Iphones?

[sabby52]

Would you buy a 9 year old an iphone?? Dec has been asking for an iphone for over a year now, anytime I ask him what he wants for his birthday he says iphone and if I ask what he wants for Christmas he says "if I dont get an iphone for my birthday I will have one for Christmas"
I am not sure if I want to get him one, I know he is mature enough to have one, he already has an ipod touch and an ipad mini. I just cant make up my mind if I want my 9 year old having a phone

My eldest was about 9/10 when he got his first phone but it was only a little one and he didnt get a proper smart phone until he was about 13.

What age was you little one when they got their first phone and was it an iphone/smartphone ?

 

[jd83]

I'm not to that point, yet, but no I wouldn't get it for him. Sounds like he already has apple products that would do exactly what an iPhone would do, aside from making calls. There is no reason to invest that kind of money into a phone for a 9 yr old, when the only new thing it would do that his other gadgets don't do is call people. I'm not sure what age I'll get my kids a smart phone, but I'm thinking not until 12-13ish, if I can help it. They have ipads, too, so I don't think they are missing out on the apps. LOL.

 

[Tasha]

Morgan was 11 and Naomi-Mae 10. I got Morgan an iPhone at that point (last Christmas) but he didn't have a tablet, iPad or iPod touch. Naomi got a Samsung galaxy, same reason. I don't think it's needed with what he already has, literally the only extra thing is the calls, so some what pointless for a nine/ten year old. Tbh my girl didn't need it at that point either for calls and it's only now as she goes into high school that she needs the phone side of it.

 

[xprincessx]

I'm not sure

I always said I wouldn't let my children have any kind of technology like iPad/iPhone etc until they were a teenager but Callum now has a tablet (Samsung one so close enough to an iPad!). I think it would depend on how mature I felt they were at that age. I probably would at 11 because of going up to secondary school and 9 isn't all that different.

 

[SarahBear]

I wouldn't knowingly give my child unsupervised access to the internet at that age. Internet safety as well as conversations about what they might come across online need to be discussed and that includes conversations about porn.

 

[sabby52]

Thanks everyone. He wants an iphone because a few of his friends have recently got phones and his cousin has moved to England and he likes to phone her. He is well aware of internet safety and has been for a few years now, I would never let either of my boys (one of them being almost 19) have access to the net without having a safety talk with them, my son fully understands what he can and cant use the internet for plus all devices he uses has parental restrictions on them

I have to admit I am a bit of a soft touch and the more he says he wants one the more I feel myself giving in.

 

[LoraLoo]

My eldest has had once since 12 but my now 12 year old just has a cheap phone- 1, because I need to keep tabs on him if he is at a friends and 2, I don't trust him with an iPhone yet, he loses and breaks everything.
I'll maybe consider one next year.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

No, the amount of issues caused by phones is sky high. Is much easier to hold out longer x

 

[CaptainMummy]

Definitely not. An ipad is more than sufficient and I really dont think a 9yr old needs to be able to call/text so it seems silly to me. It would be easily lost when out playing so I definitely wouldn't.

Once at high school then yes, I would consider it, but even then (at 12 for my girls) I dont think if I would buy something as expensive as an iphone

 

[suzib76]

Yes.

They already have iPad/iPod so apps are compatible. No point buying a brick phone that does only calls and texts because they will hardly use it. An iPhone costs more obviously but it also gives you so much more.

Leah and Jack were both 11 when they got their first iPhones. Prior to that jack had a Samsung Galaxy min that cost £100 and he barely looked at the thing, as soon as he got an iPhone it was permanently with him and that's what I got him it for, so I could contact him. Apple after care is a massive plus as well. I have never insured a phone but when Leah dropped her iPhone 6 I took it to the Apple Store for a new screen and it was only £79 (even the phone stalls in town charge £50/£60 and it's not legit Apple glass). Jack preferred the 5 over the 6 as the 5 is more sturdy. It broke a few weeks ago and Argos were selling the 5S for £250ish now the 5SE is out so I just replaced it for him.

