{"id":1221,"date":"2010-07-26T20:48:54","date_gmt":"2010-07-27T03:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lenpenzo.com\/blog\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2024-02-08T15:24:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T23:24:02","slug":"the-great-debate-do-kids-really-need-cell-phones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lenpenzo.com\/blog\/id1221-the-great-debate-do-kids-really-need-cell-phones.html","title":{"rendered":"The Great Debate: Do Kids Really Need Their Own Cell Phone?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week I shared the story about my $1055 cell phone bill<\/a>, courtesy of my teenage son. The article seemed to, um, resonate with a lot readers, not only here but at MSN where it was also featured as a guest post, and on Digg, where at last count it had received 111 votes.<\/p>\n

Many of the comments bagged on my parenting skills. Some just wrote in to voice their displeasure with me, like this one over at MSN:<\/p>\n

“This article is a FRAUD! Hey Penzo, I’ll NEVER read anything you write again!”<\/em> – SLSHUSKER<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I found many of the comments over at Digg to be particularly amusing. Here is just a small sample:<\/p>\n

“I say he deserves to pay the bill if he’s that clueless about texting. (Or just tell the kid now he can’t go to college.)”<\/em> – Seattlegirluw<\/strong><\/p>\n

“A sensationalist worthless article with a headline that was outright misleading.”<\/em> – mysql101<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Stopped reading after the awful AT&T joke.” – <\/em>KSOVII<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The author is an attention whore, that’s all.” – <\/em>strfx<\/strong><\/p>\n

“What kind of f***ing mental defective is writing this article?” – <\/em>RizzosBack<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Seriously, what the f*** is ‘PTL’? I’ve never heard that in my entire life.”<\/em> – Dabek<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Why do you think I would listen to anything you have to say regarding technology you’ve never f***ing used? One of the worst submissions I’ve seen on Digg.” – <\/em>bigsheldy<\/strong>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

“I’m still confused whether the author is male or lesbian. If he is a male, why does he write like a chick?”<\/em> – HailfireX<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’m still trying to figure all that out myself, HailfireX.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the comments at the MSN message board attempted to focus a bit more on the debate between whether or not cell phones were appropriate for kids:<\/p>\n

“Why does a 12 and\/or 13 year old child (yes, they’re still CHILDREN at that age) need a cell phone? Even if they’re paying – or supposed to be paying – for use of the phone, I still fail to see why a middle schooler needs a cell phone.”<\/em> – Can we take a closer look please <\/strong><\/p>\n

“CHILDREN don’t NEED cell phones! Especially that young. If they HAVE to have one…get one that doesn’t perform all the tricks!!!”<\/em> – k64to know<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Can’t say a cell phone for a 12 year old would qualify for ‘need’. However, most of us live in a world where both parents work, and the children are forced to move from school to some day care, or go home alone. For that reason alone I would give a child a cell phone at any age.” – <\/em>Dawn K.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“You’re an idiot to give a 12 year old a cell phone. What’s next, credit cards at 14?”<\/em> – jjsjjsva<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Dummy is not the word I would use to describe this parent. <\/em>As parents we need to watch over our children, and I am sorry, a 12 or 13 year old does not need a phone.<\/em>” –<\/em> foreign born<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Great Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like any good debate, this topic really seems to polarize people. There is very little middle ground.<\/p>\n

According to C&R Research, here is a breakdown of the percentage of kids that have their own cell phones:<\/p>\n