How Young Is too Young for Cell Phones?
The age of expectation has been decreasing.
How often have you seen a parent hand a child — even a toddler — a cell phone to keep them occupied in a store, on a plane or in a restaurant? The ever-absorbing devices are now a prime gift for young children, who also expect to be able to call and text their friends at ever-younger ages. Parenting.com cited a study this year that said about 19 percent of third-graders have a cell phone. By middle school, that number is about 83 percent. And there are of course inherent dangers, such as the case in Port Washington where an 11-year-old girl was sent inappropriate pictures on her phone. Assuming that by cell phone we're talking about a smart phone that can connect to the internet and serve as a platform for games and movies, what age is too…
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Heather in Caledonia
10:21 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Daniel, Yes, people have survived before cell phones and iPods, but I'm suggesting it's something children will need to know as adults and to learn and become familiar with something as a child generally leads to a better understanding and more ease of use. I'm certainly not saying children need to spend time on the phone everyday, but it is important that they know how to use one. Yes, there are… more ›