Should Kids 13 and Older Have Cell Phones?
According to the Center on Media and Child Health, 60 percent of children ages 10 to 14 have cell phones. Amongst high school students in the 15 to 18 age group, 85 percent sport cell phones. And 22 percent of grade schoolers 9 and younger own cell phones as well. Does it make sense for adolescent children to have cell phones? Exactly who is it that they need to call?
Other People Are Reading
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The Cellular Era
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Cell phones blew into our lives in the early 1990s. As cell phones became more and more popular, our society and the way we communicate changed as well. Phone booths, part of the crime fighting arsenal of Superman, have disappeared from the American landscape. People age 30 and younger communicate more by text messaging than they do by phone. Cell phones have become an integral part of our professional and personal lives, and are here to stay.
Cell Phone Safety
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Use of cellular technology by growing children in a widespread fashion is a relatively new phenomenon, and as more children become users of cell phone technology the issue of safety has been raised. Physicians and scientists have put forth theories about possible serious health concerns (brain tumors and cancer), but there are no study results which prove definitively that cell phones cause health problems. However there are none that prove without a doubt that they don't cause problems either.
According to new calculations published in the July 2008 issue of "Physics in Medicine and Biology" by Joe Wiart's research group at France Telecom, "The brains of young children absorb twice as much as radio frequency energy from a cell phone as those of adults. The skin and skulls of children eight and under are thinner than those of adults, and their ears are smaller too." -
Cell Phone Cons
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Cell phones are a huge distraction. Kids spend an extraordinary amount of time focused on the screen of their phone reading or sending text messages. While texting they are not aware of what is gong on around them. Cell phones have been used to cheat by transmitting answers by text. Children experience a lot of peer pressure to have the latest and greatest phone with all the latest bells and whistles, which promotes a materialistic attitude. Phones with cameras and picture messaging allow for the sending and receipt of pornography from other children as well as predatory adults. Young children go where their parents take them and parents are usually right there.
Cell Phone Pros
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By the time a child is in high school, his life changes considerably. After-school clubs, lessons and sports activities, jobs, and group or individual dates and detention become a part of your child's existence. Fearful of abduction or other criminal activity involving their child, many parents provide cell phones for immediate access to their child and peace of mind. Selecting a cell service that provides GPS locators enables parents to log onto a website and know where their child is at all times. Parents and children can contact each other should the parent be stuck in traffic or the child's practice run late, or in case of a serious emergency.
Conclusion
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Should children 13 and older have cell phones? Yes, but phones that make calls and send texts only. Parents should establish firm guidelines for usage, monitor calls regularly, and make sure children understand that having a cell phone is a privilege, not a right.
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References
- Photo Credit Deborrah Cooper, IStockPhoto
