Mobile phone at aged 9?

Abbafan1972

mazza111 wrote: »

As for FB. Please, please please keep very tight controls on it. You can get messages from people who aren't your friends on it.

Yes, I do. Like I said, they are always monitored when on it and I log in to their accounts regularly, so I can see anything suspicious on there.

[/QUOTE
Am I the only person slightly shocked at the idea of leaving an 8yr old to lock up? You say 6 years ago like times have changed a lot since then but my sons are 20 & 17 and there's no way they would have been left to do that ( and they were also bright sensible kids)[/QUOTE]

Yes me! My kids are 8 & 10 and there's no way I would let either of them "lock up". I do work, but on my work days, we all leave the house together and they go to the breakfast club at school. I used to lock up at my parent's house, as both my parents worked, but that wasn't until I was at secondary school and I used to have to spend school holidays on my own, whilst my parents were at work (I'm an only child), but only because I was sensible enough to do so.

(Sorry if this post looks funny, but I don't know how to multiquote properly!)

peachyprice

Abbafan1972 wrote: »

Me personally I think at that age, she is way too young to have a mobile and I can't even think what use it would have. My kids, aged 8 & 10 don't go out on their own, they have a lot of their school friends on Facebook, so would use the chat facility to talk to them, rather than pay for phone credit etc.

Fine, when they are older and start going out with friends, they would need a means to keep in touch, so I know they're safe.

What do you all think?

You think mobiles at that age are a bad thing but let your young children loose on Facebook?

Sorry, I'd much rather my 10yo DD was texting her friends than using a site for children aged 13. The place is a breeding ground for trouble.

Your priorities seem a bit skewed to me, I'd rather pay £5 a month for 250 text than have her anywhere near FB.

Spendless

Last year my then 8yo DD begged us for a phone. We told her she didn't need one. She doesn't go to and from school unaccompanied and she is only allowed between 2 diff points on our street and not even from one end to the other. She said she'd keep her bedroom tidy if we'd get her one. Not believing she would manage this we said ok. She kept her bedroom tidy!!! So, we went out and bought her one for £10. She took it out with her, climbed a nearby tree and got stuck!! She rang DH's phone for help, but he was on a call. She forgot to hang up, so when DH finished his call he found a left message, she'd forgotten to hang up, so we heard her call out to her brother and mate who were passing to get her. After that she was never bothered about using the phone again - nor has she climbed any trees.

minimoneysaver

My daughter has a phone, she's six. She used to have one of those Kiddizoom camera and I got fed up of carrying it around. We use her phone to hold all of her stories, which she can listen to in the car etc, and she can use the camera to take photographs when she wants to. It works well for us. I'm on my own with her and she likes her contact with her uncle (my brother) and sends the odd picture of the dog to my parents. She is totally responsible for it and to date always knows where it is. She only has 5 numbers in it (all close family) and knows she is only allowed to text after asking me first. When she starts going off to friends houses etc, she'll be comfortable using a phone and it won't be a novelty for her. But as I said, the main purpose of the phone is a media player for her stories and a camera.

dizziblonde

I taught a 5 year old once who got one for his birthday. Then at parents evening I found out from mum that he'd use it to lie in bed and ring the house phone to find out if his breakfast was ready!

Judge how you see fit on that one!

Ionkontrol

Child abuse

ilikewatch

My niece (10) and nephew (8) have a phone which they share - they have a 2 mile bike ride to school, and the phone is mainly so they can contact someone if they get a puncture etc - other than this the phone is only used for playing games. They have an Android smartphone with some sort of GPS tracking app so that if they have a problem and can't explain exactly where they are they can still be found!
When my niece goes up to "big school" next year they will each get there own phone as they will be cycling some of the way to school on their own.

meer53

My daughter is 11 and has had a phone since she was 8. I don't allow her access to Facebook, i don't understand why you question the mobile phone but allow Facebook access !

Jo84_2

I don't think there is any need for children to have a mobile phone until they are leaving the house on their own (to meet friends ect)

I remember asking my mum for one when I was 12 (this was 14 years ago and they were fairly new to us) and my mum told me if I wanted one I can have one when I've got a job and can afford it myself.

So I got a milk round at 13, saved my money (£15) a week, and bought one after a few weeks of saving. And every week would top up by money I saved from my milk round.

Taught me from an early age the value of money and I felt so proud to have something to show for my 'hard' work.

pulliptears

Ionkontrol wrote: »

Child abuse

You really have no clue do you? You are likening owning a mobile at a young age to horrific sexual and violent treatment of children.

You sir are an idiot.