I didn't have a cellular phone when I was in school. In fact, a very few people in cities, especially the big businessmen had the device. I didn't see one till 1994. If I didn't need one, if my parents didn't need one, I don't think my kids would need one. But when I have kids and when they would eventually grow up, I don't think I can stop them from having a mobile.

hi, i know we survived without the cellphone, but with every new technology comes a responsibility. as long as kids understand it, i don’t see a poblem.
But then again, since when did kid become responsible? looks like a loop!

Kids DO NOT need a mobile phone. They just don't. If you give kids a mobile phone chances are that they would misuse it. Try giving a kid a mobile and they won't settle for anything less than a fully loaded multimedia phone. We have seen many cases where such phones were misused like the famous DPS sex scandal.

’Kids do not need’ is incorrect. Young kids definitely don’t, but teens and grown up kids do need as parents can be in touch with them when they move out on their own.

”For many parents, a cell phone’s convenience and the peace of mind it offers — being able to reach your child at any time, anywhere — is hard to argue against.” Correct, but then the need to give ur child a cell phone depends on what is the reason for doing so.
Whether its the peer pressure or the need to keep a tab on child when he/she is out on own....differs for every parent.

while the former is not a valid excuse to pamper the kid with a cell phone.

i agree this is a need based situation but still i think the real fear is that children should not abuse the advantages and privileges that they receive.

I gave my daughter a cell phone at the age of 13. but that too had a reason. She had to go on her own to various classes and so I thought that a cell would be the only way to keep in touch with her and know if she has reached her destination.

However many of her pals flaunted a cell since more than year or two.

I don’t feel cellphone is very necessary for kids all the time. Whe can give them one at times, when it’s required, but they should not be addiceted from the very begining. They should know that it’s something needed at the time when communication is required, and not a plaything. hence not to be misused. But we can not ban it completely, either for kids or for teenagers. All should know the use.

Radhika, I feel cell phones and internet are 2 necessary evils of our modern life. They have their uses but can be easily misused with dangerous consequences.
I also feel that cell phones are excellent way to know your kids whereabout and safety, but its a ’private’ device and you won’t be able to keep a check on your kids other activities (msgs, mms, talks). And of course peer pressure to get the latest handset etc... But apart from this and health issue due to over use, I don’t see as much danger of kids using cell phone as much I see in using net - porn, chats... thats where predators lurk...

Every invention comes with its share of correct and wrong usage. Its up to us to make the best of its +ve features and steer clear of -ve features.

This necessary evil has raised the bar as well.
Kids taking upskirt pictures....u get the drift.
I think we need to educate r kids before handing over the phone, so that they understand the responsibility that accompanies it.