Should a 10-Year-Old Own A BlackBerry?

July 23, 2007

MSN recently featured an interesting story on the debate of whether or not parents should buy mobile devices for their preteens.

The piece lead with a description of Robert, a typical 10-year-old who came home from summer camp and asked his parents for a BlackBerry because one of his counselors had one. That sounds shocking, but according to MSN, a 2006 study found that more than 50 percent of the "tween" population (8- to 12-year-olds) will be using cell phones by 2010.

While I wholeheartedly understand that cell phones can be a great security system for young children - particularly those going back and forth between two houses - I can't fathom why a 10-year-old might need a BlackBerry. What do you think?

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94 Comments

wikipedia1234 1 year 5 weeks

@loveforstacy what 16 years for a blackberry!! ur crazy i got one when i was 10 and i lookied after it proper fro mthe adults point of view children are carelss dumb thing s but we are not careless

wikipedia1234 1 year 5 weeks

iam 10 and i got a blackberry this week and someone said it will nto be used an iam on it every day also all my friends have blackberries so we can talk on bbm for free and wen i was 8 i got a samsung slide up but thats like a starter fone blackberries may be expensive but its better having a phone that u will use and will be happy to use and pay a bit more than pay and not use the fone so i think well come on this is the 21st centery let the kids have fun

Chxoxo 1 year 20 weeks

I don't see why not- as long as the bills aren't too high and guidelines are set by the parents about how they can use it.

baita001 1 year 37 weeks

I am 10 and i am getting a blackberry for christmas :D

elkile 1 year 41 weeks

Amazing, no one yet has commented on the number one reason why a child should not have a BB..... unrestricted internet access!!!!! It is not a good idea to allow your child to roam over the web without knowing who they are talking to online and what kind of web content they are exposed to. I totally understand and agree with the need for a kid to have a means of communication for emergencies, logisitics & calling parents. Kids to need exposure to the technology they will be dependent upon as adults and they should be able to have some fun texting their friends (as long as it is not interfering with school or homework, limits!). However, a child does not need a world class executive level office tool, this is an unecessary expense in terms of hardware & contract fees. Why pay for things you will not use. Start with a Firefly for a ten year old, and work your way up as they get older and indicate they can handle growing responsibility and freedom. Parents who are footing the bills for these family accounts should not throw away their hard earned money... buy what you need and spend what you can afford. That is my two cents!

2 years 10 weeks

no way! a blackberry? why would a child need a blackberry?! I'm 16 now and I got my cellphone last year. And its not even a blackberry! It would be absolutely ridiculous for a person under my 16 to own a blackberry.

2 years 11 weeks

Well I am 10 years old and im turning 11 in june now i have a samsung slide up but on my bday im getting a blackberry torch if your 10 years old with a cellphone it means your very responsible (BTW i save money in the bank and stuff) recently i have $400 in my bank acc anyone just my opion.

WarEagleNurse 2 years 38 weeks

2 years 38 weeks

delicious

2 years 42 weeks

10 is a little young for any smartphone and the data plans are between $30 - 40 per month depending on the carrier ... if you have the money to commit to paying that and don't mind doing it, please ask the child to make a good case for needing it as opposed to a regular 'dumb' phone ... Blackberries are a really expensive fashion accessory if the features are not really needed

2 years 47 weeks

i want a phone bt i m 12 years i noe dat i m also nt 2 big bt i also want 2 buy a phone bt nt blackberry i cn take a less expensive phone So, no a 10 year old shud nt own a blackberry

thomasdoranbbz 3 years 1 week

It's fair enough to give your child an inexpensive mobile phone, so that they are satisfied and have something to play on, and so that you feel comfortable that they are only a call away when they are out, but buying them a BlackBerry is a completely different story.What 10-year-old needs to organise their calendar, or check their email on the go?I'd say you should wait until they are at least 13-14 to get a smartphone.

thomasdoranbbz 3 years 1 week

It's fair enough to give your child an inexpensive mobile phone, so that they are satisfied and have something to play on, and so that you feel comfortable that they are only a call away when they are out, but buying them a BlackBerry is a completely different story. What 10-year-old needs to organise their calendar, or check their email on the go? I'd say you should wait until they are at least 13-14 to get a smartphone.

