What age is appropriate to buy LO a cellphone?

[venusrockstar]

We have phones here where you can program certain numbers into the phone and that's the only people the child can call on it. I would feel safer knowing my child could contact me wherever they are in case of an emergency. I wouldn't buy a top of the line expensive phone, just something that can make emergency calls.

I think when the child starts going out places without you is a good time for them to have a phone.

 

[aragornlover8]

I think I'll give her one of those "parent" phones that allows her to make calls to specific places but no others, so she can let me know where she is and also have something to use in case of an emergency. Otherwise, I don't think we'll be officially adding her to our plan until she gets to high school.

 

[Natsku]

I'd get her one as soon as she starts going places by herself, so about 7/8 years old. Its pretty common for small children to have phones here so I wouldn't want her to feel left out either.

 

[tu123]

She can have one when she is mature enough. and it will be a cheapy.

She can have an Internet phone when she has saved up for one.

6 is too young for me. And if she was to be away from me and somewhere else at that age she wold be with a responsible adult who has a phone.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I'm honestly not bothered if my son feels left out or not. He will get a cell phone (mobile) when he gets to high school (13-14 years old in the USA). That's when I got my first phone. I don't agree with kids having these high end phones. There are lots of schools that are banning them and they get confiscated if used at inappropriate times. I remember when cell phones were just starting to become the norm for teens and the amount of kids that used them during school was unreal! Another rant, but same with a TV in his room. Not until high school and if I find out he's watching it instead of doing homework first, out it will go! I don't think that's unreasonable, imo.

 

[purpleblond]

My daughter had one when she was 7 so she could have contact with her dad (we don't get on), she goes away with him during the school holidays therefore I could contact her and vise versa. It was only a cheap pay as you go phone and it has never gone to school with her. Now she is a bit older (10) and she is starting to go a bit further from home by herself she can take it with her but she is fully aware its not for show/bragging purposes in front of her friends (it also still doesn't go to school or school trips etc) If a child and the parent are sensible and restrictions are placed I don't see the harm, she won't be having a top of the range phone until she goes out to work and pays for it herself.

 

[emsiee]

I dont see anything wrong with a 12/13 yr old having a high end phone tbh. If they are old enough and mature enough to understand what money is and the dangers of the net, then there really isnt a problem here.

 

[mixedmama]

I wouldn't get Ava a phone until she starts seconday school ('high school') and that's at the age of 11. Personally, I don't expect her to go out many places without me or a supervised adult before that age anyway, but things could always change in 10 years time!

 

[AP]

My sister got one at 7. Not that i thought it was a good idea. All she did was text me pointless things. Needless to say she doesnt use it now

Eg. One text said "phone me quick"
I panicked and phoned her, only for her to say " Did you see Lady Gaga (on TV)?"
bang goes my credit, and hers....

 

[charlotte-xo]

Ill probably let alfie have one when he goes out to play with friends by himself so about 11-12ish years old.

 

[PepsiChic]

I dont see anything wrong with a 12/13 yr old having a high end phone tbh. If they are old enough and mature enough to understand what money is and the dangers of the net, then there really isnt a problem here.

it doesnt matter if they are aware of the dangers on the internet they will still go on it, and still look up porn, and dead bodies, and boobs and penises and enter inappropriate chat rooms.

my son will only be able to access the internet at our house till hes much older o that i can monitor him. i cant monitor his internet phone and the perverted people he might start talking to.

and at 12 no they dont understand the concept of money like we do.

 

[sequeena]

I had a mobile at 11 and didn't use it. I was about 15/16 when I finally started using one.

I would probably say 13 is a good age.

 

[dom85]

It's a tough one because I can't really look back and say, well Mum and Dad let me have one at 14 so Brady can have one then because there weren't really pay as you go mobiles until I was 14 anyway (good old Nokia 3210).

I think it would have to be secondary school for him to have his own one, I might consider getting a spare pay as you go phone just in case he does go on a school trip and want to phone home.

Those phones that only call certain numbers sound like a great idea, does anyone know if you can get them here?

 

[Seity]

Never. My LO can buy his own cell phone when he can afford one.

 

[emsiee]

I dont see anything wrong with a 12/13 yr old having a high end phone tbh. If they are old enough and mature enough to understand what money is and the dangers of the net, then there really isnt a problem here.

it doesnt matter if they are aware of the dangers on the internet they will still go on it, and still look up porn, and dead bodies, and boobs and penises and enter inappropriate chat rooms.

my son will only be able to access the internet at our house till hes much older o that i can monitor him. i cant monitor his internet phone and the perverted people he might start talking to.

and at 12 no they dont understand the concept of money like we do.

I DO monitor his internet usage....If I thought for 1 minute, he would access things like porn, dead bodies now etc...theres no way I would have let him have one. All hes interested in is computer games and messaging his friends via the chat facility.

Yes, they will eventually access porn and stuff, thats just something you have to live with as they get older, but Im not saying its going to be acceptable in this house, because it isnt, and as soon as I find things like this, I will take his phone off him.


At 12, no they dont understand the concept of money like WE do, of course they dont, but I do feel he is old enough to understand enough, and to pay for his own things which he does.

 

[cleckner04]

I am amazed at the amount of people that had cell phones themselves at such young ages. I didn't have one until I was out of the house and married. I may change my mind as the years go by but right now I think I'd wait until Emma is 16 and has her drivers license so she can call for help if she gets in an accident or has car trouble, etc.

 

[Mya209]

I think it's a good lesson for kids to not have the 'fashionable' things. Mobile phones will be a status thing no matter what. I agree with them for trips, but I'd also put a wrist band on them with my phone number incase they got lost and teach them to talk to a lady with children for help if they got lost. Just like I was taught. I never had a phone when I was 6 and i survived.
I wouldn't let my child have something just because their friends have it! Id rather they learned to be proud to be different rather thwn following their friends and understood the value of earning things themselves.

 

[JASMAK]

My 12 year old niece has one. She is in grade 7. My sister never really considered it until high school (grade 8 here) but her daughter swims and went away with another family and she had no contact with her for three days!!! My sister was quite upset about it all. Turns out, she uses the phone alot. Where are you? Can you grab your sister after school? etc. I think rather than age, need should be considered. I have a six year old daughter, and personally, I cannot see WHY a 6 year old should even be using a phone...never mind a cell phone!

 

[aliss]

When I was a kid, I knew all my friend's phone numbers by heart. "Hi! Is "X" home!!? Yes, but she's eating her dinner, she'll call you back later" (the mom).

Will our kids ever do that?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Yeah, I remember my best friends number by heart to this day, but I don't know my DH's mobile