100% I would go for an iPhone. So what if he is a kid? People seem to be very anti technology where kids are concerned. It's their future, I embrace it for mine.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I am not anti technology, but I think unless they need to go out alone and call you then they only need a tablet.

At our school secondary meeting the head said SO many issues caused by mobiles and social media,that parents expect schools to intervene in.

I would also buy android!

 

[suzib76]

I am not anti technology, but I think unless they need to go out alone and call you then they only need a tablet.

At our school secondary meeting the head said SO many issues caused by mobiles and social media,that parents expect schools to intervene in.

I would also buy android!

What issues ?


Parents have ridiculous expectations sometimes and think school should intervene in Many things that are simply PARENTING issues.

It's not unusual for primary parents to be 'telling the teacher' if their child won't eat/sleep/play nicely with the dog, and expect said teacher to have a word with the child. The mobile phone with secondary pupils is just an extension of that. PARENTS should be responsible for teaching their children about safety and whatnot concerning all aspects of owning a mobile phone. However with the internet being such a HUGE thing now I do think it's reasonable to schools to teach Internet safety as well. Any other intervention is down to parents not bothering their arses basically.

 

[sabby52]

Thanks everyone, I am going to make up a list of the pros and cons and take it from there

Dec does go out alone, he plays in the 3 streets around our area and sometimes I find myself txting all the mummies to find out where he is so in that way a phone would be good but again not 100% sure about an iphone or just a wee cheap one

 

[malia]

I wouldn't knowingly give my child unsupervised access to the internet at that age. Internet safety as well as conversations about what they might come across online need to be discussed and that includes conversations about porn.

I agree with this.
I'm a teacher and the statistics on what children have seen and accessed on their phones at age 8/9 are horrific. We receive regular training from childline, who for example have many children as young as 8 calling them to ask whether or not they should be giving their boyfriend a blow job like the ones they have seen on the Internet. They are also more susceptible to cyber bullying and the like.

A child of that age is not missing out in any way by not having an iPhone. It is totally unnecessary.

I think technology is wonderful and actually feel that schools should be putting the technological expertise of children to better use. However, when a child already has an ipad, there is surely nothing more for him to gain from having an iPhone.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Yes they are parenting issues, but more and more parents put pressure on the school to sort out these 'outside' bullying issues. I just think 9 is too young personally.

 

[Zephram]

I guess everyone giving their kids iPhones have a lot more money than we do as that is one heck of an expensive piece of equipment to be giving to a child! I absolutely would not buy a 9 year old an iPhone. I'm aghast at the idea of it!

I can possibly see the case of having a cheap mobile they could take out with them if they needed to on occasion but definitely not a smart phone and definitely not something worth over NZ$1200!!

I also agree that a kid that age should not have unfettered access to the Internet. Absolutely not.

 

[sabby52]

I did state previously that all my sons devices are restricted, when he is online he is supervised, if he had a phone he wouldnt have access to the net while outside, he would only have wi-fi as the phone would be part of my contract and the data would be restricted. His school are big on internet safety and my son has also taken part in a stay safe progamme which is run within his school so he is well aware of safety online and off.

As for the money aspect it would be a birthday or christmas present, plus he wouldnt be getting an iphone 6 he would be getting an older one which would be alot cheaper

 

[Tasha]

Yeah my son got an iPhone 5 for £99 last Christmas. So it doesn't have to cost the earth.

My children also don't have access to the Internet outside of home and then restrictions at home plus I can and do check regularly.

My daughter's school has actually banned phones being brought into school, even off in the bag.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I just think a huge difference between a 9yr old primary school child, and an 11yr old secondary school child.

 

[Tasha]

I agree with that Midnight. There's a huge transition during that period, isn't there?

I'm not scared of technology at all. My youngest girl had a tablet at about three or four, my oldest girl got an iPad for her sixth birthday. So it really isn't being worried about technology it's just that they're still very young but especially if they have a tablet already and having learned from experience it's just not needed until secondary school. My daughter used hers purely as a tablet until now.

Would you worry about someone thinking they can take his phone if they see him with it on the street? I imagine crime is lower there than here Sabby but still an issue.