Our rule was and is 13, as long as grades and behavior are good. My 11 year old has an I-pod touch and has a messaging app downloaded so she can text anyone for free as long as she has access to wi-fi. However, she has friends that got NICE cell phones in 1st grade. Unbelievable I say. Technology has changed so much that my 20 year old's first phone was one that we bought minutes for with no contract. My 11 year old definitely gets much cooler things than he ever did.

Never got our kids phones until they could pay the bill them selves and then they got unlimited texting. Part time after school jobs.

Almost all the 9-11 year olds in my art class have phones, and yes, really nice ones!

We got one for my oldest when she was 9 and having to wait awhile alone to be picked up. But, it is the cheapest phone out there, with a prepaid plan. She never even carries it around . . .I think she has used it once, maybe, and it's been 2 years. I have the same cheap phone and plan! I do not like using cell phones.

We got my daughter a very basic phone when she was in Jr High. I didn't want to, but it was necessary, as my late husband/her father became very ill, and we were at the hospital so often.

When she started driving, the rule was that it had to stay in the backseat, or be turned off. It was only for emergencies.

I had no set age but figured I'd wait until they actually "need" them. Until the age of 13, my oldest was always in the presence of an adult, whether at school, camp, sports, activities, etc. Sure, it is a convenience, but I didn't feel like forking out the money if it was really necessary. In 7th grade, I started getting pressured by her because nearly all of her friends had them. By Christmas that year, she was one of about 3 kids in her class of 90 at school that did not have a phone. By spring, she was going through a bit of a rough patch socially (darn girls, what a tough age!) Much of her social circle's communication (well, basically ALL) was occurring via text and she was not only feeling left out, but actually was being left out. Her self esteem really being affected. Dh and I discussed it and after much annoyance at the feeling of "giving in" we got her a cell phone about two months before her 13th birthday. By the time she got her cheap phone, the majority of her friends had already graduated to iPhones. Don't even get me started on that subject! She is now 14, entering high school and all of her friends have them. I have come to realize now at her age, though, it is a nice comfort to me that she now has a phone because she now goes places with her friends (without parents). It's convenient for me in terms of getting in touch with her for logistical reasons.

My son, who just finished 6th grade and turns 13 in five months is one of very few kids in his grade that doesn't have a phone. And there are plenty of kids in his grade that already have iPhones. Blows my mind.

So, I guess I would say 12/13 is probably the typical age, but really, it should be what you are comfortable with, not what other people are doing. I don't imagine that my son will have the same social issues as my dd simply b/c his friendships don't operate the same way (let's face it, girls can be very *itchy to each other, especially in the early teen years!). Most of his friends do have cellphones but half the time, the parents have taken them away as punishment, or they've forgotten to bring it with them, etc. So for now, it's a non-issue with him and I don't imagine he'll get one anytime soon.

My kids will get one when they can pay for it themselves. When they start driving, we plan to get a pre-paid phone to be used for emergencies. If they use all the minutes on it, then no more driving until it is topped up. Dh and I both have pre-paid phones as well and cannot/willnot pay for i-phones at this point. If they want an i-phone, they can get one at Virgin Mobile without a contract, if they can pay for it themselves.

Coming back to this . . .

You know what's funny? The only time I REALLY needed a cellphone was about 16 years ago. I was in a very high crime area in Chicago, driving to work. I got a flat tire. It was hard to find a payphone to call work/get the tire fixed because payphones were taken out in high crime areas.

A guy stopped by, called his friend over, and they changed my tire for me. I tipped them and was on my way.

Tish, I REFUSE to get an iphone, too. It makes me so sad to see people out and about on their phones, texting, using FB, etc. We were out to dinner with some friends last night, and one of them was on FB at the table. Seriously??? I love the computer, but when I'm out, no thanks. And, I have been off FB for several months and when my husband shows me updates from people, it makes me very happy I am gone. I know there is a good side to FB, but the ridiculousness overrides it for me.

My kids are ages 24 and 21 now. I got my son a cell phone not long after he started 9th grade. He got very sick just before an after school cross country practice. He wound up having to run after the other boys to get some money for the pay phone at the school, so he could call someone to come get him. His fever was higher than 102, don't remember how much higher. But he was really, really sick. I was on a trip out west and flew back home; I was afraid he was going to have to be hospitalized.

My daughter got a cell phone in the seventh grade. The situation was similar to Miz M. My husband was badly injured and in rehab. My daughter was with other people a lot. I needed to get in touch with her and couldn't contact the mom she was with for hours. Otherwise I would have waited until 9th grade.

We didn't start having World War III over the phone until my daughter was 17. She was responsible with it when she was younger. When she was 17 she and her boyfriend would text one another when he was driving (and she wasn't in the car). That made me absolutely furious.

Your daughter sounds great. Good luck whatever you decide.

My oldest got one when I had to start leaving her at dance class, etc., on her own, around age 13. It had no camera, no texting, just for calling me.

She got an iPhone when she was in high school, maybe 11th grade?

Youngest DD is starting high school this year, she doesn't have one yet but we plan to give her one before she starts, as she'll need a way to reach us due to sports practices, etc.