VisorCentral.com - What age is Right for Giving Kid a Cell

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Posted by southbound747 on 01-23-2004 04:34 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Shin_Kudo
My little brother, who's 13, just got his first cell. It's a pretty nice phone, but that's because he got it on a two-for-one deal with my dad.

I got my first at 16, and it's bean dead for a few weeks, and I've really realized how hard living without it is.

My car broke down the other day. I wasn't far from home at all. If I had had a cell, I could have called somebody to drive me over to the nearby AutoZone and picked up a replacement for the easily available, inexpensive, part that was the problem.

It was fortunate for me that I'm a car freak, and had all my tools with me, because I was going to the junkyard for a part for another car. I had to spend an hour improvising repairs, followed by a drive, almost completely out of oil, with a smoking engine, to get the part and the oil I needed.

I have one issue with something a lot of people are saying, though. It's not an easy proposition to just "get a job" and buy a phone. I've been trying, completely unsuccessfully, for over a year to get a job, with no luck whatsoever. As a mere high school graduate, i'm no competition for the thousands of unemployed college grads flooding the job market. And I can't get a food job, because all of those are given to fluent spanish speakers, something I am not. All of my friends are in the same situation. There's simply no work.

hi shin,
there is no question that in many markets work is hard to find. the unemployment rate under president bush has doubled. but i do have some suggestions for you if you are interested. first, instead of focusing on not speaking spanish, realize you do speak english (ie...that is an advantage...if you can tap it...more on that later). second, i have learned a few things over the years that i wish i knew when i was younger. one of them is, working for somebody sucks. it is far better to either be self-employed or have people working for you. having a "job" is only one way to make money. you can make a business where you provide a service or have poeple working for you. either way...you are ahead of the game. when you work for yourself you often deal with cash...which means more money in your pocket. remember, if you work in an ice cream store and earn $6.00 an hour....your boss only pays you that because you generate at least $12.00 per hour for him ( and usually more). the point is, he makes money off of you. why not keep that for yourself? 3 quick suggestions. offer to do errands and odd jobs for home-bound seniors and disabled people who can't do basic things anymore (charge a minimum of $10. per jour). or you could start a landscaping business. start small. just the street you live on. hire a guy or 2 to help you. work on weekends. charge double what you pay. if your worker wants $80. a day...make sure you have work to cover $160. as you get better, you can grow the business larger. finally, think about tutoring junior high school kids in either math or vocabulary...whichever you are better at. kids in 6th and 7th grade often look up to someone your age a lot....even more than an older adult...because you aren't quite so old yet. tutoring could get you between $12 and $15 an hour. always charge in groups of 5 lessons (5 x 15 = 75 cash). get 2 or 3 kids. then see them once or twice a week. do the math. you are working a few hours a week and earning 4 times or more what you would in mcdonalds....

just some ideas....from some one who has been there....

ps....since you like cars so much, what about fixing old cars and selling them? do it small scale...one car at a time so you don't run foul of the law (being a dealer without a license). but you should be able to make a few hundred off each car you sell. fix and sell a car a month. you will be all set.

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Posted by Shin_Kudo on 01-23-2004 06:36 AM:

While good ideas in many areas, a lot of those ideas aren't fesable here in LA. With such a surplus of highly educated people willing to work for low prices really put a damper on a mere high school grad doing anyhting like tutoring. As for Landscaping, we have a practical army of immigrand workers willing to work for less then minimum wage. Also add the fact that, well, I'm not exactly a model student.... A B student under my tutoring would soon be failing!

Now, the car idea is one I like, but there's a problem there, too. If I lived in an area with more useable land, I'd build a nice shop. But, because I'm on a hill, I only have a tiny garage, and no where to keep a project car. Still, though, there may actually be a chance that a couple of my (racing) teammates and I may get a great shop location, where we can open a little business

Posted by Alli on 01-23-2004 11:54 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Shin_Kudo
While good ideas in many areas, a lot of those ideas aren't fesable here in LA. With such a surplus of highly educated people willing to work for low prices really put a damper on a mere high school grad doing anyhting like tutoring. As for Landscaping, we have a practical army of immigrand workers willing to work for less then minimum wage. Also add the fact that, well, I'm not exactly a model student.... A B student under my tutoring would soon be failing!

Now, the car idea is one I like, but there's a problem there, too. If I lived in an area with more useable land, I'd build a nice shop. But, because I'm on a hill, I only have a tiny garage, and no where to keep a project car. Still, though, there may actually be a chance that a couple of my (racing) teammates and I may get a great shop location, where we can open a little business

If you're a h.s. grad, and you have no job, are you currently a college student? Ever think of enlisting in the military? It's still a fabulous option for many people. Lots of opportunity for education, and the pay's not bad.

