What age would you allow your child a mobile phone?

[mum22ttc#3]

As the title says really?

DD1 is 8 at the moment so Im defiently not thinking about it for the near future. Just wanted to see what others think and when you think is an acceptable age?

Personally I was thinking the year she starts secondary, as in the christmas before. I have had others say that she should be allowed one before this though.

 

[FlowerFairy]

My son is 10 week after next and I've said he can have one for his eleventh birthday. He's still too young now and I can't see how he'd have x need for one xx

 

[orange-sox]

I personally had a mobile phone from being in the last year of primary school... this was at a time when virtually nobody had a mobile phone though, it was for safety reasons as I had to make a 20 mile journey home on the bus on my own due to our living situation, and if I missed one of my bus connections I had to call our neighbour to come pick me up (no phonebox for 3 miles each way)!

 

[tina3747]

Our son had one from 10 once he was allowed to go to the park with his friends on his own. I hated him having it but loved the peice of mind that I got !

My husband upgraded it to a contract blackberry, only £10 per month and figurered it was worth getting him amore up to date fashionable phone. Biggest mistake ever as now he's gone from very rarely using it, only to contact us to looking at it all day everyday for bb updates.

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

i had one when i was 11 x

 

[vix1989]

i was 12 when i got my first, the good old nokia 3210 SNAKE!! lol
i bought my brother his for his 9th birthday, because he lives miles away from me and his grandparents.
but id give taylor his about 10 when he goes to 2ndry school

 

[Jemma_x]

I got one for my 10th birthday

 

[~RedLily~]

I got one when I was 10. This badboy
https://911.bg/bigshopbg/pi/si_3794612.jpg

I think it depends on your situation, where you live etc

 

[bumpy_j]

id give him one in primary school if he was going out without me (i.e a school trip if allowed) but would take it away otherwise. id let him have one to keep once he was at secondary school.

i dont see anything wrong with a cheap no frills phone on credit for a child with restricted use - it's a godsend surely due to the safety aspect. kids with iphones paid for by their parents drive me a little mad though

 

[charleosgirl]

When she's old enough to pay for one,lol

 

[Kielee]

My little sister who is 8 has one, her dad rings her on it as he works away and it means him and my mum don't need to talk to each other lol x

 

[alaskagrown]

I got my first phone when I was 17. Before that, it was good old fashion pay phones.

 

[Liesje]

As soon as they want one... Most have GPS which can come in handy... I can't stand little kids who have better phones than me though! LOL
I'd out it on a no contract though.

 

[x__amour]

12/13 or so

 

[dizzydoll]

I agree with old enough to afford it themselves. I hate seeing little kids with phones! I can see the point where it's given for safety in certain situations but
any younger than 14ish doesn't really need a mobile!!!

 

[Laura2919]

I also had one when I was 11 so I would get them one then.

It wouldnt be an iphone or a blackberry though...

 

[AirForceWife7]

I had one at 14 ... so I'd probably say any time after 9 or 10 years of age is when I'd feel comfortable with it. When she begins to become more independent x

 

[samface182]

i was 11. a good old nokia 3310

 

[shortie1990]

I think it's down to situation, rather than age! My oungest sister has had one for ages, she probably got it when she was 8, but was a hand-me-down from when I got a new phone, and of course, she didn't need it, had no one to txt or anything so what's the harm in her having one?? Both me and my oldest sister moved out, she was allowed then to have a Facebook account and my old phone, which yes Facebook she was way to young for, but it was a way of her still being able to talk to us, which in our case I think was fine (people have slated this, but each to their own)

She now goes to horse riding and helps it at the stables at 10 years old, and she rings one of us to come and pick her up, which I think is acceptable, she actually has a contract, because my mums phone broke and it was cheaper to get a cheap contract than buy a new phone out right, yet again, people don't agree with, but it's my mum and dad that pa he bill so when she goes to high school and racks up 100s pounds worth of a bill.. That's what you get for letting a child have a contract, but it was THEIR choice.

So when the need comes for Riley to have a phone, he can have one, but it will be a hand me down from either me or OH, but that doesn't mean he's going to be using it to call or txt any one right away, as he won't have any one to call or txt

 

[shortie1990]

Oh and I was 11 and me and my sister got one to share as we went to london for a week with my nana and aunty