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\"It is irresponsible in this day and age to have a middle schooler walking alone without a flip phone to summon help,\" one person wrote. \"I am glad your kid had a level head and only encountered good guys.\"

\"My son didn't get a phone until 14, and my 10-year-old will have to wait two more years,\" another commented. \"We've had stories like the author's - not so dramatic, but equally happy endings.\"

\"Children ten years and up should be equipped with enough money for a taxi and a subway card,\" a parent said. \"They should be instructed to seek out a police officer if they are lost or fearful ... A flip rather than a smartphone is also a good idea. The child at that age should have developed sufficient navigational skills not to require GPS.\"

\"PHOTO:
Micaéla Birmingham
PHOTO: Mom Micaéla Birmingham is sparking a debate on tweens and smartphone usage after she revealed in a New York Times article that her 11-year-old daughter was lost in New York City without a device on-hand.
>

If you're considering a flip phone for your child, Becky Worley, a technology correspondent for ABC News and \"Good Morning America,\" offers top reasons to buy one instead of a smartphone.

For one, kids won't get stuck in the vortex of games, social media and group-chat apps and there's less texting of photos.

Read more of Worley's tips here.

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