The Kids Are Alright: They Have Cell Phones

It's the end of the elementary school day. Both dismissal bells and cell phones ring and buzz as kids call and text. Twenty percent of kids ages 6-11 now have their own cell phone, according to MRI's American Kids Study. Moreover, cell adoption among children is fast-paced; ownership has grown 68% in the past five years, and more than 12% of parents say they intend to buy a cell phone for their child within the next 12 months. Most kids surveyed cite communication -- calling their parents and friends, emergency purposes and text messaging -- as their top-ranking reasons for cell use.