Be interested in parents views on these statistics.
More than 90% of 12 year olds have mobile phones
On average, they send or receive up to 10 texts a day, three times more than their parents
Are mobile phones for kids a good way of keeping track of kids, and a helpful tool for them to fit in socially, or does it just increase the demands by children, waste income, and actually encourage poor social skills ??
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My wife is an absolute nervous wreck about it - he does have a mobile but we don't allow him to take it to school - YET.
In this day and age of increased Paedophille crime on the increase I think it is only right you have a means of contacting your kids.
I would say though I don't think there are many parents out there that let kids under, say, 9 years old out and about on their own too much anyway.
I say especially with a daughter as I do think you are more protective socially towards girls. I do think kids over 11 should have them but ou should limit them to their usage.
Not quite sure about the poor social skills AFKA.
On the other hand Arfur made the point about
[quote][cite]Posted By: Arfur[/cite]
In this day and age of increased Paedophille crime on the increase I think it is only right you have a means of contacting your kids.
[/quote]
I believe that this is wrong, it's not actually on the increase, it's more that the media report it a lot more than in the past. I may be wrong but I understand the the number of child abductions has stayed pretty much constant for 50 odd years. Children are for more at risk at home from relatives than they are walking home from school.
I would struggle if she didn't have one- but she also knows that someone else would like it so not to flash it- otherwise she can only have a basic no frills model!
PS "this age of increased paedophillia" - is that actually true? I suppose the internet has made it possible for them to conatct each other etc. But most abuse still occurs within families as it always has.
There is more awareness of paedophile abuse these days which is a very good thing and newspapers make big stories out of stranger attacks which they didn't use to.
The downsides though are mugging as others have said and the arguments and tension generated when, because of peer pressure they want a better, more singing all dancing model and you know that if you give in you may as well tattoo "Mug Me" on their foreheads since they won't keep it hidden in the street.
It is a very sad reflection on our society that decent people are forced to avoid certain areas, change their lifestyle and not travel at certain times by public transport because of the inability of our police and criminal justice system to stamp out mugging.
I meant in the bit about kids sending / receiving 10 texts a day on average.
What i was getting at is with the increase in contact being driven by email and texts, is it effecting kids abilities to actually socially interact and hold actual conversations ?
You mean unlike their parents who spend their time communicating on internet message boards ; )