QOTD: The minimum age?

13 Responses to QOTD: The minimum age?

1. Jason says:

   January 7, 2010 at 4:04 am

   Can’t say from experience. But my first child is coming this Sept. I guess I’ll get him/her a phone when I deem they are ready to hang out without my supervision. Not sure when that’ll be though =)
2. David Choy says:

   January 7, 2010 at 7:59 am

   No way! Minimum age 18. Hard to enforce I know but current medical evidence suggests there is definitely a radiation induced effect on growing brains from mobile phones. Even without the evidence it makes sense not to expose growing brains to electromagnetic radiation. My son is getting an emergency phone (dials 911 and home only) and maybe an ipod touch so he doesn’t feel cut off from e-society.

   I know some of the neurosurgeons (eg Mr Charles Teoh) make their kids use headsets but these are extremely hard to enforce and kids get teased for geeky looking headsets.
3. Jason says:

   January 7, 2010 at 9:30 am

   @David Choy

   Wow, 18 is harsh, man. Wouldn’t you want to be able to call your child when he/she goes out? There’s a lot more than cell phone radiation that’s out to get your child in their junior high and high school years. And a cell phone would really help….
4. statto says:

   January 7, 2010 at 9:43 am

   Although ours wanted one earlier (mainkly peer pressure), we got them phones when they went to high school (age 11 in UK). They walk to and from school, leaving after us and getting home before us. Both myself & my wife work.

   Can’t see any reason for a child to need to have a phone before that.
5. Philippa says:

   January 7, 2010 at 10:14 am

   As old as you can get away with! Seriously, my son is 8 and has no desire for a phone at the moment thankfully. Secondary school (11) might be about right for emergencies only I guess.
6. Chris says:

   January 7, 2010 at 10:17 am

   Yep when they start secondary school here in the uk ,about 11. CHarged up and with plenty of credit.
7. Joel says:

   January 7, 2010 at 11:43 am

   I got my oldest daughter a phone for her 13th birthday. I thought that that was early enough.
8. RuiD says:

   January 7, 2010 at 12:26 pm

   I agree with David on his point. In fact there are many things that are not being properly exposed to public (we know why). So… 18 should be the right age.
   However times are different knowadays and so is reality. There are many more dangers around the corner and we now have to be double careful with our children. For this reason I’m willing to consider the use of mobile phones at a younger age.
   I agree when saying the secondary school is the time to get a phone, but even then with very restricted actions. But then again… by the time my 6 year old reaches 11, times and mobile society will have a major improvement. It will be lightyears from the present time.
   I have no doubts that more and more deseases like cancers, etc, will appear due to being exposed to these “unharmful” things. Unfortunately.
9. vboelema says:

   January 7, 2010 at 1:30 pm

   My oldest is turning 8 this month and he just got a Nintendo DS for Christmas – we already held off on getting him one of these, and I think we’ll do the same with a mobile phone. I think it’ll be good when he starts going out alone with his mates and stuff.
10. JLP says:

    January 7, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    My oldest just turned 9 and we’re thinking about getting her a mobile phone just because she’s on our landline so much. I needed to get a hold of my husband at home while out and got the constant busy signal…

    Also, read online that they say cell phone radiation helps with Alzheimer’s…in mice…so maybe it won’t end up being a bad thing, at least for us older folk. http://bit.ly/5yDR7X
11. AndrewP says:

    January 7, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I’ve only a two year old daughter so there’s no pressure yet, but I’d like to think that she can have a mobile phone when she’s sensible enough not to need one.

    This is possibly unrealistic…
12. David Choy says:

    January 7, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    @Jason – Yeah it’s tough love but when my wife is an expert in the field (radiation oncology) I think I’ll keep my mouth shut and let her dictate policy. I my self also have seen the dangers first hand as a trainee head and neck surgeon.

    Note when I said no phone I did not mean no communication – there are cell phones out there which are crippled to call only designated numbers and I intend to get one of those so he can still contact me or mum. I’ve seen how teens and adolescents use phones when left to their own devices and frankly I doubt you’d get any decent adolescent to use a headset to minimise exposure (it’s not “cool”), and their chatting ability far outweighs the time I have to use my phone when I am taking emergency calls away from a landline.

    Like RuiD I hope that technology and the prerequisite testing has improved by the time my son turns 11 or 12 that there is a suitable alternative. I’d be happy even with a SMS/email only device so that he isn’t cradling radiation next to his brain.
13. Machster says:

    January 7, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    I also agree with Mr. Choy’s assessment. Besides the possibility of radiation exposure, which should be a concern for everyone – not just a child – there is the inherent peer pressure and judgment calls needed to use the phone in places where they should not be, such as while driving or walking across the street. If some adults can not use correct judgments in the use of cell phones, can we expect juveniles to?