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Children, mobile phones and parental differences.
aliasojo
Posts: 23,053 Forumite
I want to make clear that I am not making any comment about parents who give young children mobile phones. That's their choice and completely their own business.
However, my personal opinion for my own children is (and always was) that they do not need a phone at a young age and I don't want them to have one. I think children grow up far too fast as it is and a primary school kid with a phone (unless specifically needed for some reason) is just daft.
My youngest is very unhappy about this as all the girls she plays with, have phones and have done since they were 7 or 8. Naturally she feels the odd one out. I have some sympathy but not enough to compromise my principles.
Today, one of her friends has just offered her (with her parents blessing) her old phone. Can you imagine how much of an absolute baddie I am now saying no thank you? :rolleyes:
Kids in primary school dont have their own money to fund top ups, yet loads of kids have got a phone nonetheless. It's bad enough keeping mine and OH's phone topped up without having to pay for a 9 year old to talk drivel every day to friends she sees every day and who live beside her. :rolleyes:
There should be a law that states no primary age child should be allowed a phone.
/rant off.
However, my personal opinion for my own children is (and always was) that they do not need a phone at a young age and I don't want them to have one. I think children grow up far too fast as it is and a primary school kid with a phone (unless specifically needed for some reason) is just daft.
My youngest is very unhappy about this as all the girls she plays with, have phones and have done since they were 7 or 8. Naturally she feels the odd one out. I have some sympathy but not enough to compromise my principles.
Today, one of her friends has just offered her (with her parents blessing) her old phone. Can you imagine how much of an absolute baddie I am now saying no thank you? :rolleyes:
Kids in primary school dont have their own money to fund top ups, yet loads of kids have got a phone nonetheless. It's bad enough keeping mine and OH's phone topped up without having to pay for a 9 year old to talk drivel every day to friends she sees every day and who live beside her. :rolleyes:
There should be a law that states no primary age child should be allowed a phone.
/rant off.
Herman - MP for all! 
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Comments
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agreed.
Nothing else to add.I heart The Capital
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I want to make clear that I am not making any comment about parents who give young children mobile phones. That's their choice and completely their own business.
However, my personal opinion for my own children is (and always was) that they do not need a phone at a young age and I don't want them to have one. I think children grow up far too fast as it is and a primary school kid with a phone (unless specifically needed for some reason) is just daft.
My youngest is very unhappy about this as all the girls she plays with, have phones and have done since they were 7 or 8. Naturally she feels the odd one out. I have some sympathy but not enough to compromise my principles.
Today, one of her friends has just offered her (with her parents blessing) her old phone. Can you imagine how much of an absolute baddie I am now saying no thank you? :rolleyes:
Kids in primary school dont have their own money to fund top ups, yet loads of kids have got a phone nonetheless. It's bad enough keeping mine and OH's phone topped up without having to pay for a 9 year old to talk drivel every day to friends she sees every day and who live beside her. :rolleyes:
There should be a law that states no primary age child should be allowed a phone.
/rant off.
I must admit i do agree with you! I don't have any children yet but i do wonder why a 7 year would need a mobile phone? To arrange their social life?! I have a younger brother who is 8 and my Mum has said he isn't having a phone until he's a teenager (much to his disgust!) He is never in the situation where he would need a phone though, never goes anywhere without another adult so would seem a complete waste of money to me. I do feel it is down to peer pressure, all his friends have one so he wants one too, why can't they just be children!:heart2: Newborn Thread Member :heart2:
'Children reinvent the world for you.' - Susan Sarandan0 -
So I gather your OH disagrees with you, leaving you to be the baddie parent? :rolleyes:
I totally sympathise. Kids these days have too much stuff and do grow up too fast. I would imagine that it's even worse when you have girls as they are more influenced by fashion / fashionable stuff. (I don't know, I have boys!)
My eldest is only 6 so I guess we have this to look forward to as well. :rolleyes:
Good luck with it, it's not easy being the 'baddie' parent (I know!). 0 -
I want to make clear that I am not making any comment about parents who give young children mobile phones. That's their choice and completely their own business.
However, my personal opinion for my own children is (and always was) that they do not need a phone at a young age and I don't want them to have one. I think children grow up far too fast as it is and a primary school kid with a phone (unless specifically needed for some reason) is just daft.
My youngest is very unhappy about this as all the girls she plays with, have phones and have done since they were 7 or 8. Naturally she feels the odd one out. I have some sympathy but not enough to compromise my principles.
Today, one of her friends has just offered her (with her parents blessing) her old phone. Can you imagine how much of an absolute baddie I am now saying no thank you? :rolleyes:
Kids in primary school dont have their own money to fund top ups, yet loads of kids have got a phone nonetheless. It's bad enough keeping mine and OH's phone topped up without having to pay for a 9 year old to talk drivel every day to friends she sees every day and who live beside her. :rolleyes:
There should be a law that states no primary age child should be allowed a phone.
/rant off.
i agree its stupid and it shows how weak parents are giving into their kids all the time. Who pays the bills the kids dont earn any money! its just pressure.
Poor parents as you say they have to pay all the household bills, food, maybe their phone, a house phone, then the kids phones!:footie:0 -
I taught one little boy who got a phone aged 5 1/2... he used to call his mum on it on a morning from upstairs to see if his breakfast was ready. The mind boggled at that one (it was true - his mum told me it on a parents' evening).
Primary aged kids are freaking obsessed with them for some reason - I got clocked by some I taught coming out of Carphone Warehouse and it was like the Spanish Inquisition about what I was thinking of getting... nah don't get that model it's crap miss etc etc. They've all flipping got better model phones than I have!!!Little miracle born April 2012, 33 weeks gestation and a little toughie!0 -
I agree, DS is only 3 but already most of his friends have tv's and dvd players in their rooms and dvd players in their cars. I don't want this for him!!! I want us to spend family time together, not lock him in his room so we can't talk to him.
It's difficult with the peer pressure though cos while I don't want him to grow up to fast I also don't want him to feel left out or open for bullying - what's the right thing to do
I don't think there is a right thing to do it has to be what's right for you and your kids (easier said than done....)
Maybe talk about an age when you do think it's appropriate to have a phone and see about doing chores or helping out to earn a small amount of credit for 'fun texting' etc and when it's gone it's gone.
Good luck!!0 -
Stepson has used his mobile to text his mum to ask her to bring up a cup of tea before - needless to say he hasn't tried that one at our place as he knows what the answer would be
I think high school is fine, especially when they have to make their own way there, let you know if they will be late etc. Can't see the point of needing it any younger - they could just use the home phone surely?working on clearing the clutterDo I want the stuff or the space?0 -
I'd let her have it but not put any credit in it.
My boys are 12 and 9 and they each have an old phone of mine and OH's that I ring them on if they have to come in for dinner etc. This has worked well for us for the last couple of years as it saves a lot of stress having to ring round the neighbours houses or going to look for them when they are out playing. We also know where they are at all times and they get to flash a mobile from time to time.
Occasionally they put a fiver in them if they get any money but they'd prefer to waste my money on daft texts and prank calls to their mates than waste their own so it doesn't happen often. Also as they are old phones it's not the end of the world if they drop or lose themHow does a brown cow give white milk, when it only eats green grass?0 -
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