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CNET News: Dear Maggie How young is too young for a cellphone or smartphone?

Dear Maggie,

This is a three-part question. I’m considering

getting a regular cellphone for my 11-year old daughter

for Christmas. A lot of girls in her class already have

phones. She’s been begging me for one. But I’m not

sure if this is too young. What do you think?

Also, at what age do you think it’s appropriate for

me to switch her from a regular- feature phone to a

smartphone? Are there any phones or services you

recommend so that I can prevent overages?

Thanks,

Annemarie

Dear Annemarie,

I’m probably a bit more conservative than most

people on this subject, but I think it’s better to wait as

long as possible before giving your child a cellphone.

While I recognize that it can be a nice convenience

for busy parents and families with hectic schedules, I

think it also can turn into a huge distraction for kids

and it opens a whole can of worms in terms of social

interaction for children at a time when they may not

need to be connected every moment to their peers.

So, if the only reason you are getting the phone is

just because her friends have them and she wants to

socialize, then I think that it’s wise to wait and so do

some parenting experts:

“When you give your child a cellphone you are

giving him or her a lot more freedom and access to

a social life that can’t be supervised,” said Marybeth

Hicks, editor of Family Events, a newsletter for families

and moms, and author of two books on parenting.

“(…) Getting a cellphone should be viewed as rite of

passage,” she said. “It is a sign of kids’ independence

and maturity that comes along with entering high

school. On the other hand, it also provides a kind

of electronic tether to home.” She means that kids

should be warned that once they have a cellphone,

they are expected to call home if they find themselves

in a situation in which they aren’t comfortable with

what’s going on around them. With a phone in hand,

there’s no excuse for not calling mom when they’re

at a party without any parental supervision and other

kids start drinking alcohol or doing drugs.

I agree with Hicks’ philosophy, and so I think that

an 11-year-old is a bit young to be given a cellphone

of her own. Kids today will have a lifetime of gadgets

and cellphones. It won’t hurt them to wait another

few years before getting one of their own. As to the

smartphone, let them provide this upgrade with their

own means.

I hope this was helpful. And good luck!

Ask Maggie is an advice column that answers readers’

wireless and broadband questions. The column now

appears twice a week on CNET offering readers a double

dosage of Ask Maggie’s advice. If you have a question, we’d

love to hear from you.

Available at: <http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3- 57333400-266/how-young-is-too-young-for-a-cellphone- or-smartphone/?tag=mncol;topStories> Retrieved on: Dec. 02, 2011. Adapted.

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