Kids and Ipods?

Question

Am I the only one who thinks that kids need to wait to get I pods cell phones etc. I have seen 5 year olds with Ipods and cell phones I think this is just absolutely ridiculous. What do they have to look forward to if they have everything by age 7. ???

Answer 1

I thought the same thing about the ipod until my 7 year old daughter gave my a christmad list this year with ony cds and movies on it. She is very into singing and acting. When i calculated the prices of the MP3 players and added up all the cds and movies it was around the same price so price was no longer a reason. When i sat and thought about it I got my first walkman around the same age and that is really all a MP3 player is. I caved and got her one and she loves it. There were rules such as a special place to store it and it must be put back there everynight. As far a cell phone goes she doesn't really go anywhere without me so she is to young for that. I am sticking with my age of 16 for that.

Answer 2

I totally agree with you !

Answer 3

im 14 had first ipod at 10 and first phone at 6 i really need an ipod for music i love it and my phone for frends we need social lives

Answer 4

I totally agree. Kids these days are getting so spoiled its disgusting. All they want is more and more, and they just ask for it and its sad when their parents get them everything that they want. When will they ever learn to appreciate anything when they get everything they want.

Answer 5

I think so too!

Answer 6

I know it sounds crazy but my 3 kids all have some sort of MP3 player (only the oldest has an IPOD).  My kids all have different tastes in music and that makes traveling so much better than to have them fighting.  I agree though that the cell phone things is crazy.  I would be worried that my little one would call China and actually talk to someone for a hour !

Answer 7

i think the age for an ipod is 9 or 10 and a phone is probably around 12 or 13

Answer 8

Yeah I definitely agree. I didn't get my first cell phone until I was 16 and that was because I started getting really busy in my life with extracarricular activities to doing stuff with friends, so my mom wanted to keep in touch with me. I just bought my first i-pod about 3 months ago. I don't think it's neccessary for a child to have a cell phone. Honestly!

Answer 9

I know we live in a tech-world, and our kids are growing up all around it, but they shouldn't have things like this of thier own until thier older. They shouldnt have an Ipod until they are at least 8-9. And there is no reason for a cell phone until thier 13 at least.

You're right. They will have nothing to look forward to if they have everything by 7 yrs old.

Answer 10

You know, I always thought I would be "the cool Mom" that gave her kids stuff like that but I totally agree with you!!!!  A 5 year old should be playing with toys, not electronics.  Don't get me wrong! My preschooler calls friends during school breaks, looks stuff up on the internet and plays PSP, too, but a personal cell phone?  No way!  My pre-teen carries a prepaid cell for emergency use but that's as far as I go.  You're right on the money!

Answer 11

I agree 100 %. I have allowed mine (9) to have MP3 players. They get to listen to music and it was only 30$. But that is all they have (sorry also PS2). No game boys/Ds, no tv'd, car dvd players. If they want a phone then they will get a job and earn the money to pay for it.

Answer 12

I agree with the cell phones.  The mp3 players, I view that differently.  It's the same thing as owning a walkman back in the day, but the technology is way more advanced.  The one thing that holds me back on giving an mp3 player to young kids is the price.  If you could pick them up for $10, then sure, but no such luck.  They are too expensive and too fragile to have in the hands of a 5 year old.  What bothers me most about the phones is, I hate to see kids walking around a store checking their phone every 3 seconds.  Annoys the pee out of me.  They don't even care that much about talking on it, but oh, those text messages!!  Grrrr!!!

Answer 13

The use of cell phones has reached ridiculous proportions. Kids (and most adults) really do not need them. I have 12-year olds. I ask them to watch what their friends use them for, which helps them see why they are unnecessary.

I do not mind the hand-held electronics (iPod, DS, PSP, etc.) These are good for downtime and very useful for car rides.

We will not ever get TV game systems (x-box, play station, etc). These are a good formula for out-of-shape, overweight kids (even the Wii is dumb). All their friends have these overpriced systems, but it is interesting how the neighborhood hangs out at our house to play baseball, basketball, etc.

Most parents today make purchase decisions unconsciously, without thinking things through. We will not make a purchase for our kids unless we believe it adds value to their lives.

Answer 14

Its true.. Kids these days have alot of things.. that kids really never had 10 years ago.. I did have a walkman when i was 10 though.. recorded my favorite songs off the radio with a cassette.. Kids these days have downloads.. I upgraded to a diskman when i was 13... got my first phone when I was 15.

5 year olds with ipods and mobile phones? Not in my books, thats not good. What will they have when they are 15? Phone/mp3 in their ears? My kids will have to wait until they are in high school before they get those things..Even if they say "but everyone else has one" It wont make me cave.

5 year olds need a tracking system for when they get lost, or wonder off.. Not a cellphone or an ipod. How can they even know how to use those things? They are still learning to read and write at that age.

Answer 15

Yeah I kind of agree....mostly on the cell phone part, my son is 9 and we got him an Ipod for christmas but no way will he get a cell phone alytime soon!

Answer 16

I think it's out of control also. They need to learn responsibility first. Also why would anyone that young need a cell phone an ipod maybe when they are a bit older.

Answer 17

I agree with you completely. I have 4 boys 13, 13, 10 (turning 11 this month) and 8. We added a Migo to our verizon plan which is a phone made for kids and only has 4 programable buttons so they can only call us and we can call them. My older 3 boys use it when they go bike riding or baseball practice or up the street to their friends house.

I think Ipods are ok. One of my 13 yr old twins and my 10 yr old both have one they bought with their own money. They get itunes cards for holidays and birthdays and sometimes use their allowance for more. They only download music it's not a phone or anything. To me an Ipod is just a modern portable CD player which even I had as a kid. My 10 yr old had an older one then used his Christmas money to get a newer one that holds more and he gave my 8 yr old the old one. My 8 yr old rarely even uses it but once in awhile on a long car trip he will use it. I don't see the big deal with kids having music players and that is all a basic Ipod is.

I do agree about the phones though. I know so many people who got phone bills in the hundreds and thousands from their kids running up the bill. that is why we stuck with the kids type phone so they can call us when needed and that's it.

Answer 18

With Ipods, getting them that young really isn't a big thing anymore. It's the new way to play music (people don't use CDs and radios anymore much ya know!) So being interested in music isn't bad.

With the cell phones though... I don't think there's a need for a child to have one until they are out of the house a lot. They are useful for when you need to get ahold of them and know where they are and so they can call you (or even the police) if there's ever any trouble. I don't know... but 5 seems a little young to be needing to do that. Maybe more about 10 or 11 would be appropriate.

Answer 19

Eh i got my first cell phone when i was 11. But i mind you i was a very busy kid. Always at practice or watching the gmae at the school Or going to a friends house. My mom found it easier to keep track of me .

But yea thats way to young .

Answer 20

Our kids are 16, 10 and 8.  They all have cell phones but only the olest gets to keep hers all the time the other two get them if they are going to a friends or on a field trip so that they can reach us if needed.  As far as the ipods the oldest saved up her money and bought her own last year before that I wouldnt even allow the mp3 players because they put the ear piece in their ear turn them up and it does damage the hearing.  what they have to look forward to is a child with a hearing loss by 16 from all of it.