[Totalimmortal363]

When they're on thier own plan.

[MTDave]

Here's my take: every combination of parent, child, family situation, economic level, carrier plan, et al, means there is never a hard and fast rule. My son has had a cell phone since he was 8 years old (not a restricted "kid phone" either). I used to sell cellular service, so I understood how to buy the right plan to keep the expenses under control and I am lucky to have a very responsible kid who never abused the privilege.

He moved from my plan to his mom's a couple years after our divorce, but he moved back onto my plan last year. I gave him my Curve when I moved him over (I got the new Tour). He has unlimited text and data and adding him reduced my bill $20 a month. By the way, he turns 13 in 3 months.

Yes his friends are jealous and their parents think I'm spoiling him. But given the situation, I got an upgraded BB and saved $20 each month. Under the circumstances, it was good for all concerned.

[gmz73]

I recently added a line to get the Incredible. I gave my 15 yr old daughter my Storm 2. I was going to get her a regular phone but like the verizon rep explained with the data plan I wouldn't have to worry about overages they could rack up on a multimedia phone.

I already had unlimited vzw to vzw texting and I signed on to get the controls for 4.99 month. She is a pro with that phone and is responsible with it so it was worthe the extra money. Now of course I don't have to do dishes, vacuum or dust furniture anymore, that is her job if she wants to keep the phone. She loves to cut the grass since she only has to ride around on the John Deere. Now if could only convince her to do the toilets also!

[ekz13]

Honestly you have to take into account the generation, yes my generation and other like they have said did just fine w/o one, however, kids today are living in a high tech world and most of them know more about tech then most of our parents (or even us did at that age) because it is so much more readily available to them and they are constantly accessing things via that tech.

I agree with most, they really don't NEED it, but I think that learning how these things work and using it gives them a certain edge over kids that don't, my parents were the same way with the computer when it first came out, they didn't see the need for me to have one and it was a waste of money. But by using one at an early age I learned way more then had I come into it when they became mainstream.

Now with that said, I'll say this, the cell phone thing for the kids, It's more for me than them. As a parent my rule is when I text or call, you answer it, and they do but it allows me a connection no matter where they are and they have access to me and 911 should the need arise.

But each parent needs to weigh the pros and cons of giving that kind of tech for each child, could be a great thing or very expensive on the replacements.. My daughter (12 now) has had the same phone for almost two years with no losses or breaks, she takes very good care of hers. I've seen some teenagers that my son works with have broken theirs several times in a year. So to each his/her own.

[iMiiTH]

I got my first phone (prepaid) when I was 12.
First BlackBerry when I was 14. (social plan)
BlackBerry Data plan (500mb) when I was 15.

[11B1P]

My 3yr old can use my wife's itouch better than me!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jonahz]

I'm what people would call "mature for my age". At 14, I work 2 evenings a week during school time, and 4 (fulltime days) a week in the summer. I've had access to an emergency use phone for 3 years now, a standard Samsung slider with 50 minutes. Recently, after starting a new job, I decided to take the plunge into the technological revolution that has swept students my age across the world. However, I live in a house of business professionals and have been exposed to BB's for years now. While I had the choice of having a phone paid for me, but not a BB with a data plan, I decided against it to pursue my "goal". At 14, I have a BB only because I pay for it, with money I work for. I chose a BB over other phones for the fact that I do email (with work and as a semi-professional actor with our local theater group), text, and schedule to the hilt. The best way to manage the three essential tasks was to get a phone designed for it, a BlackBerry. I am so glad that I chose one over a "standard phone" even if it does cost an extra $20 a month for data.

So I guess my answer would be when my (future) kids show that they can handle having a $500 phone, utilize the features of a BlackBerry, and once they can either pay for a portion, or all of their bill.

[mulishaman187]

At age 13 a regulated plain old cell phone is adequate. Smartphone....I just gotta ask, WTF is wrong with some of you parents? I am a 28 year old parent of two. I am trying to reverse this trend of raising kids with a sense of entitlement. Giving children whatever they desire does nothing good for them. On the first page of this thread someone says their 5yr old has an e-mail address...seriously? Does she have a facebook page too? End of the day, raise your kids however you want, but one day they will be in their 20's, jobless, still mooching off you because everything has always been handed to them,

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[aimeeattitude]

It's rather wrong to question the parenting skills of people on here who have been parents way before you even thought of becoming one. It's not necessarily about giving them something they desire, but having the ability to know their child/teen is able and mature enough to handle the responsibility. The second that responsibility is breached, the privilege is revoked. Not every parent on here is just giving their kids a hand out.

And I don't know about your company, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a
"dumb phone" on a plain regulated plan anymore (its also easier to just drop 'em on your plan, than pay full price for a prepaid phone and also pay for that too). Times are changing, kids are growing and learning at a different rate than we did, technology is morphing rapidly and maybe sometimes it's never too early to show them how to be responsible in more ways than one.

[PatJuhNL]

prepaid dumbphone: 12-13y.o with €20 a month on useage
normal plan: 16-17y.o when proves he/she can handle a plan... 15-20 a month free choice + outside plan own costs (work)
normal plan: 18y.o work for it!

[BB_Junky]

We have 2 boys, both got cheapo pay as you go phones when they both turned 14 just so we could keep in touch with them while they were out with their buddies. Of course once they got older they upgraded, one has the Iphone and the other a BB Pearl.

[pantlesspenguin]

I got my first cell phone my freshman year of college after getting stuck (literally stuck) in a snow storm on the way back to campus after a weekend @ home. This was 1999, when cell phones were very, very basic.

Now, at 31, I wish smartphones had been around when I was in high school. If I had a blackberry back then, I would've made complete use out of the calendar, tasks, & notes features during school. Also, before I started driving I could've called my parents before they picked me up after school to let them know I was going home w/ a friend, etc. As it was, they drove to school to pick me up, & then I'd tell them I was leaving w/ a friend. Looking back now, I feel really bad about that! I was a good kid in high school, & I'd like to think that if I had a smartphone back then I would've used it responsibly (no texting while in class, etc). I really feel it would've been beneficial to my schoolwork. I finally got around to getting a smartphone while in grad school, & I used the heck out of it to organize my assignments, & I even used it to take notes in class since I could thumb-type faster than hand write.

Basically...I don't think it's wrong for high schoolers to have access to smartphones, as long as they pay for (or help pay for) the plan & use them in a responsible manner while @ school.

[exelant]

It has to be a case by case decision. I have responsible kids so they have Voyagers with unlimited text, but no data. Even the most responsible kids can be tempted, so when they go on-line they do it at home on a computer I can monitor. I love that I can talk with them anytime, and that they can keep me updated with what they are doing and where they are. This adds a layer of safety we didn't have when I was young.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[BB_Junky]

It is a great feeling to be able to keep in touch with them i agree, the wife and i did and still pay for the youngest's phone plan as there was a deal offered for students but we did have rules for them as well. One was if they didnt answer or call the wife back asap..they would lose their phones.

[syedreza]

From the time he was a baby, my nephew was really interested in my bb. So I gave him an old one without a SIM card for him to play with. As he got older, I used his interest in the bb to teach him to learn the alphabet and type. LOL.