone with a 'unique' parental situation gets their feathers ruffled by there being a 'man' and 'woman' icon. :rolleyes:

Freakin libz ;)

It's still about parental roles right? In "The Birdcage" do you think the son would have had trouble deciding which button was for Robin Williams' character?;)

Soonrboy
1/7/2006, 06:21 PM
the firefly might be the way to go...it is prepaid. I know one of the services offers a kid version, kind of like the firefly. Alltel doesnt yet, but I bet it will soon if this kind of thing takes off.

OklahomaTrombone
1/7/2006, 06:24 PM
Cingular has that phone available

OUHOMER
1/7/2006, 06:42 PM
great functions for an 11 year old, but the dont have that macho male look to them. he needs a razor damn it. how is he going to pick up a nice young lady with a pink firefly

Soonrboy
1/7/2006, 07:50 PM
I made the mistake of telling him I was thinking about it, about a week ago...I've heard plenty of arguments for the razr...ain't happening. The phone will not be nicer than mine.

Jimminy Crimson
1/7/2006, 08:00 PM
I made the mistake of telling him I was thinking about it, about a week ago...I've heard plenty of arguments for the razr...ain't happening. The phone will not be nicer than mine.

...unless he's payin for it ;)

Sooner Born Sooner Bred
1/7/2006, 08:02 PM
I made the mistake of telling him I was thinking about it, about a week ago...I've heard plenty of arguments for the razr...ain't happening. The phone will not be nicer than mine.Unless you are planning on paying crack ho bucks for a phone I would nix talk of the razr.

OklahomaTrombone
1/7/2006, 08:03 PM
Razr's have come way down in price...you can get one for like 99 with a two.

Sooner Born Sooner Bred
1/7/2006, 08:05 PM
Razr's have come way down in price...you can get one for like 99 with a two.11 y/os don't need a $100 phone

sanantoniosooner
1/7/2006, 08:06 PM
My 12 year old has one. He's been very responsible for about a year now.

I had a student from Spain living with us for a year that ran up the bill horribly with text messages. He had to give up the phone obviously.

Tiptonsooner
1/7/2006, 08:07 PM
My daughter is 10, she has had one now for about six months. The first coupla weeks she wasn't very responsible with the phone, ie. misplacing it and talking to everyone she knew. We didn't say much to her about it, hoping the new would wear off. It worked and she now takes very good care of it and doesn't abuse air time. The novelty simply wore off.


Edit-Very ironic that my avatar is her blabbing on it!

GottaHavePride
1/7/2006, 09:07 PM
There's also the "Migo" from Verizon, or something. I think it has 4 pre-programmable numbers and an emergency/911 button.

Soonrboy
1/7/2006, 09:25 PM
11 y/os don't need a $100 phone


amen sista

ChickSoonerFan
1/7/2006, 10:24 PM
I debated getting one for my 11 year old daughter for Christmas and decided against it for now. I am not saying that it would not come in handy at times but it is not a necessity. I told her will may do it when she turns 12. Only a couple of the girls in her school have them now.

Then two nights ago, my cell phone rings and it is one of her friends asking for her. :eek:

I was confused and handed her the phone. It took me about 20 mins to realize she was still on it using my minutes. I told her to hang up.

Stanley1
1/7/2006, 10:30 PM
Kids that age should be doing things other than talking on the phone in my opinion.

sanantoniosooner
1/7/2006, 10:36 PM
Kids that age should be doing things other than talking on the phone in my opinion.
uhhhhhhhhhhh yeah, but when your kid walks to school and you have no landline at the house, it seems prudent to be able to contact them.

Stanley1
1/7/2006, 10:37 PM
uhhhhhhhhhhh yeah, but when your kid walks to school and you have no landline at the house, it seems prudent to be able to contact them.

I'd suggest getting the landline then. JMO, but kids that young having cell phones will cause more of a headache in the longrun than not. Not in ALL instances, but I'd guess most.

sanantoniosooner
1/7/2006, 10:41 PM
I'd suggest getting the landline then. JMO, but kids that young having cell phones will cause more of a headache in the longrun than not. Not in ALL instances, but I'd guess most.
I would guess that the kind of kids that would make a cell phone a major headache probably make EVERYTHING a headache.

