2morecents:
WOAHH, pick your battles! To say that parents should not have cell phones is both unnecessary and unreasonable. As for parents having cell phones being a bad role model: I disagree, for they can simply tell their children that it is a privilege that comes with age.
I agree with you that young children should not get their own cell phone;I think 11/12th grade is the “appropriate” age to allow a child to get a cell phone, and texting only after high school.
However, you mentioned cell phones in dorms: If you trust your kid enough to send him away from home where he can get into all sorts of trouble (even with all the supervision they have there) then you have to trust him with a phone too.If you give him the phone and tell him that you’re trusting him, and have a loving relationship with them like SJSinNYC said, then this should make them feel guilty of abusing their phone. If the kid doesn’t have a kosher phone, just don’t get him a data plan for his phone: he won’t be able to surf online from his phone for it will cost an arm and a leg and you should tell him upfront he’ll have to pay the price.