Children, mobile phones and parental differences.

butterflylady131

My step daughter has one, so we can ring her during the times when she isn't with us (she lives wth her mum), and she is 10. I keep a very tight hold on how much I put on the phone as regards top ups, and I also check her call logs online and on the phone as often as I think I need to, usually weekly. Her mum is atrocious with her own phone (often not answering to us when we ring, or it being switched off when we have arranged to ring and speak to Step D), and she has admitted before that they unplug the landline so they don't get interrupted, so it makes contact with her quite difficult, that added to the fact that she is a control freak! Daughter is also getting to the age where she likes to be in contact with her friends, and it has been nice for her to ring them and arrange to meet in the last few weeks of summer hols.

rosalie-lavender

Mine all got their first mobile phone at 11 when they started secondary school. They have to bus there on their own on an unreliable bus service. I saw no need for them to have a phone any sooner.

webitha

my 10 year old DS has one, but thats so i can get in touch with him when hes out, either at a friends or out on his bike, which is where is now, i swear to goddness that that boy cant remember to walk, as his bike is permanently attached to him lol

miserly_mum

I wish mobiles were about when my older kids (now 20,19 and 18) were younger. The time that was wasted looking for them whenever we needed to round them up to go out or whatever was immense)

There was always one of them clocking in a neighbours house playing games and totally oblivious to the time. A quick phone call or text to come home would have made things so much easier

mini

Just wanted to say I agree with you, I couldn't believe my first use of an iphone belonged to my daughters friend (age 8) Mine know they get them when they are 10, more as they prepare for the independence of high school, top up is £10 a month but withdrawn for spending £4 on a phonecall(!!!) or bad behaviour/ rudeness. I hate that everyone has one.... everyone doesn't have one, just seems like it

longforthesun

Have to admit my DD has one and she is 7. It is not an expensive one and is only toped up every now and then. She mainly uses it to take photos and play games on it and sometimes texts her friend and her grandparents cant see the harm in that. However she is not allowed to take it to school there is no need for that.

peachyprice

longforthesun wrote: »

Have to admit my DD has one and she is 7. It is not an expensive one and is only toped up every now and then. She mainly uses it to take photos and play games on it and sometimes texts her friend and her grandparents cant see the harm in that. However she is not allowed to take it to school there is no need for that.

My DD is the same, we got her a cheap £20 pink one for her 8th birthday, mainly because my mum lives in Australia and texting it's the cheapest and most convenient way for my DD to keep in touch with her.

She's away for the week now with her other grand parent, and she can text me at bedtime and send me pics of what she's been doing.

I can see no harm in that at all. It's only another method of communication when we were away with GP's when we were kids we'd have to go to the phone box to call home.

jack*tigger

My DS is 9 and has had a cheap phone for a little over a year. We have never topped it up and he very rarely uses it. I do make him take it with him when he plays out. He can then go further than shouting distance and I can call him in when dinner is ready.

Marcheline

jacqhale wrote: »

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.

Are you serious? At three?? That is utter madness.

Edited to say: I know your son doesn't have one, just realised the tone of my post was accusatory!! Just can't believe that anyone would think that was appropriate for a 3 year old.

bestpud

peachyprice wrote: »

My DD is the same, we got her a cheap £20 pink one for her 8th birthday,

What make and model is that, if you don't mind me asking? I thought you had to pay quite a bit to be able to send picture messages.

As for the question, I think primary aged children are too young, generally speaking.

My older two were 11 when they first had one.

However, now DH and I have separated, I have been thinking about one for dd(7) so she can keep in touch with her dad, instead of going through me all the time. It would be great if she could send the odd picture as well but I don't want to spend a fortune on it.

She hasn't really asked for one, except for the odd mention, and none of her friends are into them yet, so she'd have no one to call but her dad.

I wouldn't trust her to take it out playing - she has enough problems remembering things like shoes, let alone a mobile phone! :rolleyes: And I have never really had a problem locating them as they were told when to be back and knew not to be late (dd2 has just started playing out and she is the same), but I guess in an emergency one may come in useful...

I'm thinking aloud now, but basically I'm saying I agree with you in principle !

The other thing I have never done is pay for my childrens' phones - they top them up themselves and I cannot understand parents taking out contracts and then wondering why they have a huge bill!