Should Children Have Cell Phones

Paper #3: Should children have cell phones?

The question of whether children, about twelve years of age, or young teens ages thirteen to fifteen, should have cell phones is often debated. Scientists argue that there are health related risks because children are more vulnerable than adults to cancer risks. On the other hand, parents feel more connected to their children and feel comforted knowing their child is safe. On the other hand, Child Sex Crime Unity argues that children use the phones inappropriately taking pictures of them and sending it to other children which could lead to serious consequences. Others even contend that kids are irresponsible and simply do not need a cell phone. My own view is that children should have cell phones because in these times of the world where there is a growing number of temptations such as parties, or the crime rate that is growing, kids can get into all sorts of trouble and their parents might not have a clue. It is important to many parents to know where their children are and if they are safe, so they can feel comfortable and not need to worry all the time if their children are all right.

Parents are always concerned about their child’s safety. “Giving my child a cell phone always gives me a peace of mind” (Tipner). This brings up the question of value of how involved a parent should be in their child’s life. Children may question whether parents need to know every single place they go. At such a young age, parents should know where their kids are at all times. They are not responsible enough and sometimes need to be monitored. There is a growing number of crimes and rape in the society today therefore parents want to stay connected with their children and give their children phones to contact them if there is an emergency. For example, if a child usually walks home from school and someone approaches them, he or she can easily call emergency for help. Also even though a child is at school, if he or she misses the...