Getting a Cell Phone

I have a lot to say and I hope nobody is bored with my writing but i need some help and i don’t really want to talk to anyone else. Here goes: to be “popular” at my school you need to have a cell phone. And I don’t have one. The only people (boys and girls) in the grade without a cell phone are me and ONE of my friends. Lately, people have started calling us the “cellphone-less two” It makes me so mad at them. I feel left out. People will call out to each other “Text me tonight!” or “Call me on my cell!”But, the other side of my story. I’m turning thirteen soon and I really do need a cell phone. I’m spending more time away from home (sports practice, over at a friends house, at youth group at church, at choir practice, at a birthday party) and my mom isn’t constantly with me anymore. My friend is sick and tired of me using up the minutes on her phone to call my mom. The question almost always on my mind is “Will I EVER get one??” One time when a friend stayed over at my house and brought her cell phone, I overheard my parents talking about it. “She’s even younger than our daughter and she has a cell phone!” “I know, it’s just to young for a kid to have this kind of technology. And the cost! If our children had one, think of the money we’re trying to save!” But that WAS a while ago. I want to talk to my mom about myself needing a cell phone but I’m just not confident enough. I’m scared to. I don’t know why. I’m scared of what she’ll think of me and what she’ll tell my dad, I guess. But I can’t see a reasonable reason why I’m scared. I just am. I hope you’ll have a bit of advice. This has been keeping me up at night I think about it so much. I know what you might be thinking. “Kids these days! So much technology that we never had and we managed without! This girl is so…” BUt don’t think that. Thank you so much for your help

First question:  Do you NEED a cell phone, or just want one to be popular?  I can think of many instances where it is helpful to have a cell phone, and if it would really be useful–not just a way to keep in touch with friends, as important as that is–then this is perhaps your biggest selling point.  When you go to an event, for example, do your parents ask you to call when you’re ready to be picked up?  If so, this is your opportunity to tell them that it’s not fair to your friends that you are using up minutes on their cell phones.  Do some research:  there are cell phones that have limited minutes, and there are plans have basic rates for basic service.  Find out what an inexpensive phone would cost and what a basic plan would be.  Present this to your mother, with the understanding that if you lose your phone, or drop it in the toilet, or otherwise are careless with it, you will go without, or will pay for it yourself.  It’s possible that your parents don’t know what a less expensive plan would be, but I don’t think it would involve much texting.