It helps if you tell them exactly how you'll kill them and they believe you.

FirstandGoal
1/8/2006, 12:02 AM
I just went through this with my son. He's 12, and very responsible. I am a single mom with a crazy work schedule and he's in a lot of activities. I have to depend on babysitters, neighbors, other soccer parents, etc to get by. Cell phone was definitely needed.
Anyway, I am on sprint and qualified for a free phone. It only added $10 per month to my plan, and I got him unlimited text, we share minutes, and sprint-to-sprint is free so it doesn't use any minutes when we talk to each other. got him the unlimited text so he wouldn't have to use the minutes up. This is the first month, so we'll see how it goes. I would advise checking with your plan to see if they have similar options. Also, I am paying $6/month for insurance for the phone. I figure I will do this for a few months, and if there are no mishaps, then I can drop it.

Penguin
1/8/2006, 12:15 AM
Nah. Just get him a subscription to Playboy instead.

BeetDigger
1/8/2006, 03:41 PM
Nah. Just get him a subscription to Playboy instead.


Are you talking about Stanley or the 11 y/o?

Jimminy Crimson
1/8/2006, 04:17 PM
JMO, but kids that young having cell phones will cause more pregnancies in the longrun than not.

I agree with Stan. :texan:

Sooner Born Sooner Bred
1/8/2006, 05:03 PM
The best thing is just to put a limit on usage at that age

soonerbrat
1/8/2006, 05:19 PM
My 12 year old has one. He's been very responsible for about a year now.

I had a student from Spain living with us for a year that ran up the bill horribly with text messages. He had to give up the phone obviously.



i had an exchange student from korea who insisted on using the phone before 6pm when the free minutes started. We had many discussions about this. I finally started taking it away from him every night before he went to bed and giving it back to him after 6pm. he used a 1-800 number to use a calling card to call his parents.

my 12 yo daughter has had a cell phone for a couple years and has been really responsible with it. she uses it to text message her friends (unlimited for $5.00/month) not a bad deal. i pay $130/month for 4 phones. we have 800 minutes to share, but we use sprint, so we can talk to anyone with sprint for free, anytime which includes my mother and their dad. and our night/weekend minutes start at 6pm.

Stanley1
1/8/2006, 05:30 PM
Are you talking about Stanley or the 11 y/o?

I've got one already, thanks. :D

(One subscription, just to clarify.)

Stanley1
1/8/2006, 05:34 PM
I agree with Stan. :texan:

Thanks. I know this much, had I had a cell phone at that age, I prolly would have gotten pregnant.

jk the sooner fan
1/8/2006, 05:38 PM
both my boys got cell phones at 16.... what works for one doesnt work for all however

Scott D
1/8/2006, 05:59 PM
Thanks. I know this much, had I had a cell phone at that age, I prolly would have gotten pregnant.

good reason for your mother to take away a cell phone if you have one now ;)

mdklatt
1/8/2006, 09:05 PM
How I didn't die at an early age without access to any of today's childhood necessities amazes me.

soonerbrat
1/8/2006, 09:11 PM
i don't know how i lived without a cell phone for my first 29 years and a DVR for the first 34

seriously. i was sooooooooooooo deprived!

SoonerInKCMO
1/8/2006, 09:12 PM
How I didn't die at an early age without access to any of today's childhood necessities amazes me.

We were tougher back then. Kids today are a buncha punk-*** sissies. :texan:

mdklatt
1/8/2006, 09:26 PM
We were tougher back then. Kids today are a buncha punk-*** sissies. :texan:

It's parents that are the problem. The children of the touchy-feely Baby Boomers are now parents themselves, and we can see the results. Everybody wants their kids to live in a bubble until they're 18. What do they think is going to happen to their kids when all of sudden mommy and daddy aren't around to coddle them?

BeetDigger
1/8/2006, 09:29 PM
I've got one already, thanks. :D

(One subscription, just to clarify.)


How does Lisa Guerrero look?

Stanley1
1/8/2006, 09:53 PM
How does Lisa Guerrero look?

Scrumptious.

soonerbrat
1/8/2006, 09:55 PM
who's Lisa Guerrero?

