But Mum, I NEED A Mobile Phone!!
April 15, 2008 | Filed under Family & Friends, Life
Okay, so I’ve just returned from my brother’s school camp information evening (because, you know, that’s all I do, things that my parents really should be doing instead), where a serious WTF moment occured.
Running through the regulation contraband items of a school camp (snack foods, electronic games, music devices, mobile phones), the teachers were interrupted by a comment from the translator for the Cambodian parents (because the school is so multicultural, they actually need to provide translators every time they have these information evenings – translators for Cambodian, Vietnamese, Sudanese, Chinese, and a multitude of other languages): “This parent wants her child to keep her mobile phone on her at all times”.
Stubbornness aside – what the fuck? Keep in mind that this is a school camp for ten and eleven year olds – who would be inane enough to buy their ten/eleven year old child a mobile phone? What use could they possibly find for it? One might argue that the rise of hysteria over “stranger danger” might necessitate a mobile phone for pre-teens, but no. The result of this “stranger danger” has meant that now, more than ever, children are being dropped off and picked up after school, even if it’s less than a drive of ten minutes. Children are now perhaps more mollycoddled than ever before.
Think back ten, fifteen years if you can. Compare the number of children out riding their bikes, playing in the street, etc., to the number of children you see out of doors these days. Significantly less? I think so, at least in Melbourne. So why then, is a mobile phone necessary? If they’re not even getting the chance to walk to and from school, to play out in the street, to play at the local park, and in fact, if they’re hardly venturing out of the house at all if not in the company of an adult, then why do they need mobile phones? To call and message their little schoolmates? Bollocks to that – there’s nothing so important that it can’t wait till the next school day.
It seems fairly straightforward to me – unless a child is of an old enough age (fourteen years and nine months here in Australia!) to work enough to pay for their own mobile phone bills (and thus, out of the house for long enough periods of time by themselves to warrant actually needing a mobile phone), then they simply have no need of a high-priced piece of electronic equipment. If anyone can convince me otherwise with a reasonable explanation of why a pre-teen would actually need a mobile phone, I’ll be very surprised.
28 Responses to But Mum, I NEED A Mobile Phone!!
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I’ve been preaching this for years, nobody has given me a reason yet as to why a child/young teen should have a mobile (or an older one for that matter, but we all know how anti-mobile phones I am :P)
Jem on April 15, 2008 #
My pre-teen cousin has a mobile phone. Her Dad got it for her. Her parents are separated, and she can use the phone to keep in touch with her Dad. It’s kinda pointless though…
I think the time has come for you to have a mobile phone when you’re gaining your independence, and out away from home on your own a lot.
Rachael on April 15, 2008 #
Someone “needs” a mobile phone at school camp for ten to eleven year olds?! Well fuck, when I was that age, my parents had ONE mobile phone between the two of them *rolls eyes*.
The only reason I ever had one when I was 12-13 was because I had to commute to a school 20km away from home and buses were always delayed/early/screwed up in one way or another.
Amanda on April 15, 2008 #
Well, that’s not that bad. Here in Norway are children down to 6 years old carrying a mobile. Not all of them, of course, but some. Children down to 10 years old annoy their parents to death until they get them a mobile phone. And it can’t be a cheap one, no. It has to be “the mobile phone”, preferably one with a music player and many other functions kids don’t need and won’t ever use.
It seems to me that when both parents are working to make a living, they feel bad about not spending so much and so called “quality time” with their kids. Therefore are all these kids spoiled, getting whatever shit they want.
I agree completely with you. I’m pretty much sure my kids will hate me, but I am for discipline and values than my kids being carried away by what their pals, society or the market wants them to consume.
Regine on April 15, 2008 #
What I DON’T mind the idea of though, is those weird phone-like things that have three buttons. “1″ and “2″ and and emergency button One calls the mum the other calls the Dad. (Or two mums, or two dads, or one dad and his current girlfriend, or any other unconventional guardian relationship). I think thats half alright??
