Are Teenagers Becoming Too Attached to Their Cell Phones?

Cell phones have not only become a method for communication, they have evolved into an entertainment gadget. Because thddc ese small, hand-held computers seem to do it all, young kids beg and plead for a cell phone. The average age for teens to receive their own cell phone is between 12 and 13. But that doesnt mean you wont see even younger children with phones. About 3 percent of children receive their cell phone under age 10, and 6 percent get them at age 10. Even though many parents may feel middle school is still too young for students to have their own cell phone, others may feel there are several advantages to having these gadgets at such a young age. They like to be able to stay in touch with their children so they can take a more active role in ensuring their safety. Parents can even use software such as cell phone parental control software to keep a closer eye on the ir childs daily activities. It's an important decision, and it is up to the parent how old the child is when they receive their first phone. Many parents say they wait until the child is involved in school activities and others wait until their teenagers are driving. Some parents may not even let their child have a cell phone until they can afford it on their own. While it's quite common for teenagers to have their own phone, statistics show that 25 percent of teenagers dont have cell phones. According to Pew Research Center, 84 percent of Americans ages 12 and up own a cell phone, and 31 percent own a smartphone. Cell phones have become such an integral part of daily life for teenagers that 15-18 year olds are reported to spend an average of 1 hour and 51 minutes each day sending text messages. Kids between 11 and 14 spend an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes texting. A few additional statistics we found regarding teens and texting include: Texting is the second most common use of cell phones, following checking the time 65 percent of high school students use their cell phone in school One-fourth of text messages sent by teens are during class hours 42 percent of teens say they can text with their eyes closed One study shows that teens under 18 years old send and receive 2,779 texts a month Teens send and receive five times more text messages per day than adults Those who send and receive more than 50 texts a day also tend to be heavy users of voice calling 54 percent of teens use text messaging as daily communication, and only 38 percent will call on a cell phone Cell phones are a way that teenagers feel they can communicate with other individuals. According to one study, 84 percent of teens say they like that cell phones make it easy to talk to people. Additionally, the study states that 69 percent of teens say their cell phone is used as a form of entertainment and 47 percent say their social life would end without their cell phone. The same study shows that 57 percent say their life has improved by using their cell phone.