| Take a random tween, age 8-12, place them in | | | | mechanism and having a cell phone handy does |
| front of a rotary phone and observe at the blank | | | | provide added protection in the form of |
| stare of bewilderment. Yes, gone are the days of | | | | determining whereabouts and phoning for help.Con: |
| the landline, pushed aside by the next wave of | | | | Big safe mechanism, however, if any parent |
| technological advancement. Mobile phones are fast | | | | purchases a cell phone for their kid using the |
| displacing landlines in many homes; accompanying | | | | catchy marketing ploy directed to parents, '...start |
| this movement is the fact kids regularly use and | | | | loosening the reins and let their kids travel |
| know how to use these cell phones. The mobility | | | | unsupervised,' they have the wrong perception |
| of cell phones means you can be anywhere and | | | | regarding the purpose of a phone. Anybody who |
| have the necessity, or should I say the | | | | believes that providing a cell phone to a child |
| convenience, of a phone.Cellular service providers | | | | automatically provides them with responsibility and |
| and manufacturers would enjoy nothing more | | | | ability to take care of themselves, when they |
| than exploiting the vastly untapped tween market. | | | | were unable to do so before a cell phone, are |
| However, is it necessary to provide cell phones to | | | | relying too heavily on 'parenting by technology'. Be |
| kids age 8-12? What makes it necessary today? | | | | mindful of such reasoning when thinking about |
| Is the simple the notion of having the technology | | | | buying a cell phone.Con: Another item to consider, |
| enough reason to equip younger and younger | | | | are we turning our kids into internet and mobile |
| customers with phones? Where do we draw the | | | | phone junkies? One should question whether |
| line when it comes to tweens owning cell phones, | | | | connecting kids 24/7 to their friends via cell phone |
| and when should we be restricting use? The | | | | will influence their social habits. Also, cell phones |
| remainder of this article will discuss the pros and | | | | are quickly becoming the norm and the fashion. |
| cons of purchasing cell phones for kids. It will | | | | Kids will demand to be hip like their buddies from |
| discuss the social aspects, health concerns, and | | | | school who sport the latest cell phone, or any cell |
| cost issues.Social and Cost Issues:Weighing in at a | | | | phone for that matter. Parents will be pressed to |
| paltry 56 grams, designed with a smaller frame to | | | | give in to ignescent demands of 'everyone else |
| accommodate smaller hands, measuring 88 x 44 | | | | has one', or 'I want to be cool like the other kids'. |
| x 20 mm, one of the leading cell phones targeted | | | | Sure it may be good to have your kid fit in, but |
| exclusively towards the 8-12 market, the Firefly. | | | | since when is school primarily a popularity |
| It offers up to 2.5 hours of talk time, and up to | | | | contest? Furthermore, when does fitting in cost |
| 100 hours of standby, basically it's your bare | | | | so much?! The thing with cell phones is there are |
| bones cell phone that permits parent's to limit | | | | monthly costs attached -- not a one time sunk |
| outgoing calls to certain numbers and also sports | | | | cost. Chances are you will pay the monthly fees. |
| 'mom' and 'dad' buttons for quick dialling. The | | | | Some options are available to have |
| Firefly is marketed with such catch phrases as | | | | 'pay-as-you-go' options, you pay for whatever |
| "Parents of pre-teens understand that it's time to | | | | minutes you purchase, however, either or, the |
| start loosening the reins and letting their kids | | | | more your kid talks on the phone, the more you |
| travel unsupervised to school, the library, or | | | | pay. |
| friends' houses."Pro: Yes kids need a safety | | | | |