I'm 13 (pretty recently) and i live in NYC i am pretty self sufficent ie taking subway, making appointments and all that other stuff im soposed to do. i also hang out with my friends alot who all live far away from me so when i hang out with them i need to call everyone and haveing my cell phone makes it possible because otherwise everyone is worried. or if me and my friend got to dinner in a kind of sketchy neighborhood we NEED cell phones so we can talk to our moms if we are scared or need to get home fast Cell phones aren't to look cool, although that is a plus, there so everyone is in the loop. so stop being so critical and open your eyes "you can agree with everything or disagree with everything each are equally convient soulotions, the eliminate the need to think" remember that... for the future generation please!!!!!

My gf calls them, "tracking devices" and requires her kids check in regularly. (She tries to get me to do it too, but I'm delinquent.)

There's a downside to giving cellphones to the little ones though. They break and lose them even more often than adults do.

The equivalent of having their own phone in their room. (what i wanted when I was 13. ) It may not be a necessity, but I don't think it, in and of itself, is for coolness. i-phones and blackberries however, would definately be for image however.

That said: it bugs the hell out of me to see some kid with a better cell phone than I have. Granted I have a POS, but still...

With the demise of pay phones, I wouldn't be surprised if this is almost a requirement at this point for any 13-year-old whose parents allow them a reasonable amount of independence.

Just because we (I'm 13) carry around a cell phone doesn't mean we do if to look cool ! It's not stupid ! The point of a cell phone is to carry it around for goodness sakes ! My mom gets mad if I don't take my cell phone with me . I don't have a cell phone , I would have to constantly borrow from someone else . Sometimes we just need a cell phone you know ? If we go somewhere big and have to call our parents . Personally , I think this is ridiculous . Of course teenagers these days need cell phones . And the cell phone is made to CARRY IT AROUND for access .

Update: To those people who say that talking on the phone with their friends is a waste of time , think again . A study shows that in the lives of pre-teens and teens , friends are very important . Pre-teen through teen years are emotionally confusing . They depend on their friends to let off that stress . Friends prepare them for the "adult" world . How do you think they'll get by in life with a low social development ? I agree that we need to focus on our studies too but if the child is doing well in school , why be so mean ?

ok i'm 13 and i have a cell phone and it's not a cool thing we want cell phones to have the freedom of being able to talk when ever we want!!

I'm involved in the running of a non-profit organization that runs a music hall in an inner city neighbourhood.  Last night there was a concert by a young singer-songwriter that drew a largely teen, largely female audience.  I was standing at the back of the hall watching the show and as I looked over the crowd I noticed that probably 1/4 of the audience was holding up their cell phone, recording the show and watching it through the little 1 1/2 inch screen on their phones.  What the hell was the point of coming out to a live concert if the only thing you really wanted to do was go home and then download it so you could see it on YouTube?

My daughter (now 21) had a phone when she was 16.

My oldest son (now nearly 18) had one when he was 14.

My youngest son (now 14) got one when he was 11.

It wasn't a function of cool, it was a function of how much stuff they did, sports, music and social-life, and wanting to ensure they could be contacted, and be able to be reached.

actually if they want to talk to freinds why not let them thats what most people use it for.

"Looks ridiculous to see a 13 yr. old with a beeper and a cell phone" A beeper! Where are you from? Anyway face it! times change and the worlds not getting any safer- i thik sometimes phones are needed as a precaution.

the only times someone that age should have one is for emergencies. to call parents when they need to be picked up or if there is trouble. I know a 13 year old who has had one since she was 11. of course considering the family I am not surprised since her mother in particular does not believe, in the word, no or rules.so you can imagine what kind of kids they have.

If the parents let their kids go to the mall with friends; I think it's just safer to have them take a phone...but...when they use the phone to call all of their friends and talk about what some girl wore to school that day; that's where I draw the line. Those types of kids don't pay for their minutes, and simply waste them as if they're free.

Most of the time, that is the parent's cell phone. "Call me when you want me to pick you up from mall/school/gym."

To us from the Jurassic period its hard to fathom, but by todays standards this is normal. It's not about the parent who buy's the cellphone, its about the parent who takes responsibility of that 13-year-old and their cellphone.

This is the parent's fault.

Looks ridiculous to see a 13 yr. old with a beeper and a cell phone.