Many of you have had this discussion with me before. I have had a pretty strong opinion on this matter for awhile but after listening to this interview on a TV show the other day it really solidified my opinion. (Please take time to watch/read this artice-it is very eye opening.) This is a reoccuring question that comes up in my household. "When can I get a cell phone? So and so has a cell phone!" So here is my opinion (I know this may stir some controversy and for those of you whose kids already have phones remember this is only MY opinion and everyone is different. ) Kids are so indulged these days. I look at the things my kids already have done at their young ages compared to things I was able to do and it is amazing. Society automatically indulges our kids from birth just by living in the world we live in whether we as parents choose to or not. It seems like by the time kids are adolescents most of them have already had so many luxuries that by the time they are teenagers they are only looking for more and more because they have already done it all. This seems to be getting them into trouble. They need something else or something more exciting to entertain them. I easily find myself falling into this trap as a parent. It is so easy to want to indulge our kids. It's so fun to see the excitement they get from something new. I also fall into the trap of "well all the other kids have them or are doing it and I don't want my child to be left out!" I hear this a lot about the cell phone debate. So my question is "How soon should a child get a cell phone?" Notice I say child. Would we ever install a private phone line in our child's bedroom? I wouldn't. Do we really want our kids talking to their friends on the phone all the time? I don't. I know growing up I was not allowed to be on the phone 24/7- not even close to that. Do we want to be able to hear the conversations going on between friends? I do. Do we want our kids to forget how to actually have real conversations face-to-face? Do we want them to only know how to text instead of talk? How on earth are they ever going to learn the value of communication, especially in a marriage? What about the things they are texting to each other? I have heard friends of mine say they have read some of their kids' texts and they are casually saying things like "love ya" "you're so hot" or "hey sexy". Would they actually say those things to someone face-to-face? Probably not. (Hopefully not!) My feelings about this issue really hit home when we were practicing for a Primary performance and two 11 year olds were in the chapel texting people on their phones they had both just gotten for Christmas. To them it was nothing more than a toy. How does an 11yr old have the responsibility level needed to own their own phone? Many parents use the reasoning of "well, I like to know where they are and how to get a hold of them." My thought is our kids should be where they say they are going to be and that is a valuable trust issue that needs to be learned at their age without the crutch of a cell phone. As far as getting a hold of them, how did our parents reach us when we were young? Most likely, they knew where we were and called us at the place we were at. Again, a trust issue. Okay, so I know I am coming across strong here but these are thoughts going through my head and I am interested in some different opinions. I have always said to my kids "When the time comes that we (not you) feel you need a cell phone then that's when it will happen." For example when they are driving and/or involved in a lot of worthwhile activities. I like the idea of it being my phone and not their phone. One that they turn in at night so it's not just an open line for all of their friends at any given time of the day. I thought this interview gave a lot of really good points and really reitterated the thoughts that I have had. I know that it is only going to get harder and harder as times go on to not give in to these pressures. It is scarey for me to see how much younger and younger kids are becoming in having more and more!
