In the last few years I have heard more and more about kids with phones. I see little kids at the mall texting or talking on their cell phones. Growing up way too fast.
My aunt and I were driving the other day and she was telling me about how her ten year old son's class was going on a trip. They were going to stay at a camp in cabins and were told they could not bring their cell phones. The parents then erupted into questions like "what will they do without their cell phones?", "how will they contact us?", "what about their iPods?", "can my son bring his nook?" The teacher in charge proceeded to explain to the parents that the trip was about real socialization and besides, if electronics get damp or dirty they break. If the kid brings a book it can get a little messy and still work. The parents could stand to go a few days without hearing from their kid. (Also, the parents were told to make their kid carry his or her own luggage to the buses.. really? They had to TELL them that?)
Now all of this about not bringing electronics on a camping-type trip is the same speech we give campers and their parents all summer long at camp.
Why is it necessary to have a cell phone at 9 or 10? For that matter, why do you one at 13? It just isn't necessary at all. Who do they call? I can understand if your kid plays sports or is in after school activities. They might need to call their parents. When I was a kid I had to call on the pay phone from the mall or school. But they've taken those out of most places. However, it still isn't necessary to text your other 10 year old friends all the time. You see each other all day everyday in school, right?