What is a normal age for someone to get a cell phone?

[misrbinh]

my dad says that if it were up to him, i would already have a cell phone, but my mom says that someone whos 13 doesnt need one. and my 15yr old sister doesnt have one, either.
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[Vasily B.]

I didn't have any cellphone until I was 20 ) it was a good time, people spent more time talking offline..

now we prefer to send a message to a guy sitting next by you, rather than asking him a question

[humpherlinks]

I'm quite a bit older than you misrbinh ... probably older than your mom and dad too!

When I was 13 cellphones (or mobile phones as we call them) hadn't been invented (the first cellphone released to the public came in 1973 and was about the size of a brick) so the question of having one at that age never arose.

From memory I think that I was probably in my 40's when I got my fist mobile phone but I think that waiting until that age today before having one is a bit too much to ask.

The question here is really why one gets a mobile phone.

Do you get a mobile phone because you need one?

Or

Do you get a mobile phone because you want one as your friends all have one and you feel left out?

Parents tend to think that one gets something when one needs it rather than when one wants it?

As one who didn't have a mobile phone in my teenage years I can agree with Vasily here. They do tend to kill the art of face to face conversation which is how you really get to know people.

There is also the fact that they can be used unwisely by some young people who don't always understand the wider implications of their actions. Some text messages, photos or videos sent around via mobiles can seem like fun or a good joke. But in many cases someone ends up being emotionaly hurt, embarrased or bullied as a result of the content.

Having said all this, I do think that in the minds of young people that they have become a necessity irespective of real need and it is hard if you feel left out. Parents need to consider all of this carefully and discuss the implications and responsibilities of owning a mobile phone with their child before they get one.

In the wrong hands and with the wrong motives they can be used as a weapon to destroy someone's life, even your own.

[popey87]

Here in New Zealand it is normal for a kid to have a phone between 11 and 13 although I personally think that is too young, I got my first at 15 which I think is a reasonable age.

[tomshook123]

I had my first cell phone at the age of 14, so I guess 14-16 is the right age to get cell phone.
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[angelaventrice12]

I had my first phone when I was 12 years old. It was a necessity for me because my parents need to contact me for picking me up at school. I guess there really is no right age, it is determined by the need.

[Healthcare]

It depends on requirement. But it's a wise decision to give cellphone to child after 18.

[humpherlinks]

Just as matter of interest the article at the link given below is about this very topic:

What stage in life should a child have a mobile phone?

http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/...sible/1767259/

[brainpulsetech]

yes you are correct mobile phone should used in 18 or 19 yrs of age.A college going youth need cellphone more, school students needs to concentrate on their studies rather than cellphone.

[chrispitt]

It depends on requirement. But in my opinion the correct age is 16, 17.