SoonerInKCMO
1/8/2006, 09:57 PM
who's Lisa Guerrero?

Hot nekkid chick in Playboy.

(Former NFL sideline reporter hired only for her looks.)

Jimminy Crimson
1/8/2006, 11:04 PM
(Former NFL sideline reporter hired only for her looks.)

Hey, she's very talented! :texan:

dolemitesooner
1/8/2006, 11:06 PM
Hey, she's very talented! :texan:
What would you know about 11 year olds

FirstandGoal
1/8/2006, 11:44 PM
It's parents that are the problem. The children of the touchy-feely Baby Boomers are now parents themselves, and we can see the results. Everybody wants their kids to live in a bubble until they're 18. What do they think is going to happen to their kids when all of sudden mommy and daddy aren't around to coddle them?


I think a lot of the problem is that a lot of today's kids are either being raised by single parents (like my situation) or by 2 parents who have demanding schedules. Also, more families nowadays are scattered throughout the country, making it more prudent to rely on others.
I don't know about y'all, but my kids are pretty much living in reality. They both can't wait until they are old enough to work (and by this I mean that my 12yo son wants to earn extra money refereeing soccer games and even mentioned to me that some places like Sonic will let you work for them when you are 14-- I called BS on that, but he swears he heard it from a friend)
They both know that the only way is to go to college, earn their degree, and work their way through.

mdklatt
1/9/2006, 11:19 AM
I think a lot of the problem is that a lot of today's kids are either being raised by single parents (like my situation) or by 2 parents who have demanding schedules. Also, more families nowadays are scattered throughout the country, making it more prudent to rely on others.


I don't think this is much different now than when I was growing up 20 years ago. The reality that parents can't always be there is the reason that they should focus on teaching their children how to be responsible and take care of themselves. For example, parents who are worried about their kids riding the school bus because they might hear the naughty boys and girls talking about S-E-X aren't doing their job.

BeetDigger
1/9/2006, 11:24 AM
Scrumptious.


I was hoping that you would use the work perky. Or uplifting.

Its great when good looking women see their careers go south and have to use nekkidness in Playboy as a way to get things going for them again.

I am reminded of the scene near the end of Animal House where the 11 year old boy is looking at Playboy and the playmate flies into the room and the boy looks up and says "Thank you God."

C&CDean
1/9/2006, 11:31 AM
So, a thread morphs from "should I get my little kid a phone" to "who's posing nekkid in girly rags."

You people are sick.

And for the record, I'm pretty much with mdklatt on this one. How did we all manage to survive without our own personal cell phones? How did we make it through a day without a hundred text messages?

My 15 year old has one and he sleeps, eats, ****s, and everything else with it. It's pathetic. His granny pays for it on her plan, but literally, not 10 minutes goes by without him sending/receiving text messages or calls. I've woke up at 2 am and he's yacking on the damned thing.

The only reason I allow some of it to go on is because I'm trying my damndest to be a more "understanding" dad. Kid is honor roll, football stud, basketball stud, soccer stud and all around great person. I just have to overlook the phone/long hair thingie right now. He does understand that if his grades/attitude/etc. slip, the phone is history.

And in all honesty, an 11 year old is probably much more responsible - generally speaking - than the average 16 year old.

mdklatt
1/9/2006, 11:39 AM
And in all honesty, an 11 year old is probably much more responsible - generally speaking - than the average 16 year old.

Heh. No doubt.

yermom
1/9/2006, 11:40 AM
just because we didn't have them doesn't mean that kids now shouldn't have them... sure it's not a necessity, but i'm sure it would make the parents' lives easier as well... assuming they actually answer the phone

plus it's a lot easier to get logs from a cell phone ;)

soonerbrat
1/9/2006, 11:41 AM
just because we didn't have them doesn't mean that kids now shouldn't have them... sure it's not a necessity, but i'm sure it would make the parents' lives easier as well... assuming they actually answer the phone

plus it's a lot easier to get logs from a cell phone ;)


they make my life a helluva lot easier when it comes to keeping up with kids and their schedules!

