Is it advisable for a 7 year old to have a GPS cell phone?
Oct.24, 2009 in
GPS Phones
With the current abduction and school incidents, I guess Im a little paranoid of my son’s surroundings whether he is in school, playground or traveling with me and my wife. I have trained him on how to use our home phone and cell phone since he was 6 years old. He knows the do’s and don’ts on how to use the phone especially in school. With the GPS technology I will be able to track down his whereabouts if I could not find him. Of course I will respect his privacy too. My biggest concern is that I want to make that he can contact his family in case of an emergency or he can call 911. I know that he is responsible enough but I want to get another opinion about this. Thanks for the input.
October 24th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
way too young. . . i will not elaberate why. . . i wil get a violation. . . you should know why. . . . good luck
October 24th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
no. he’s 7. unless he’s in school, he should be with you or his mom at all times.
October 24th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
a 7 year old with a cell phone? c’mon that is pretty ridiculous. u might as well inject a GPS tracker into his arm. clearly, you are overly paranoid. also, if u get a 7 year old a cell phone he will have no idea how to take care of it and will probably lose it, break it, or just not bring it to places altogether. lastly, all other parents will hate you for giving the first child of their age a cell phone, especially at such a ridiculously young age.
October 24th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
yes and no. It is great it u never lose your cell phone. But if u lose your cell phone someone could find your son and abduct him. It is up to u. If you are the kind of person that doesnt misplace things often then i would say get it but if u lose things easily i would say dont get it
October 24th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
If he is mature enough to have one, And is responsible enough to keep track of it, ( not lose it. . . etc. . . ) then yes, I don’t see why not. You can’t trust that kids are going to be safe these days, even coming and going to and from a friends house just down the street. . . seems to be an opportunity nowadays for someone to mess with your child. I would go for it. Better than sitting on the couch while the police stand in your living room, asking when you saw him last , what he had on, and is there anyway he could possibly contact you. . . . . I would get him one, and as for everyone else saying its over paranoid, and might as well inject him with a gps tracking device, well all i can say is. . if they made em available I would get one for my son ! I have never lost track of him, but he is two and has a whole life in front of him and i intend to do my best to make sure of that , even if it means im a bit over protective.
October 24th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I do not think you need to respect a 7 year olds privacy! A GPS phone might be a little much. . . Motorola makes a ‘firefly’ phone that can store numbers for mommy, daddy, and one other contact such as an auntie or a friend. This type of phone would probably be better for your son and if there is an emerceny at school or otherwise, he could still call you. I do support young kids having cell phones because of how crazy the world is these days. One day my son’s school bus broke down on the way home and if he had a cell, he could have called, but I was worried sick and you can bet he has one now. . . the firefly.
October 24th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I don’t think it is a good idea. Also, a seven y/o does not need his privacy when using the phone. They have special phones that are only able to dial 911 and emergency, maybe you can consider that but I would say no. good luck with this and God bless.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Most GPS cell phones have to be on to track them. And at school, if a family member just actidently calls, they’ll take it away and never give it back. I wouldn’t ever suggest useing a GPS tracker for ANY child of whatsoever age, because you need to let them have a little bit of freedom, right? I am freaked out knowing that the GRP tracker is still in my arm to this day and it absolutly horifies me.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Your thinking sounds reasonable to me, except for one thing: you want to respect the privacy of your 7-year-old? 7-year-olds aren’t mature enough to have a sense of privacy or the responsibility that goes with that. You should keep close tabs on who he calls and why.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
this is a personal choice for the parent. only you can make this decision. do not let fear rule your life and please don’t teach your child to live in fear. teach him what to do in case of emergency.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
my mom gave me a gps cell last year for my birthday. sorry if i’m answering this. well, i’m already 11 years old. 7. . . way too young. well, if he has older siblings then that wouldnt be a problem if they share
October 24th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
One thing no one has mentioned so far is that not every school allows cell phones. My district will automatically suspend someone with a phone (on or off, with them or in a locker, regardless of age).
I think it is unnecessary and over-the-top, but I like the motorola firefly (I think a few other companies make them, I think Disney is one). It is enough to keep them connected without giving them a several hundred dollar piece of technology that he is going to put down while he plays basketball at the park only to forget it or have it stolen. Not many kids are intentionally careless, but at seven, no child is responsible enough to handle that. If your son stays in the neighborhood, get a really good set of walkie talkies to communicate with him. A decent set is only $25-$30 and has a several mile radius, so he can get ahold of you from a friends house if needed. I know parents who are quite successful with that approach.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I have a seven year old. I would never give him a cellphone to take to school. Why would I set him up for failure? I know what he`d do with it, he would show his buddies. Then someone would steal it, and I`d be stuck with the bill. Children do not need cellphones, plain and simple. As far as being abducted, you don`t think the abductor would find the cellphone and chuck it? This is where it is a better idea to teach your child social skills, things to do in case he is put in the position where he might have to think quickly. Giving a child a cellphone is like putting a elephant in a china factory, you`re looking for trouble. .