I agree that young children shouldn't necessarily have cell phones. I wasn't allowed to get a cell phone until I got my driver's license (true they were more expensive back then) my brother got one younger because he rides on his bicycle over town more and my mother is a worrier.

Since I don't have children I don't know what I would do, if I would get them one or not before they drive. However as to the lying thing my cousin (who is 9 I believe) has a cell phone that has a GPS. So if my uncle calls him he can know exactly where he is because there phones are linked.

I have a question for the OP though. Since your child has his own cellphone and earns his minutes by doing chores and behaving is he still allowed to use the house phone? What if he uses all his minutes for the month with a week left to go? Can he use the house line to call his friend to go to the movies? Or because he didn't use his minutes wisely is he stuck without being able to contact his friends?

I remember being in elementary school and upset that we only had two phones in the house. One was in my parents bedroom and the other in the kitchen. In essence if I wanted to call someone without someone evesdropping I was SOL. I remember asking for a phone in my room for a long time (although never got one) so I can see why young children would like a phone (besides the fact that it is a new toy)