[jm2hill]

I had a bb when I was 16
pay for the data myself
parents covered the voice bill
used my bb for everything
well I still do so I guess not much has changed

[greg24]

i was like 20 when i got my first BB. my parents must have not liked me

[KidProdigy]

Hey everyone,

i see where all of your points are coming from, but how about if you have kids enrolled in junior achievers or DECA?!! Lol

[LilMissBBAddict]

Okay, I don't have any kids, but I do see the point of views of the parents. I got my first cell phone when I was 13 and a freshman in high school. My parents only got me one because I played sports and did well in school. Personally, I wouldn't get a kid, under 16 w/o a job, a BB. However, I did get my brother, who is 16 a BB. He doesn't have a job, but he did do very well in school his first two years in high school. I don't see the problem in rewarding him in this case. He basically wanted a phone that he could use to make calls, as well as text, play games, listen to music, etc. All that is understandable. He doesn't have a data plan on his BB because right now he does not want it. If he does, I let him know that he would have to have a job in order to get it cause I am not about to pay for it in addition to my own BB plan as well as the three other lines on the account. He does know how to take care of his things. Some kids are responsible, and others aren't. I see it all the time at work. I know cause I had a customer come in with her two daughters and one of them really wanted a BB Pearl. She had the worst attitude toward her mom. She was rude, disrespectful, and sulking like a baby when her mom decided to check out the prices at another store. I just remember thinking that I would never get my kid a BB let alone any phone after an attitude like that.

[Navan]

My policy is: you can have a cellphone when you can pay for it. My youngest (I'm a nanny, she's not actually mine but the parents give me the responsibility of making these kinds of decisions) is 12 and she just got a pay-as-you-go phone. I think it's best for kids to start out this way because they learn to use a phone responsibly and not go crazy and run up a huge bill. She pays the 10$ a month- out of her allowance. If she wants more minutes she can buy more if she has the money, otherwise her phone is a brick till she can afford to load it up again. The phone was a gift for her birthday.

The oldest works part-time (16). He took over my old phone contract when I wanted to get out in order to get my BB (I'm 20 btw). So he pays 25$ plus taxes and fees a month for 100 minutes, unlimited texting, and unlimited evenings and weekends and unlimited mobile browsing. He's gone over a few times and has had to pay for them- he started out with a pay as you go phone too.

All in all I think you need to give the child the power to decide when they're ready for a luxury such as a cellphone (and yes, in this day and age a cellphone is still a luxury for a teen/kid) but as with all other luxuries they have to pay the price to have them.

Incidentally the middle one still has her pay as you go phone...she's 14, and she says she likes that she has to be careful with it because her friends can't bug her all the time. Granted she spends about 20$ a month on hers- and I've talked to her about the benefits of having a plan (more minutes, texting, for less money, etc.) but she said when she's ready for that she'll come to me.

Kids need to have boundaries...and I think my kids are a good example of it working out well.

[Janey_G]

I have an 11 yo and an 8 yo. I don't see any reason for either one of them to get a phone right now.

When the time does come that they want or need a phone, a Blackberry will probably not be the first choice.

[timsmish]

My son is 17 and pays his own bill he has been working since he was 14 and he is in grade 12... I gave him my rogers 8320 so he's a happy fella...LOL hes's only had it about a month...

[editguy]

I think it's kind of funny that so many people are saying that they have/would give one to their five year old for safety reasons. First off, why are you letting your five year old that far out of your sight? Second, after the newness wears off no five year old is going to carry a cell phone around with them. Finally, as a teacher, I can tell you that schools don't want you calling your child on a cell phone. It's way too disruptive to the educational process. Do what parents did before cell phones. Call the office!

[awb715]

i am 14 and just got my bb. all my friends have them and we all use bbm.
its amazing im always on it browsing the internet or using internet radio.

[shwy]

I'm very young to be using a BB but I do use it to its very fullest.

[Navan]

I think it's kind of funny that so many people are saying that they have/would give one to their five year old for safety reasons. First off, why are you letting your five year old that far out of your sight? Second, after the newness wears off no five year old is going to carry a cell phone around with them. Finally, as a teacher, I can tell you that schools don't want you calling your child on a cell phone. It's way to disruptive to the educational process. Do what parents did before cell phones. Call the office!

AMEN!
I found this post quite serendipitous since I just had the wonderful pleasure (not!) of taking away 16 yr old's cellphone for a month cause his teacher called the house to say he's been leaving class to take calls. Not cool kid- not cool. He can get it back in 10 days by completing all his homework on time and doing extra chores. Until then cellphone is off and in my drawer in my apartment.

[shwy]

Ouch for the kid!

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[dlgus]

AMEN!
I found this post quite serendipitous since I just had the wonderful pleasure (not!) of taking away 16 yr old's cellphone for a month cause his teacher called the house to say he's been leaving class to take calls. Not cool kid- not cool. He can get it back in 10 days by completing all his homework on time and doing extra chores. Until then cellphone is off and in my drawer in my apartment.

GOOD for YOU! Far too many parents treat their children as if their "luxuries" are necessities......

[Mamaluka]

Well I almost got through this whole thread but bailed on page 3. Too much hijacking. Anyway, I think that anyone who thought the OP has a 3yr old with a cellphone shouldn't get their kids bb's. All who retained he has 3 kids looking for cellphones may get their kids bb's. As for the OP, do what you want bro. If they break em, replace them with a cheapo or make them pay the difference. Good luck.

