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Credit is certainly a valuable tool for adults to have. Without it, it's much more difficult to make major purchases or secure housing. Good credit can also be key to getting a job. Using a credit card responsibly is one of the best ways to develop good credit. However, while I believe that developing good credit is important for adults, teenagers are not yet adults. And I think credit cards can be disastrous in their hands.

In recent years, credit cards have been too easy to get and that's one of the reasons why the American economy is in such poor shape right now. While some teenagers are very responsible with money, too many of them aren't. They may not have the capacity to understand the long term effects of spending money they don't have. Teenagers are also not usually in a position to be able to pay off debt racked up on a credit card. Most teens do not have high paying jobs.

Credit cards are very convenient to use. Too many adults who have them are unable to resist the allure of instant gratification that comes with buying now and paying later. Teenagers may be even less able to resist that temptation, even if they know that they'll end up paying more for something if they use their credit card to purchase it.

Unfortunately, I also oppose allowing credit for teenagers because I think credit can allow them to undermine their parents. A couple of my friends are the parents of troubled teenagers who are out of control. Allowing those kids to use credit cards may make it easier for them to get into trouble or run away. Of course, if a teen uses a credit card to purchase an airline ticket, they will end up leaving a paper trail, which is a good thing. However, using a debit card would have the same effect and not allow as much purchasing power.

Overall, I disagree with the notion that kids should be using credit cards. Teenagers are still kids; otherwise, they would be called adults. I might make a concession to parents who open a joint account with their teenaged kids and keep a close watch on their use of credit as a means of teaching them how to use it responsibly. But I don't think teenagers should be allowed to use credit cards without adult supervision. The fact is, there are too many adults who have gotten into trouble with credit cards. Our society has become too dependent on credit. Teenagers should not begin their adult lives saddled with debt they've accumulated before they're even members of the majority.

Learn more about this author, Jenny Tolley.
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