Its definatly a delema for todays parents.  I gave my 7 year old a cellphone 2 years ago .. mainly becuase i needed to get ahold of her and make sure she was in the right place etc every day.. hetic schedules etc....  I solved most of the problems by giving her a pay as you go phone and the most old and basic phone i could find.. no camera .. no internet..  and then putting only enough credit it on it that i needed. And basically banned her from calling/texting anyone else.. which she didnt.  Im not sure that wasnt out of embarassment to use the old phone (yea embarrasment .. what can i say advertising)

Once schedules changed... and I no longer needed her to have it .. she didnt want it anymore. But i still keep an extra phone handy now thats shes 9 and wants to cylce the hood with her fellow 9 year olds i require her to take it and check in periodically.

Now i completely agree with practically everything you said 12x... but on the flip side its not going away so we just have to get creative and educate the kids as much as possible.... and perhaps bitch to the phone company.. im sure if they relized parents are willing to pay for it they will add more such features.

Try these companies probably cost more for service  didnt read just a quick goolg eon "kids cellphones" and these fit the bill

http://www.kajeet.com/kajeetStore/landing.do?lp=DEC08/HOL2&gclid=CNyR8--i9JcCFQZqswodMDorDQ&c=G09&recipe=A
http://www.fireflymobile.com/

Cool project idea.

I have an amazingly sexy, Swedish schoolgirl voice but I'm in the middle of a porn mp3 contract dispute so I can't let anyone hear me talk for at least another year.

X