Paddy on April 15, 2008 #
My sister is 8 and has a mobile phone, but barely uses it. It was my dad’s old phone and then mine then hers but she doesn’t mind, she just uses it when she’s out. BARF for all kids out there who think mobile phones are a necessity in life. We gave my sister one and it was our choice and not because she asked for it (she really isn’t that interested), so that we could find her when she’s at sleepovers or when she’s at my cousin’s house or during her field trips and after school extra-curricular activities.
Good thing my sister still rides her bikes to the streets and goes swimming a lot =)
Tsk tsk tsk, kids these days.
Juice on April 15, 2008 #
As Regine said, I think most 10-12 year olds here have mobile phones. I know I’ve gotten so used to it that my initial response to this was “but they DO need one!”. Only then I thought about it and couldn’t find a single reason why. Except maybe if the parents of the child are divorced and can’t stand each other – making it uncomfortable for either of them to call the child on the house phone?
I really dislike the mollycoddling children are subject to nowadays, like sending the child out in the garden to play – with a bicycle helmet on.
Mari on April 16, 2008 #
I agree about the mollycoddling. Yikes! I read an article the other day that might give you hope: http://tinyurl.com/56mah4. It’s about a mom who — gasp! — let her son ride the subway home by himself in NYC.
Julianne on April 16, 2008 #
I’m working at an elementary school/kindergarten this spring, and most of our first graders (aged 7-8) have their own mobile phones.
Somehow parents seem to think that their kid needs it, and won’t make it through the day without having their parents a call away. It’s silly – we managed elementary school fine without cell phones, why wouldn’t the kids of today?
Anna-Erica on April 16, 2008 #
My sister got a cell phone in grade 9. She was lucky that she was the youngest – I had fought the good fight on the cell phone front until I was in grade 11.
But she uses it all the time. Sure, she’s not a preteen, but she wasn’t coming home anyway. It was just easier to arrange picking her slacker self up when I had a phone I could get her on. And she used it to call us when she was being a fool and didn’t want our parents to know.
Right of passage.
Mike Haddad on April 16, 2008 #
I got one when I went to high school (I was eleven at the time, turning 12 in the same month school started) because I had to cycle to a school that was 11 km from my house, with the cellphone it was easier for me let my dad know where I was (if I was going to a friends, or was staying in town for a bit). I hardly ever used, and I still don’t use it a lot.
It was also handy because I had to cycle to school, when I got a flat tire my dad could come and pick me up, or I could let him know that I was going to be late.
Emsz on April 16, 2008 #
Well, you know, the people in charge of the camp could lock the kid in a room with no food and no water and, naturally, no “real” phone.
*rolls eyes*
I’m glad that my parents 1. didn’t have the money to buy me a cell phone.
2. wouldn’t buy a cell phone for their fifth child when they hadn’t bought any such thing for the four previous ones.
3. never even _thought_ of buying a cell phone for their kid.
I didn’t want one as a teen and still don’t want one now.
Julie on April 16, 2008 #
Stranger-danger. Hehe, that sounds good.
Anyways, I agree with you.
I got my first cell with 19 btw. :)
Tracy on April 16, 2008 #
I agree. I’m always shocked when I see kids under 10 with mobile phones. it weirds me out. I can understand slightly older children/children with busy schedules having them though. If a kid has a lot of different activities (soccer, music, dance, tutoring …) and has different people taking them everywhere – a mobile phone would be good as it’d allow them to always update their parents on where they are.
But, at camp and for kids who just sit around and are locked in their homes all day? No.
Chantelle on April 16, 2008 #
Ten year olds certainly don’t need mobile phones. Parents who are completely neurotic, however, do.
Sarai on April 16, 2008 #
The fact that, while there’s a lot of mollycoddling going on, younger children are becoming more independent. When I was 10, I had no use for a mobile phone, but I can understand why they would nowadays.
Most people who aren’t under the age of 18 probably just don’t understand it, because back in our day, mobile phones looked like this: http://www.cellphone-plans.net/images/cell-phone-old.jpg and served only one purpose!
Nellie on April 16, 2008 #
Bah! My opening sentence was meant to be…
“The fact that, while there’s a lot of mollycoddling going on, younger children are becoming more independent and there’s more of a need for them to have a mobile phone…”
Nellie on April 16, 2008 #
… and I fucked it up yet again!
