Kids & Cell Phones

A recent New York Times article reports that in 2005, 11.9% of children ages 6-11 had their own cell phone. By 2009 that jumped to 20%. When you narrow the age range to 10 and 11 year olds, more than a third of children have a cell phone.

With 21.8% of girls 6-11 owning cell phones, they hold a small majority lead over the only 18.3% of boys with cell phones. However that gender gap is significantly smaller, almost 50% smaller, than it was in 2005.

Read the full article here.

This got us thinking: what are the trends in Central Texas?

Does your child have a cell phone? How does having or not having a cell phone affect your child and family on a daily basis? What age is appropriate to give a child a cell phone at? What are the determining factors for your family? Children with drivers licenses? Entering high school? Lack of landline home phone? What other considerations, rules or results have you found from your decision?

We're curious. Tell us what you think.

-Cheryl Black