In Tallahassee, trendy cell phones have become the talk of the town. Most teens say they have cell phones so their parents can keep up with them.
"My dad is really worried about me driving and not having something in case something happens, so he really got it for emergencies, and I use it for more for that," says Kim Jones.
Another way to explain the increasing popularity of the trend is that cell phone companies target teens in their marketing and parents are willing to spend to stay in touch.
"The way they have targeted teens is not teens specifically, but they've targeted family plans, offering things like where you can talk to each other on your plan for free," says Crane Walker, a cell phone representative.
One parent says that the cell phone bill is a small price to pay for the convenience that comes with it.
"It is nice to be able to reach her any time you want to and if you need them to do something you can call them, you don't have to wait until they get home so it's nice to keep up with them," says Diane Mercier, who bought her daughter a cell phone.
Similarly, her daughter Jana enjoys having a cell phone for the peace of mind it gives her, knowing that she can always reach her parents.
"If I'm out broke down somewhere, I can call them and get a hold of them," says Jana Mercier.
So, while teens have cell phones for both fun and functionality, the trend of keeping in touch will never go out of style.