1stTimeCaller
1/9/2006, 11:45 AM
I don't know about making parent's lives easier. I don't have kids. That being said, I learned at a young age to be where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be there. I also had to plan things out in advance if I wanted to do something where I couldn't ride my bike to.

soonerbrat
1/9/2006, 11:50 AM
my daughter plays a minimum of 2 sports and max 4. sometimes the schedules change daily without warning...it's nice for her to be able to call me if things change with her school sports vs. her soccer schedules.

1stTimeCaller
1/9/2006, 11:54 AM
ahhhh I see. I grew up before Earl Woods taught America to train their kids for the pros at the age of two. My brother and I got to play one sport at a time. Football after the fourth grade during football season, baseball during baseball season, soccer during soccer season, basketball during basketball season.
My parents didn't have time for us to play more than one sport at a time.

mdklatt
1/9/2006, 11:56 AM
just because we didn't have them doesn't mean that kids now shouldn't have them... sure it's not a necessity, but i'm sure it would make the parents' lives easier as well... assuming they actually answer the phone


I don't think other people shouldn't have cell phones just because I don't have one, but call a spade a spade--it's not a necessity. Instead of just admitting they want their kids to have nice stuff, a lot of parents try to justify everything. Junior has to have $150 shoes or he'll get picked on. Junior has to have a new fancy cell phone because he's in activities. Junior has to have a brand new car when he turns 16 so he can get job. Kids have been getting picked on, participating in activities, and working after school for a long time without all these "necessities".

soonerbrat
1/9/2006, 11:58 AM
i don't really have time either..all the sports are by her choice. soccer is pretty much year-round, sometimes indoor and outdoor overlap. right now she's playing basketball too. this spring she'll probably run track and play golf. it keeps her out of trouble and as long as she keeps making straight As and i have a car, i'm not going to discourage it :D

luckily, her dad is moving back to oklahoma in a month or 2 and i'll have some help!!

yermom
1/9/2006, 11:59 AM
mdk, you don't have a cell phone?

mdklatt
1/9/2006, 12:09 PM
sometimes the schedules change daily without warning

And this is why technology is a double-edged sword. This kind of crap didn't happen when cell phones weren't ubiquitous. They make it easier to be disorganized and inconsiderate. People don't think twice about changing things at the last minute becuase they assume they can just call everybody on their cell phone.

Sorry you drove all they way out there, but I called you to tell you it was cancelled.

When did you call?

A whole fifteen minutes before it started--I left a voice mail on your cell phone.

I don't have a cell phone. That "voice mail" was on my answering machine, and I didn't see it until I got home because you called after I had already left.

:rolleyes:

mdklatt
1/9/2006, 12:11 PM
mdk, you don't have a cell phone?

Nope, don't need one--except for the fact that people are becoming more and more inconsiderate (see above).

Soonrboy
1/9/2006, 12:18 PM
The main reason is that the boy will be going to the Classen School of Advanced Studies in OKC next year, so he's been a pretty responsible student in his short little life.

We'll have to rely on car pools and the OKC bus system to deliver him places, I just don't want him standing on a corner somewhere...I know there are phones inside the school, but I don't want other people waiting on his *** hwile he goes in to make a phone call and maybe miss the ride, you know?

I'm still debating, but I think I'm going to go for it. He has an August birthday, maybe that will his birthday present.

FirstandGoal
1/9/2006, 06:02 PM
my daughter plays a minimum of 2 sports and max 4. sometimes the schedules change daily without warning...it's nice for her to be able to call me if things change with her school sports vs. her soccer schedules.


Exactly the point I was trying to make

SoonerInKCMO
1/9/2006, 07:28 PM
Nope, don't need one--except for the fact that people are becoming more and more inconsiderate (see above).

Amen. I've had the same thing happen to me (people leaving messages on my answering machine assuming it's my cell phone) more than once. People were a lot more considerate of others' time when it wasn't so damn easy to be inconsiderate and reschedule everything on a whim.

I swear I don't think half the people today know how to plan ahead and create and keep to a reasonable schedule.

And, people and their kids are just too damn busy these days. And people spend too much money on their kids. And those damn kids need to stay outta my yard. And stop driving so damn fast down my street. :mack:

I feel my misanthropy kicking in again. :mad: