Karen got Kaden a phone for his birthday on August1st. He will be 10. I don't agree with this, but he is not my kid to say when he should get a phone.
What do you guys think?
What do you guys think?
How Old Should A Child Be To Get A Phone?
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koshergrl
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It's nice to be able to always reach your kid
But once they get a phone it's a constant battle because they will constantly be engaging in crazy stuff with their friends and other people too. It's a nightmare.
But once they get a phone it's a constant battle because they will constantly be engaging in crazy stuff with their friends and other people too. It's a nightmare.
10 seems early. but the way kids and technology are these days it's a hard call. a lot of parents do it just to make sure their kids always have a way to reach them for instance, and in the days of greatly reduced available land lines, it can make a certain amount of sense. i feel like waiting until at least 13 is more appropriate though.
Maddie
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
I can honestly say in this day and age, for safety and security reasons I would want my child to have access to one at all times that they were away from me, even in kindergarten.
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I got John one when he was 11 years old because he was attending a summer college prep program at a university on the other side of town. It was just so he could call if he needed.
I think if an 11 year old is attending college prep classes he probably deserves and can handle a phone. If on the other hand he is 11 and likes to set small animals on fire... probably not. My point is it's a kid by kid situation.
Depends on the kid and what they're doing on a day to day basis. My son is 11, and he does not have a phone because he's either at school or with one of the family, therefore he has access to a phone should he need it. If he was a city kid who took public transportation, he would have a phone.
Nick does have his sister's old phone and can use it where there's wifi (or to call 911). He got FB messenger so we could coordinate school pick up last year; however, now that he'll be at my school that will no longer be necessary.
Nick does have his sister's old phone and can use it where there's wifi (or to call 911). He got FB messenger so we could coordinate school pick up last year; however, now that he'll be at my school that will no longer be necessary.
...depends on the maturity level and responsibility of the child...if you trust them, I don't see an issue...shutting down the phone is always an option if they get stupid with it....
Logistically speaking some families have a complicated situation, so it might make sense for some 10 year olds to have phones. I'd leave it up to each parent to decide of course. But personally I am in no rush to have my kids have phones of their own. They sometimes complain that all the other kids have phones (especially my 11 year old) but that argument doesn't carry any weight with me.
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
I gave my daughter a flip phone when she was 9. Her father and I had just separated, and I wanted her to be able to call me if she wanted to while she was visiting with him. She didn't get a smart phone until she was 14, and only got it then because it was a buy one get one free deal. She worked and paid for her own iPhone this year.
That's called discrimination!
Karen has never said, but I think it is because of me that she wanted him to have the phone.
I am with those kids a lot until either Karen, or Sam gets home, and I think Karen is afraid something might happen to me while I am with the kids.
I'm going to ask her that when she gets up this morning.
I am with those kids a lot until either Karen, or Sam gets home, and I think Karen is afraid something might happen to me while I am with the kids.
I'm going to ask her that when she gets up this morning.
Families have different ideas about this everywhere, I think. Lots of my youngest child's (he's 9) friends have them already, but we have always made them wait until they're 13. I'm not budging on it with my 9-year-old and I think he's finally starting to be resigned to that.
My son got his first phone when he started grade 6 because the school was far and he would be walking alone or with friends. No pay phones around, and school wouldn't allow students to call parents to let them know if plans changed (even if it was teachers that changed those plans). More importantly, he has insect allergy and it meant a phone to call 9-1-1.
It was a pay-as-you-go. After 2 years, we added unlimited text because that's what his friends had and meant he was able to contact them. Again, very useful when plans change.
In grade 9 or 10 we got him a smart phone, but no data on it. Within 2 weeks he got jumped and it was stolen.
Now, he works, and we are paying for his phone (talk and text. No data) untill the plan expires.
The only time he ever got in trouble over his phone, was in grade 7, he got a text message while in class. It was from the phone company.
Teacher took his phone and handed it in to VP. VP left for the day and phone was locked in office.
Now...if he were just trustworthy in actually answering his phone when his paranoid mom calls....
It was a pay-as-you-go. After 2 years, we added unlimited text because that's what his friends had and meant he was able to contact them. Again, very useful when plans change.
In grade 9 or 10 we got him a smart phone, but no data on it. Within 2 weeks he got jumped and it was stolen.
Now, he works, and we are paying for his phone (talk and text. No data) untill the plan expires.
The only time he ever got in trouble over his phone, was in grade 7, he got a text message while in class. It was from the phone company.
Teacher took his phone and handed it in to VP. VP left for the day and phone was locked in office. Now...if he were just trustworthy in actually answering his phone when his paranoid mom calls....
I was 38 when I got my first one, so that sounds like the right age to me. 
10 is too young IMHO. We had a flip phone they used once they started doing travel ball and staying after school, etc. But it was pretty much only used when they were doing those things. Personally, I think smart phones shouldn't be considered until around age 16, just my thoughts. Even then, it depends on the kid.
Some of my son's teachers used smart phones as teaching tools. Taught the kids about free apps to keep track of school assignments. Taught how to do research and tell a legitimate site from spam and click bait. That part could have been taught with computers....as long as they were in a room with computers and there were enough for everyone.
