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My daughter had a cell phone when she was 10 – mostly because I was 
researching a book on technology and was interested in getting some first-hand family view on the pros and cons of kids and cells. Did a young kid really need a cell phone? I was apprehensive.
I soon found the benefits of kids learning to use a cell phone were much more numerous than expected – not just for communication, but for learning responsibility, etiquette and demonstrating maturity.
Each family needs to assess their personal situation to decide when a cell phone would be appropriate for their child. If, however, you’re holding back just because you don’t think kids need to know how to use a cell phone, think again. Mobile phones have become more than a trend – about 80 perfect of U.S. teenagers have a cell phone and almost 200,000,000 Americans subscribe to a wireless service. The younger your child is when they learn how to use a cell phone, the more influence and opportunity you have to teach good habits, set solid boundaries and lay a strong foundation for family communication.
I suggest a three-pronged approach to making the decision:
Can she contribute to cost? Whether she pays for the phone herself or earns minutes by babysitting or doing chores, contributing to the cost should be mandatory when allowing a child to have a mobile phone.
Is she in situations where a phone would be useful? When the carpool doesn’t show up, soccer practice ends early or when kids are beginning to stretch their boundaries and gain more independence, a phone can be a great way to communicate.
Is she mature enough to handle the responsibility? If you’re questioning your child’s ability to keep the phone safe or use it properly, trust your instincts.
Owning a cell phone should be a positioned as a privilege. Allowing kids to earn that privilege, demonstrate their responsible behavior and practice good mobile habits can boost kids’ self esteem and help them establish strong communication skills (and stay connected to parents, too.)
Sharon Miller Cindrich is an author, columnist and mother of two tech-savvy kids. Her work has appeared in magazines and newspapers across the country including The Chicago Tribune, Parents Magazine and FamilyFun Magazine, where she is a contributing editor. Her self-syndicated column Plugged In Parent is published in parenting magazines around the country, and her book E-parenting: Keeping Up With Your Tech-Savvy Kids (Random House 2007) is available on Amazon.com.