I think you get what I mean. I’m going back to bed.
Nellie on April 16, 2008 #
My parents gave me a phone when I was high school, but it was really only for calling and saying, “I need to stay after school today” or ” pick me up on the other side of campus because construction has blocked the front.” Even now I don’t use my phone for anything more than communication. Little kids really don’t need them, but then again some parents are really crazy protective, they might want to call to check in.
marilyn on April 16, 2008 #
My ten-year-old brother has a cell phone which he never uses. I have one too, but it makes more sense for me to have one, because I travel on my own a lot, go downtown with friends, etc. There are hardly any phone booths around, so it’s good for me to have one on hand. However, a ten-year-old…? What really shocks me is that most of the kids in his class have them too – and they’re mostly really expensive phones!
Clem on April 16, 2008 #
Heh, you will not like the Philippines then. Cellphones there are so huge that wired phones are nearing extinction. My little cousin had a hand-me-down cellphone when he was 8. He doesn’t use it much except for games and passing around pics via Bluetooth, but my parents and aunt insist so they’ll know when he gets to school, needs something brought over, etc etc. They’re really just being overprotective.
I don’t know what to tell you. It’s really a huge part of life back home. I see nothing wrong with it. Cellphones are just THERE. It’s not much of a financial issue either because prepaid plans are much more affordable and practical back home. If he spends too much money on text messages, my aunt simply won’t reload his credits. Parents can get really strict over this.
My family is beyond mollycuddlers, and goodness knows that if one us kids start acting spoiled, all hell will break loose on us. XD
Aravis on April 16, 2008 #
Although there have been times when I could have used a cellphone, I still don’t feel the need to have one at the age of 15. I haven’t faced a situation where I couldn’t call someone ahead of time, use a pay phone, or use someone else’s cell phone :P
I don’t understand why so many young kids *need* cell phones these days!
Kaylee on April 16, 2008 #
Even though I consider my self a spoiled child, I’m quite independent and I’ve had a mobile phone since I was eleven. (And that’s a couple of years ago).
It was the time when no one had them and I felt kind of special, but I used them when I needed to – whenever I went to the theatre, to a concert, etc.
A lot of kids here in Argentina prefer to communicate between themselves through SMS instead of IM or phone calls. I don’t know what it’s like anywhere else.
Nathan on April 16, 2008 #
There are first graders with cell phones nowadays. Freaking first graders! I know this because my best friend is a elementary school teacher and she’s made commentary on these young kids carrying around cell phones and stuff.
I mean, really. I want to go up a 10 yr old and snatch their phone away and ask, “Who the hell are you talking to, kid?” Because I’m a total meanie like that. :P
Kiera on April 16, 2008 #
Oh agreeing with you there. I quite easily went my childhood without a phone. I didn’t have one till the very end of year 11 and the only reason I got one was because I went interstate for a week.
Kids today are missing out on the phone of calling the house and having to ask to talk to their mate. They are getting easy access. I think if parents are that concerned get them the phones that you can only recieve calls from certain numbers and dial certain ones.
Nat on April 16, 2008 #
I agree. Kids that young really don’t need mobile phones.
“”I felt so sick and was sure I was going to puke”.
…I really hope you’ve taken a pregnancy test, because that sure as heck sounds like morning sickness”
I just thought I’d let you know that I took a test, and it was negative.
Britney on April 16, 2008 #
Pssh, I only got a mobile phone when I was entering Grade 8 and it wasn’t even flashy – it was a brick. Used only for the standard texting and calling. It was mainly because Mum knew I’d be wanting to do after school activities and go over people’s houses and so calling her would be easier than asking the school because they NEVER let you use the office phone unless it was an emergency (aka you were bleeding to death).
April on April 16, 2008 #
I never got a phone until after Year 12. I didn’t need one, never did anything that might require it, nor did I belong to a clique that demanded it. Simply put, I was quite content with being out of contact.
Though I keep my phone with me now at all times, I liken not having a phone to not being logged onto an instant-messenger program. Sometimes, you just have to go offline.
Scott on April 19, 2008 #