Verified Document

High School Student A Cellphone Essay

After the attacks on the World Trade Center, many parents bought cellphones for their children as an additional safety precaution, out of fear of preventing teens from communicating with the family during a worst case scenario. "Even without the added concerns of school shootings and terrorism warnings, who doesn't feel good about easily being able to reach their child" (Mulrean 2010). Many phones also have a GPS capability that enables parents to track their teen's movements. While some might protest this is over-bearing, some parents feel that if they pay for the phone, this gives them the right to use it to its fullest capability. Parents say the GPS tracking system also enables them to give more freedom to their teens with peace of mind as they know the teen's whereabouts. Of course, this might be seen as excessively paranoid in some parent's eyes, or intruding upon the child's privacy. But even reviewing the child's cellphone bill and noting an excessive amount of calls late at night can be an important illustration of what the child is doing. If that is the case, the parent needs to talk to his or her teen about doing too much socializing and not enough studying.

Of course, the most obvious objection to the purchase of a cellphone for a teen is the issue of texting and driving or simply talking on the phone while driving. If the teen abuses this privilege, this can be easily remedied by getting the teen a phone without the option of text messaging. And if the parent 'catches' the teen talking and driving, the most obvious fitting punishment is to take away driving privileges rather than phone privileges.

As cellphones become more and more ubiquitous in our society, teaching teens to use them responsibly is essential. Just as teens learn to drive, first through lessons, then through a learner's permit and finally gaining full adult privileges to operate a vehicle, teaching a teen to use a cellphone responsibility is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Getting a younger teen a very basic plan without text messages, teaching the teen to earn phone privileges with responsible use of a...

And even for the most reluctant parent, the knowledge that a teen has a cellphone can buy the parent valuable peace of mind. The teen only needs to call the parent -- or the police -- if the teen in danger.
Works Cited

Iannelli, Vincent. "Cell phones for kids." Parenting Matters. August 24, 2010.

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/parenting_matters/cell_phones_kids.html

Mulrean, Jennifer. "A cellphone for your teen?" MSN. Dollarwise. 2010. August 24, 2010.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/savinganddebt/p46469.asp

Yofee, Lynn. "The 411 on Cell Phones." Everyday Health. August 24, 2010.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/back-to-school/cell-phone-use-and-teens.aspx

Works Consulted

"Cell phones for kids: Pros and cons." Buzzle. August 1, 2010. August 24, 2010.

http://www.buzzle.com/comments/180732-1.html

"Cell phones for kids: When is too young?" Baby Art. August 24, 2010.

http://www.babyart.org/teen/cell-phones-for-kids-when-is-too-young.html

Lynne, Beth. "Fair cellphone use in school." Suite 101. March 11, 2007. August 24, 2010.

http://www.suite101.com/content/fair-cell-phone-use-in-schools-a15906

"Pros and cons of using GPS cellphones to track teens." Content for reprint. August 24, 2010.

http://www.content4reprint.com/technology/gps/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-gps-cell-phones-to-track-teens.htm

"Who's right? The pros and cons of kid's cellphones." Coupon Sherpa. August 24, 2010.

http://www.couponsherpa.com/ask-coupon-sherpa/whos-right-the-pros-and-cons-of-kids-cell-phones/

WriterG. "Best cheap prepaid cellphones for teens." Associated Content. May 11, 2010. August

24, 2010.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2978246/best_cheap_prepaid_cellphones_for_teens.html?cat=15

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Student Searches Free Speech and Expression and Privacy in the Wired...
Words: 1422 Length: 4 Document Type: Professional Writing

Student Searches, Free Speech & Expression, and Privacy in the Wired Age Student searches and in-school discipline for off-campus conduct Free Speech and Expression on and off campus Privacy in the wired age on and off campus. (Facebook, twitter, myspace, blogs, cellphones) What are a students' constitutional rights when it comes to searches and seizures, on and off campus discipline, free speech, expression, and privacy in the wired age when on and off campus?

Government Subsidized Student Loans Have Economic Costs
Words: 17149 Length: 55 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

Government Subsidized Student Loans Have Economic Costs but Political Benefits Higher education has become increasingly important in the contemporary world scenario today where globalization has led to a higher need for a skilled labor force that is mobile and that is well-versed in the academic disciplines followed all over the world. In fact university education is starting to be seen as a hallmark for success, even though there are college drop

Pharmacy School
Words: 361 Length: 1 Document Type: Term Paper

desire to study pharmacy in this school is motivated through my personal and practical desire to exercise my knowledge about pharmacy in the greatest way possible. One of my primary motivations why I want to study pharmacy is because I am thoroughly interested in this course especially since it concerns the study of math and science, two subjects that I excelled on in high school. Pharmacy also provides me

Export Business Plan
Words: 4891 Length: 15 Document Type: Business Plan

Export Business Plan: Moldovan Cellular Phones Purpose-Why has the plan been written? The plan has been written in order to guide our mobile phone export business. Cell phones in Moldova are rapidly overtaking land phones as many cellular phones now provide Internet access and cell phone computers. SMS, MMS and broadband are becoming standard features on cell phones. Nonetheless, mobile phones are expensive in Moldova and not everyone can afford them. Furthermore,

Negative Effects of Social Networking
Words: 1594 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Works cited Boyd, Danah M., and Nicole B. Ellison. "Social Network Sites: Definition, History and Scholarship (Excerpt)." Everything's an Argument with Readings. Eds. Lunsford, a.A., J.J. Ruszkiewicz and K. Walters. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Print. Calvo-Armengol, Antoni, Eleonora Patacchini, and Yves Zenou. "Peer Effects and Social Networks in Education." The Review of Economic Studies 76.4 (2009): 1239-67. Print. Common Sense Media. Is Technology Networking Changing Childhood? A National Poll. San Francisco, CA:

Wireless Broadband Technology
Words: 20344 Length: 50 Document Type: Term Paper

Wireless Broadband Technology Overview of Wireless technology Presently it is quite evident to come across functioning of a sort of wireless technology in the form of mobile phone, a Palm pilot, a smart phone etc. With the inception of fast connectivity in the sphere of commerce it is customary and useful to operate from central locations communicating with the remote branches, conducting conferences in remote places, discussing with every body at every

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now