People all across the world are becoming more and more techno savvy these days. This new trend has also engulfed the kids in its tentacles. Children in elementary schools are asking their parents to have a ‘personal’ cell phone.
Not to miss, the manufacturing companies too are targeting the elementary-school society. They are offering special phones for children like the bright blue Firefly, which features only five keys, including ones with icons for speed-dialing a parent and allows users to call a maximum of 22 numbers.
Industry analysts are of the view that ‘tween market, defined as 8- to 12-year-olds, represents one of the major growth opportunities for the wireless industry.
Some 6.6 million of the 20 million American children in that age range had cell phones by the end of 2006 and that there will be 10.5 million preteen cell phone users by 2010.
Children wants to posses a cell phone because:
1. It expresses social status.
2. It is accessible to reach out friends and off course parents too.
3. And, most importantly it’s a fad.
Children with cell phones
Some parents and child psychologists hold the view that cell phone would reduce to a mere toy for children who are not under the supervision of adults. While, others assert that it would act as ’security blanket’ for both parent and child in a world of two-career households and split-custody arrangements.
Brian Schillaci, principal of Indian Hill School in Holmdel, N.J., which spans fourth to sixth grades, said he has seen a sharp rise in the number of students using mobile phones.
When a committee devised new rules four years ago saying cell phones could not be visible or in use during the school day, Mr. Schillaci said, there were only a handful of incidents a year, now children are sent to the office once or twice a week for cell phone infractions.
Popularity of mobile phones
Industry analysts are of the view that although the mobile phones are quite popular, yet their popularity is limited to the user. For instance, a cell phone may appear to be fascinating to a seven year old but the same instrument may be ‘babyish’ to a middle schooler.
Charles Golvin, principal analyst at Forrester Research, a technology firm, said the tracking features, which can find a child down to the exact cross streets, were proving popular among parents.
As the parent of a 13-year-old girl, I embrace the concept of invading her privacy to give me peace of mind. A lot of the appeal for the parent in giving a child a cell phone is safety.
Parents say that the incursion of mobile phones into ‘tween society has ratcheted up the electronics race, with mobile phones joining laptops, digital cameras and iPods on children’s wish lists. Because cell phones are still something of a novelty among 7- and 8-year-olds, those parents who cave sometimes feel a chill from those holding out.
