Kids, Phones, Computers, and TV Options

[wkw427]

How old do you think one should be before they are allowed to have their own tv, phone, and computer?

[humbu111]

It depends on the person.

[mightymarty2]

I am not sure it depends on life style (if he/she goes out a lot will need a mobile earlier than someone who stays in), interests/studies (if doing IT most probably will need a home pc/laptop that could be their own or parents. TV depends on what you and he/she wants to watch and maturity and trust (can you trust them to go to bed at set time and not stay up watch TV).

[wkw427]

Is an 8 year old going to be spending a late night out on the town?
A 12 year old doing college work?

[P-girl]

I think you're kinda missing the point of the comment, about how every child has different interests, intelligence, parents and so forth.

[mightymarty2]

P-girl's right thats what i was trying to say maybe i shouldn't have gone on so much and kept it short

[dittadulla]

I agree with Marty, and also I think younger kids should be fine with a TV in their room, just for the sake of parents might be annoyed by the same Disney cartoons replaying over and over in the living room when there is something they want to watch themselves? But of course there's a limit to how much it should be watching.

Up here, it's really common that a teenager gets his/her own computer around confirmation (13-14 years old), because that's usually when they're starting to really be required to use a computer in their studies (in a small amount though), and then there's more of that and so forth.

Uhm, phones. Kids that, for example, play sports after school or whatever may need phones for if their practices could be delayed or such for when the parents could pick them up or so. Also, for other various matters.

[Boo]

Interesting topic!
(Side note: Ha ha, don't worry about "dwelling" too much on a subject, Marty. Just look below. )

I agree with earlier comments: it depends highly upon the personality of the individual. Those who are more mature can handle the technology listed at an earlier age.

Cell Phones: Generally, though, I don't think anyone under 13 should have their own cell phone (no offense to younger members, of course). If they want to go somewhere and call to get a ride home or something, borrow the parent's cellphone. There is absolutely no reason to have one at that age. It would be more problematic than anything.
Side Note: I bought my own cellphone at 16: didn't have a need for one until then. I worked and saved for it - and thus, was more cautious when using it, knowing how much money it was costing. That, and at 16, having your own cell phone is a good idea - for work, school activities, social activities (since, at that age, you're probably getting out of the house more than when you did at 11 or 12.)

Computer... hmm...
I think a computer can be a useful educational or entertainment tool for any age, but when it comes to owning your own...
Well, it depends on whether or not it has the internet connected to it. I would argue that, minus the internet, someone at age 9 could have their own (for educational games, or just games in general). But internet on the other hand... generally not until 12-13, and even then, used with severe restrictions and extreme caution.

Now for TV...
Depends on whether or not the family has cable TV...
Honestly, what is the meaning of having your own TV? Why not just use the "family" TV? Sticking one in a kid's room is just asking for trouble. Who knows what they could be watching - at least a parent can keep tabs on a kid in a living room, per se. And what's wrong with using the family TV, unless you know you're going to watch something inappropriate? Exactly.


With any of the above, though, over-usage needs to be controlled. Getting outside and breathing in some fresh air is a better alternative. Kids should be kids as long as they can be kids, and shouldn't be spending hours upon hours in front of a TV, using the computer, or excessively texting on the cell.

[dittadulla]

I didn't get a TV in my room until January this year xD My old grandma's one, because the entire Friends collection was annoying to watch only on a laptop >_>.

[mikau]

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This post has been edited by mikau: Feb 7 2021, 3:52 PM

[W.I.N.X]

I got my first phone at 10. I didn't use it, nobody else my age had a phone, and I needed it so my mum could tell me to walk home if he couldn't make it to pickme up(plus I'm pretty sure it couldn't ring out), because she worked on the other side of town at the time. It wasn't a very good phone at all. I'm talking a pretty hokey black and white phone, that would simply serve the purpose of my mother texting me if I had to find another way to get home. So I got my first proper phone at age 12.

KIds at 10 who use them for their 'social lives' are ridiculous though.

A family computer is okay for basically any age, I think, provided the child is monitered if they use the internet, but a laptop/computer in the child's room, probably around age 13, when they start doing proper assignment work.

[winxclubrox23]

Yeah, I didn't even get my own phone until I was 15, and honestly, I wish I'd had one earlier. There was so many times where I could have used to to call my mom or something to pick me up and stuff like that.

[Jahnavi]

I still don't have my own cellphone, and I honestly don't think I really need one. If any of my friends want to call me, we have two home phones, so they can almost always get through to me with one of those. And if I'm ever going out with my friends for the day or something, I usually borrow my mom or dad's cellphone and that arrangement has never failed before~ {And also, when so many other people in my class have their own phones, if I'm ever going to be late from school or anything, I can usually borrow a friend's phone to call home.}
Oh, and I don't have my *own* TV either, but the "family" TV's always worked fine for me, lol. Maybe that's 'cause I just don't watch that much TV in general, but idk...
As far a computer goes, I kinda usurped our home computer, lol. I mean, my mom and dad use it, but it's mostly filled with my graphics and writing and whatnot, so I guess in a sense you could call it mine. Although I agree with Boo that a kid should preferably be around 12+ when they get their own computer, only because of the kind of stuff floating around on the web, that can be quite inappropriate for younger kids. But again, all this varies from person to person.

This post has been edited by Jahnavi: Apr 10 2010, 8:17 AM