8 year old needs a cell phone, are you kidding me?

your 100% correct

I'm thirteen and I don't even have a phone, but I do need one.

It depends on the family situation. Maybe your friend's kid is super busy and there's a chance of emergency and he or she may need a phone. Your friend probably assumes your kid is in the same situation. You probably find a child owning a phone at a young age taboo because there is no chance of your kid roaming the mall or staying out late or anything unlike your friend's kid.

Honestly, I think you're overreacting, but I do think it's rude he asked, "Why doesn't your child have a cell phone already?" It's like saying every child should have a cell phone and it's like being from Mars if your kid doesn't.

Whenever you feel your child needs a phone, (not want, needs) you should get him a phone.

I too think that isn't that resonable. However if your child does sports & after school activities it might pay off to get him a cell phone.

I have heard of people getting phones at age 6, but not 5.

Parents that give their children cell phones at age 5 are spoiling them, which is not necessary.

I find it a lot more reasonable for him to be 9-10 years of age.

If you are very serious about this, get him one when he is 12-13.

here are some questions you should ask yourself BEFORE the purchase of the phone.

Is He responsible enough to handle this?

What is the reason you are letting him have this?

Do YOU think he can handle it, even when he says he can?

Here are some tips..

*Ask relatives/friends (Not the friend that has had a cell phone since age 5; Ask people who have children with cell phones that are older)

*Try doing an "Experiment" with him. See if his actions or moods change after he got his cell phone.

Hope I helped!

Children got along perfectly fine for many years without the existence of cell phones. Too many parents have played into the hands of phone companies by assuming they are a necessity for children, when they are simply not. You child can contact you from school in the event of an emergency, and is with you the rest of the time, you being the only real person he would ever need to call.

I completely agree- my nephew has one and he's seven! What does he need a phone for! He doesn't text his friends, he doesn't go out alone apart from playing with friends in the street, he doesn't go shopping alone! My son is ten and he does have one- he's 11 in september though, and since he's going to senior school, I thought he needs one, if he misses the bus, or leaves his pe kit at home, or has rugby training after school, it's not like he can just pop home and get it and at the start of the year he could be too shy to ask a teacher. However he has a contract of something like 200 minutes and only 150 texts a month, and he's under instructions that if he goes over that he is in biggg trouble.

Unless there is a specific reason to have one, and 8 year doesn't need one. If your child walked home from school, or something like that it might make sense. But in general, it doesn't, it is a waste of money.

If you do choose at somepoint to get one, talk with the cell phone carrier about parental locks, some companies (I know at&t) offer parental controls. You can control what numbers they can call, what times they can call (no calls during school ours) even how many minutes they can all (same goes with texts). I used to sell cell phones and you would surprised how many people would come in with $500 bills because of overages and texts (they of course insist thier child would never use the phone except in emergencies).

I agree, your friend has no place to force you to give your child a phone.

It seems you care about your child and don't let him out of your sight which is good. Probably doesn't need a phone, yet anyways. However, you can never be sure. If money is not a problem, a cell phone should not be a problem so when you feel ready, give him one.

I honestly agree with you. An 8 year old should not be allowed out of your site with the exception of school. At an age of around 12 is when they start to need it since thats when they start finding friends and start riding bikes and going places without supervision. But you are right and i agree with you 100%. People rely on technology WAY too much now-a-days

I am inclined to agree with you on this. I fail to see any reason as to why any child who isn't old enough to drive off by themselves needs a cell phone so that they can be reached anywhere anytime. I didn't get my first cellphone until I was old enough to drive because anytime before then, my parents knew where I was and had the phone numbers of all my friends' parents in case of emergencies.

If your son doesn't need one then don't get him one.

But my son _did_ need one at eight. He's the only child who gets off the school bus at his stop, when it gets in varies wildly, and it drops him off the wrong side of a dual carriageway from our house. He calls me as he's getting close so I can go cross him over without having to stand out there for 45 minutes every day in case it's early. Plus there's the time he forgot to stand up and the bus went sailing on to the next stop, three miles up the road, with him still on it.

He has a phone. So he can call me when these little disasters happen. Please tell me how he'd be safer without it?

You're not overreacting, ultimately it is your choice. I bought my daughter one of those firefly phones just in case of emergency. I dont let her roam the streets or otherwise, but just in case of anything. Children can get lost, or even worse, if some creep tries to take him, God forbid, he has a cell phone handy and most of the time police can trace them. Also, any emergencies at school, etc. the firefly allows for only a few numbers to be stored and called. So my daughter has me, her father, and her grandmother, as well as 911. They are cheap phones. But again, the decision is yours, I just wanted to point out some of the benefits of having one. But its not "bad" that he doesnt have one. =D