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[Mamaluka]

Also. I've said here before with positive comments (most in the form of other parents like me in private messages) that both my 10 year old and 6 year old girls have berries. The 6yr olds. Is a pink curve 8330. And the 10yr olds is a regular 8330 verizon family share with their mom. They both use it whenever they know its OK and utilize everything I do for business sans the Docs to Go. I laugh when my 6yr old gets out of school and sends me a picture of her nostrils over BBM. I kind of love it because I'm always working.

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[shwy]

Hahaha hilarious!!! And you gave a 6 YEAR OLD a BB as good as a Curve??? Wow... Good parent...

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[Crackberrykills]

I do not think kids should have BBs. Teens, perhaps. However, why would you want to give a kid a BB?

[coolbrett007]

I plan to give my son his first cellphone when he is 5-6 years old. It will be a phone designed for a kid that can only call a select number of pre-programmed numbers though. He will get a "more normal" phone when he hits his pre-teen/early teens, but it will be prepaid. If he wants a "cool" phone with bells and whistles, he is going to have to pay for it himself as well as prove to me that he can understand the financial liability involved with misusing it.

I would never buy a child a BlackBerry. There is no reason for it, and nobody can prove to me there is. I was a busy teenager with friends, after school activities, sports, and other things; yet I managed to make due with a pen and paper planner. I am 26, so it wasn't "that" long ago, and if I could do it, kids nowadays can too. I don't care how popular email and IMing has become, they still don't need access to it 24/7.

A traveling business man NEEDS access to data and email. A local business person that is constantly out of their shop/store/office NEEDS access to data/email. Their livelihoods depend on being in touch, so they have reasons to own a BB. A teenager doesn't NEED to constantly be on AIM, or have access to their email. There is nothing in a teen's life that would require they have 24/7 access to their email, so...

In short, if they want it, they can get it themselves. I believe in being in touch, but a simple flip phone is all they need for that.

Wow you spoil him right? Always gets the toys and candy he wants? I know the type. Ugh! Seriously he freakin 5 years old! Where does he go without you? The toilet? Checkin if he fell in? Jeez!

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[[email protected]]

i personally see no reason for young kids to have cell phones ie less then teens.and certainly not a blackberry .i bought my niece at 18 yr a cellphone and added her onto my plan she paid me the 10 dollars a month.but she was an adult and going into college .an i agree with the teacher the cell phone should not be used in scholl unless a true emergency.

[amykah]

Hmm, newbie input here...

I'm checking out this thread b/c my kids have blown thru a bunch of cheapo and not so cheapo music players in the last few yrs, but dh and I have never had trouble with our cell phone players dying. I'm thinking about getting a used BB for my DD. Her older bros have our old RIZR's since Dad went w/ iphone and I went BB.

I actually don't think I'll get her a new one or buy a SIM card for whatever I do buy just yet. She's always here in our homeschool or at American Heritage Girls with me! But I want her to have the music capabilities and early exposure to useful tech.

I'd like opinions on how far back one can go, model-wise, and still get upgrades for the OS and media syncing.

Amy A in TX

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[Hipkik]

idk about anyone else but my parents dont buy me phones. im 15 and pay for all my phones and get a new one about every 2months, just bought my first bb off ebay. to some that say kids/teens dont need bbs highschool life is more hectic than you think sometimes.

[A1234567890]

Everyone has a point of view in this thread and as previously stated its a ''case-by-case'' situation, if a parent wants to buy their kid a BB its their choice.

I however have had to work for my BB. I am a teen who is home schooled, taking college classes, graduating early and working way too often, with a life like that a BB is used to its fullest. I am smart enough to take care of it and know that if something happens to it that i will be responsible for fixing/replacing it.

[Click]

We've had these threads over and over again and they always end up being bad because one "parent" states their views and another "parent" tells them they don't know how to raise their kid...SO I'm going to move this thread to the Off Topic and if it people start fighting then I'll shut the thread down.

Thanks for the understanding!

Click
CrackBerry.com Forum Moderator.

[Dani71872]

I have 4 children and all 4 of them have cell phones. My 12 yr old son has a muziq, my 15 yr old daughter has a treo 755p, my 16 1/2 yr old son has a A940(?) mp3 flip phone and my 18 yr old son has a palm centro. the 2 kids with smartphones use them alot and use all the features wisely, I think it just depends on how responcible they are and if they will use the PDA features wisely. I have a BB pearl 8130.

[Pinkbuddy]

With eBay being so accessible its not that hard for a teenager to get a hold of one. I feel like it depends on the needs and responsibility of the individual child to determine if they should have one or can handle one. Some teenagers are busier than adults with school, sports, work and home life that a smart phone can only help them stay on top of things. Even more when they have busy parents to go along with their busy lives. Some people can't afford it and therefore should not have it if it puts a strain on them financially. I have 2 teenage sons who have smart phones. One has a Moto Q and the other a Palm Treo that were my old phones. I do have ins on them with a $50 deductible so I don't worry. My one son has never lost or broken a phone since he has had them going on 5 years now (knock knock) so like I said it depends on the individual child. Just like anything else in life.