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Put up as big a fuss as you want, but if you're like most parents in the U.S., sooner or later you're going to give in and buy your kid a cell phone.
The fact is, over the past 10 years, cell phones have evolved from hip accessories for chatty tweens to essential tools for keeping touch in emergencies, or just for keeping tabs on your kids during a busy work day (of course, in the eyes of most tweens, phones are still hip accessories, but at least you know they have more serious uses).
However, experts say, this doesn't mean that all kinds of cell phones (or all kinds of calling plans) are appropriate for all kinds of 8- to 12-year-olds. A lot depends on the maturity level of your child, and whether he or she can be trusted not to call friends at midnight, download hundreds of dollars' worth of ringtones, or sneak text messages during math class. Here are a few things you need to consider:
Will you (or your child) be content with a "kiddie" phone?
Companies such as Firefly and TicTalk sell phones and/or calling plans aimed exclusively at younger users. The options on these phones are drastically pared down (many don't even have usable buttons; instead, parents input a preapproved list of numbers that can be dialed with one touch). We've found mixed reviews about these phones' call quality, and the hardware (and calling plans) aren't necessarily cheaper than their adult equivalents. More important, status-conscious tweens may object to being saddled with a "baby" phone, not a small consideration in the competitive social milieu of elementary school. Kajeet is a carrier that offers calling plans designed for kids, but uses "adult" handsets.
Are you comfortable with multimedia extras?
If you decide to go the adult-phone route, keep in mind that it's increasingly difficult to find bare-bones, no-added-options cell phones that lack MP3 and video playback or a built-in camera (or, to put it another way, it's increasingly difficult to sell these no-frills phones to multimedia-savvy kids). The more bells and whistles a phone has, the more likely a child is to play with it rather than doing his homework (or watching both ways while he crosses the street) and the more costly it can get. Some carriers offer parental control software, which can help limit these activities; see our article Parental Controls on Cell Phones for more information.
Do you need to know where your kids are at all times?
Some parents swear by the GPS option offered on cell phones, not only wanting to check in on their kids during work, but to confirm that they're where they're supposed to be. A GPS chip may also be a good idea if your child is prone to losing things, though bear in mind that recovery results vary (you won't be able to home in on the precise location of a lost phone, just the general area). By the way, don't spring for GPS solely out of concern that your kid will be kidnapped by strangers and spirited out of the state; despite what you see on the TV, this virtually never happens.
Can you trust your child not to talk for more than an hour a day?
The research is still fuzzy, but some experts believe that talking on a cell phone for several hours a day, years on end, can cause an increased risk of brain cancer in adults--and virtually all sources recommend against allowing kids to use their cell phones for extended periods, for fear of the effect of RV radiation on developing brains. (You need to keep this issue in perspective, though: your kid is far more likely to be hit by a bus while walking and texting a friend than she is to develop a brain tumor.) Read our article on cell phone radiation for more information.
Will your child be able to cover the bill, if necessary?
If you decide to buy your kid a fully featured, unrestricted cell phone, experts say, you need to make clear that he or she is on the hook for any added expenses -- $3 ring tones, penalties for exceeding text-message limits, or replacing the phone if it's lost or damaged. In this way, besides easing your own piece of mind about your kids' whereabouts, equipping children with cell phones can be a valuable object lesson in fiscal responsibility.