Moms Talk Q & A: How to Handle Cell Phone Use

Each week the council will answer a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

This week, Moms Council members address the issue of children and cell phones.

Kelly Brindle: Last year before my son's 8th birthday he asked for a cell phone, my immediate response was, “No, you’re too young." Then I started thinking, at what age is it appropriate to give them their own cell phone?

My older sister didn’t give my niece her own cell phone until she turned 14, but a month later she lost it. I remember many times with my afterschool activities standing for an hour at school because someone “forgot” to pick me up. It would have been nice to have a cell phone back then to gently remind my folks. Recently at a friend’s house, her 8-year-old son asked for a cell phone as well, she told him he can have one when he has money to pay for the phone and the monthly service plan.

My personal opinion is that most adults carry a cell phone of their own these days and if my child needs to get ahold of me, he can borrow an adult's. I know most phone companies have prepaid phones, basic service plans, etc., but I am wondering how other moms feel about kids and cell phones?

Kim Zannetti: I think I have always struggled with this one.  We made the decision to allow our children to have cell phones when they started spending time away from us, (for example football practice, volleyball practice).  That way, heaven forbid there was an emergency, we could contact each other quickly.

We made sure that there were restrictions, (many companies will shut the phone off at a parent-mandated time; you can also limit the numbers that the phone can call and receive calls from).  This gave us the peace of mind to know we could contact our children immediately, but still keep them "safe" from cell phone craziness.