What age is appropriate to buy LO a cellphone?

[aliss]

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

LOL me too!!! but only her home phone!!! And I remember her dad had a CAR PHONE because he was a real estate agent and it cost him like $3/min We all thouht it was amazing

 

[Ozzieshunni]

OMG, those huge things from the 80s/early 90s?

 

[emsiee]

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?

Good point!

Nowadays, I dont think anyone knows anyones mobile phone number by heart!

 

[aliss]

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ja51IYJlbws/TAabcEdesLI/AAAAAAAAHDw/M8UMqkoiT4g/s400/screenshot20871.jpg

 

[LesleyP]

I'll be getting LO a mobile phone when she starts secondary school and no earlier.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ja51IYJlbws/TAabcEdesLI/AAAAAAAAHDw/M8UMqkoiT4g/s400/screenshot20871.jpg

Epic

 

[I_AM_LIVID]

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.

I know exactly what you mean. When I went to visit my namesake at Helsinki in 2003, I was shocked to find that her 7-year-old daughter Silja had a very nice looking mobile phone, especially since I only got a cellphone, Nokia 3310, at the age of 17.

Anyway, I asked my namesake why her daughter had a phone at such a young age and she told me that all her friends had phones as well and she bought one to keep in touch because Silja often went to the cinema with her friends and had swimming, piano and drama classes after school. She said some of these activities ended earlier than scheduled and the phone was used to call her mum and let her know she needed picking up or if she got on the bus with her friends, would inform her mum so that she could wait for her at the bus stop.

 

[lozzy21]

Niamh wont be getting one before 11/12. The school trip thing, you wont have one adult to 30 kids, In the UK you have a set ratio and you need atleast 2 adults incase of emergancys and even they i dont think children should have phones in school anway.

If you child is going to school choirs, swimming lesons ect then the adults teaching them have a duty of care for your children and if it does finish early then they should be the ones making the phone call to say they need picking up early.

 

[I_AM_LIVID]

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?

My mum was the worst. We had two phones with the same number, one in my parent’s bedroom and the other in the living room. When someone called, I would have to yell ‘I got it’ so that my mum didn’t eavesdrop on my conversation.

I remember when I was 13, this guy I had a huge crush on called my house. I picked up the phone the same time my mum did and this is how the conversation went between my crush and mum:

Heartthrob: Hello? I want to talk to Merja
Embarrassing mother: You want? Have you no manner? What about ‘may I’ and ‘please’? Listen here, I don’t know who you are, but let’s get something straight. This is MY phone. You don’t get to make demands…
Me: Muuuuummmmm…..
Heartthrob: I’m… very sorry ma’am. May I please talk to Merja
Embarrassing mother: Merja, you have 5 minutes. I’m on call and expect the line to be clear in case the hospital calls

I died. I ever had the guts to look at the cuttie in the eye again and he of course never called me again.

 

[aliss]

It's funny now but I'm pretty sure you thought your life was completely over at the time

 

[m_t_rose]

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.

I still don't have a cell phone and I never will. LO wont be having one until he is driving and even then it will be a family cell that he is only allowed to use in the car in-case of car trouble or if he buys one himself. IMO cell phones make parents more paranoid because you freak out the minute you call and can't get a hold of the child. Also if your worried about things like a kidnapping I don't think the child could get the phone out and dial it if the person didn't want them to I would rather my child run away screaming and run up to a house than try to get a cell phone out and dial a number.

 

[I_AM_LIVID]

It's funny now but I'm pretty sure you thought your life was completely over at the time

Of course, I threatened suicide and hosted the biggest 'no one will miss me if I die' pity party.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Totally mortified My dad scared the shit out of one of my brother's friends who called late (my dad used to work 5am-5pm). He told the poor kid that he would skull f*ck him if he ever called that late again. Poor kid was terrified to come over after that for weeks!

 

[I_AM_LIVID]

How embarassing were our parents growing up?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I do feel for the kid. My dad is quite an intimidating figure (he's a retired police officer).

 

[lozzy21]

My mam would randomly pick up the phone and join in the conversation.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

^^^ I love it!

 

[ttc_lolly]

Totally mortified My dad scared the shit out of one of my brother's friends who called late (my dad used to work 5am-5pm). He told the poor kid that he would skull f*ck him if he ever called that late again. Poor kid was terrified to come over after that for weeks!

Does your dad know what to skull f*ck means!?!?!?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Yup

 

[ttc_lolly]

hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! inappropriate, but funny still