Robin,
Cell phones for kids can certainly help make your life better, I have two daughters 14, and 16 and they've had phones since they were 12, and 14, and they're really helped with all the weird scheduling. My husband and I both work full time although I have an extremely flexible job and the kids attend a private school which is 30 minutes away and has no transportation for excurriclar activities so mom's a full-time taxi. Cell phones make it so much easier to stay in touch with the kids and handle last minute plan changes. My kids have been really responsible about using them also. Welcome to the 21st Century! And you have my sympathy on the technology I have to ask my daughter whenever I need to do something new on the phone.

it's mostly for safety concerns (one of the girls is a big daydreamer and doesn't watch the time!) i've spent my afternoone figuring out how to use it!
robin

I think in some countries like Switzerland... my understanding is that the use of cell or hand phones is so part of life that everyone has them including children and its normal. They are even used to make ATM charge transactions!! Which I think is.... weird.. but yeh.. thatd what I heard at least.. lol.

I know for me. once I got a cell phone, it made life way easier. I had a power chair at the time that had tires that took air and I would get flats and needed help!!! I didnt have a phone at first and this was SUCH a pain because sometimes people did not want to help me and I was STuck!!! Once I got a phone, I was able to get help when I needed.

I think its great as long as the kids dont run up the bill.. lol