Do you have parental control over your kid's phone? You really should. With my Kajeet account, it's so nice! I just log in to my account and i can see when she makes calls or text messages, whose number she is calling and i can have gps locator to always know she is safe and where she belongs. We were deciding about getting her a phone for a long time and i am so glad i waited and found Kajeet. All the contract carriers are so expensive. For what? The service with this company is super! I had a prepaid cell for 15 years and it was good for us but Kajeet is definitely better for the money. If you just want your kids to have a phone in their backpack for safety, all you need is the $4.99 month plan. That's the one my husband and i have because we only really need it ocasionally. I am a parent just like you, that said "why do you NEED a cell phone at your age?" Well, we live in a different time than when we were kids and i do have to say that the phone does make me a little less worried about her when we are away from each other. So go to www.kajeet.com/logcabin127 and check out the great phones, get a 15% dicount and feel good about getting them quality service you'll love. Best Wishes Countrymommy