Monique Marie 3 years 12 weeks

A cell phone is a good idea for your child if the situation calls for one, but there is no reason why a child needs a blackberry. Just a simple emergency phone is good enough.

3 years 12 weeks

I think that 10 years old is stretching it a bit. Maybe an older teenager, but Research in Motion is still mainly targeting their smartphones to avid business users and not the general consumer market, but lately that's changed a bit. Ever since the BB Storm 9530, or the first touch screen BB, the phones have been flying off the market and into the hands of the "Average Joe", and with their new commercials, it looks like RIM is really trying to get regular people to purchase their devices. If this is a teenager using a BB for things like important emails, web browsing for school, contacting parents or using Pocket Office to work on a school project, I don't see how a BB could do any harm. But 10 year olds? They know how to use sophisticated handheld computing devices like these! They'd just use them for things like SMSs to their friends and watching odd videos on Youtube. I think that if you can appropriately use a BB, then you should be able to have it. But 10 years old? I don't think so!

3 years 15 weeks

i think we should be able to have mobile phones at 10 but not blackberrys

3 years 20 weeks

why shouldnet a 10 year old have a blackberry? the answer is they could have one if they would use it properly and i think that they could have those small smartphones the blackberry curve 8900 and u should think really clearly if u dont know where THEY ARE OR IF U WANT TO TAKE TRACK OF them u can use the bbm which is blackberr messaging and people listen we r in a new year we r not in the 1970's

3 years 21 weeks

OK this is crazy. It sounds like you guys want to keep the next generation in the dark!! There is no reason why they can't have blackberries. Blackberries are very cool and anyone can have one. It's not like we're talking about four year olds, these are growing tweens who should be introduced to the world. If you guys want to keep your kids in the dark fine, but not me.

3 years 37 weeks

I got my first cellphone when I was 10 and am now onto my fourth a Blackberry Bold at the age of 13. I guess you could say I'm spoiled but if the parents have enough money why not?

3 years 40 weeks

No way, I mean giving a 10 year old a cell phone to contact their parents is perfectly fine (that is the purpose of the firefly cell phone - it has no keyboard or Internet connection for them to rack up a huge bill or get themselves in trouble with so they only can call the numbers you have programmed into the phone) but a blackberry? Wait til the child at least gets into high school. That's not a cheap phone, and why do they need one when they do no email people (and even if they do email people they can wait til they get home). Again blackberry's are an expensive phone and a 10 year old will definitely mistreat the phone and break it, causing the parents to spend more money to repair or replace something the 10 year old did not need in the first place and probably rarely used. If you give your child a blackberry you must have alot of money waste (so instead give it to charity, stop world hunger etc. or if you still want to be greedy than spend it on a Chanel bag for the child cause I am sure they will get more use out of a designer bag than a blackberry with a whole lot less repairs) OR you are simply an idiot.

3 years 45 weeks

whtever im 13 and i have the blackberry bold nothing wrong with that i get email gps mobile tv unlimeted texting and 500 minutes lol im on the browser right now

3 years 46 weeks

well why not?its not like we own that 10yro.maybe he is a ultr-smart kid who listens to his elders.its not even our decision to make and it never will be.im a 11yro. and i want a bb for some reason lol.

3 years 51 weeks

well....10! a blackberry is totaly unnecessay! If a cell phone is needed despeartly try to go with a less delicate and complicated choice. Try one of those firefly or LG Migo if the kid says no to those...2 options 1) let the kid be, and say no maybe till they are 12 or 13 2) If rllllllllllllllllllllly necessary get one of those nice little cheap RAZRs but it should be choice #1 at the age of 10!

4 years 5 weeks

Totally not. 10 year olds don't even have a use for a calculator, calendar, and other Blackberry apps. A ten year old should just have a flip phone- like an lg hue, if they must have one. A Blackberry is way too expensive and the kids don't even have a use for it..

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