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Posted by gyrfalcon on 01-23-2004 06:36 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Insp_Gadget
"Welcome to the Internet" should be addressed to him. People (all kinds of people) have valid opinions and a right to express them in an open forum such as this.

You can have whatever opinion you want, but don't expect people to like you for them. Infact I would just be thankfull they don't despise you for sharing them :P

Then again who really cares? Everyone is a dumb@#!, some are just better ones.

Posted by GeekyMom on 01-23-2004 07:36 PM:

Come on you guys, I started a Poll, not a war. We are all indeed entitled to our own opinions and differences etc., etc. but let's try and remember to give each other the same respect we would give to people that we know personally.

As corney as it seems, I sorta see the forum as my extended... tech family (whom I have a lot of respect for).

I know I can't go to anyone in my family for help with downloading a ringer or running software. They would probably think I'm nuts for paying so much for a phone in the first place.

I will say that when I first posted the poll I was interested in the majority opinion on the cell phone issue for kids, but I've learned that there is really NO right or wrong answer, just what's right for you and your kid.... or your future kid.

So let's continue the dialogue if you like, but no need to tear folks down about it. In the end we will do what best suits us anyway.

__________________
"He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats
the matter separates close friends." -Proverbs 17:9

Life in a Day

Posted by Shin_Kudo on 01-23-2004 10:39 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Alli

If you're a h.s. grad, and you have no job, are you currently a college student? Ever think of enlisting in the military? It's still a fabulous option for many people. Lots of opportunity for education, and the pay's not bad.

Unfortunately, no. I don't think there's any college that would take me. And, even if there was, I wouldn't be able to keep up with the work. (In any school situation, I get so unmotivated and depressed by the torrent of work that I'm simply unable to force myself to do it, after a month or two....)

And I did actually seriously considert the military. I decided against it because of the current political situation.

But, I'm actually pretty sure that I'm going into Law Enforcement. The problem with that is that you have to be 20 and a half to enter the academy, and I'm three years away from that.

Posted by southbound747 on 01-24-2004 12:26 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Shin_Kudo

Unfortunately, no. I don't think there's any college that would take me. And, even if there was, I wouldn't be able to keep up with the work. (In any school situation, I get so unmotivated and depressed by the torrent of work that I'm simply unable to force myself to do it, after a month or two....)

shin....you gotta get used to to some realities of life. a lot of life is not what you want to do, but what you gotta do. if you think law enforcemtent...police academy or the military is easier than a community college, you are in for some surprises. how is that your are 16 and have a high school diploma, but don't consider youself able to do college. did you drop out and get a ged? i mean 16 is early to graduate.

and if you don't want to go to iraq, work in mcdonalds, or be smart and work for yourself...you can go in the coast guard at 17 with your parents permission or the merchant marine...but hey....you are gonna work there.

if you want the easy way out (the impression i am getting) then go to el camino college in torrance.

__________________
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Posted by southbound747 on 01-24-2004 12:35 AM:

shin,
ps...if you do consider going in the military, being a cook in the air force is one of the safer assignments. you are not going to be a grunt carrying a gun on the battlefield like you would if you were a private in the army or marines. and most likely you'd be on a base well-protected by the finest air force in the world. plus if you are able to understand a second language such as a japanese, you could be an interpreter....(listening to transmissions, etc.)

__________________
palm pilot professional > kyocera 6035 > jornada 560 & 720 > palm i705 > ux50 > treo 600 & ipod

Posted by Shin_Kudo on 01-25-2004 12:33 AM:

I'm not 16, I'm almost 18. I passed the CHSPE, which is similar to a GED, but it allows you to get out earlier and have a legal diploma instead of the inferior GED.

I can get by fine in Community College, but the classes and atmosphere is as bad as it was in high school. It just doesn't feel like college.

But, also, I've always wanted to be a detective, and I know i'll be fine in the academy. It's when I have to do stuff that I don't really care about that I lose steam.

Posted by GeekyMom on 02-02-2004 01:48 AM:

The Decision is In

Thanks for the replies and insites regarding the right age to give a kid a cell phone. We decided to wait until our daughter's 13th birthday.

Unless things change before then that merits it, she will have yet a few more years to contemplate her cell phone and have something to look forward to.

As mentioned before, I came to the conclusion that there is no real right time or age to give a child a cell phone. Each individual and situation is different as well as parenting styles and the maturity of the child are major factors in reaching a decision.

P.S. She turned 10 yesterday and we gave her a hellava fun "Cheetah Girl" birthday party! (see blog site below)

__________________
"He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats
the matter separates close friends." -Proverbs 17:9

Life in a Day

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