Kids are going back to school, costs are going up, bills are higher and all in the middle of this your child wants a cellphone? Making ends meet is hard enough without it but must a kid really need one? Personally, I don't see why a kid would need a cellphone before 9th grade, and these are the reasons...

-Safety: all kids starting 9th grade start taking on a larger sense of freedom as they like to hang out with there friends and be anywhere thats away from you, its only to be expected. A cell phone gives a child a sense of protection and a way to call you for help if needed.

-Cars: as your child matures, they will become drivers and we all know how many things can go wrong with cars. Crashes, flat tires, blown engines, and many other problems they might not be able to handle could occur.

-Socializing: it allows them to stay in contact with family and friends.

-Reputation: no one wants to be the kid without a phone, or the kid who is left out because they can't be reached quickly.

-Texting: nowadays everyone texts regardless what grade or who its with! Don't be the one who can't be texted.

What are the risks of owning a cellphone? Well...Bullying, porn, illegal activities, high bills, and some other things can result from owning one. This shouldn't stop you from getting a phone for them because all that stuff is also obtainable MUCH easier though a computer. Think about it...the internet is much more formidable then a cellphone at doing that. Having faith those things aren't going on is the best way to view the risks.

A cellphone bill can be HORRIBLE. There are ways to keep it down though and these are the best options you can make:

1.Make sure the plan has unlimited time after 9pm at night, or something similar.

2.Make sure you tell them to stay within there minutes, this is check able with most phones.

3.Try to get a Data Plan so if they access the internet it will not amount to a high fee, if not tell them to not use it and if they do take the phone.

4. Number Four is the MOST important...if you have a daughter or a boy with a girlfriend make sure there is an UNLIMITED TEXTING PLAN. If you don't think they need a texting plan or tell you they only want to text a little do the 200 a month, but if they think they will be texting my god pay the $20 for unlimited. Texting adds up a lot without a plan. Some companies like At&t added a whole $.25 per message! With a plan of 200, if you go over it each message is like 2 cents.

As you may have conceived, a cellphone has a lot of "headache" solving applications that might just save your sanity. Personally, I believe high schoolers need to have cellphones, its a culture thing that is growing and could result in hatred and rebellion if not meant. It could also leave scars if one is bullied because they don't have one. I hope this HubMob helped you make up your mind for getting a cellphone.

If you enjoyed this please check out my other hubs found HERE.

New to Hubpages? Like what you see? Click here to Join this community that is quickly growing day by day!