Would you let an 8yr old have a PAYG Phone?

raven83

My oldest DD who is almost 10 has a PAYG phone. Only reason she has it is because her Nanny got a new phone and gave DD her old one, I said I didn't mind as long as I am not the one who has to top it up but her nan sticks £10 on it every month for her. My DD does text her grandparents quite a bit and sometimes texts me, also I have very recently started to let her go to the shops on her own and only if she takes her phone with her. My other DD who is 8 wants a phone but I am not going to let her have one till she is the same age as her older sister.

My youngest DD6 had a birthday this month and had a few friends over, all had phones with them!!! And one had an Iphone, I just find it too much too young, this 6 year old has a better phone than I do!!!!!

It is up to you what you decide, I think there is a lot of pressure on young children to have phones from early on, but really what is the real need for them. When they start going out on their own then yes I think a phone is a good thing to have, but not really before IMO.

1940sGal

I can understand why parents might want their children to have phones, so that they can contact them and make sure they're safe, but I still wouldn't give one to an 8 year old.

I wonder if parents give in to demands for such things simply because it's 'cool' to have one and kids might be teased if they don't, but that's not a good enough reason for me.

Personally I would let other parents think what they want. Besides which is an 8 year old mature enough to understand the costs of such things? If you put £10 credit on her phone, could you trust her not to blow it in a day? It's easy to do and if she did only for you to top it up each time, you could be getting yourself on to a slippery slope.

dogcat_2

No, I wouldn't...too young in my opinion.

grannybroon

My 9 year old grandson has a cast-off PAYG mobile phone. It is only used when he goes out to play so either he can phone home or his parents can phone him. It is used purely as a safety back-up. I think the only phone numbers he has saved on the phone are close family ones.

raven83

I think a lot of is also status thing so they can say "My 6 year old has an Iphone" Makes people feel like they are better than someone that has a cheap £10 phone.

19lottie82

An 8 year old doesn’t “need” a mobile so it’s easy for everyone to say “no” BUT at the end of the day, if the majority of her friends have one (which they prob do tbh), then it could be hard to refuse if you don’t want her to feel left out.

I agree that kids these days are becoming too involved with modern technology (laptops, mobile phones, games consoles) but that’s the reality of living in 2012, I’m afraid!

I personally think 8 is a little too young, especially if they never go out and about alone without adult supervision, BUT I’m not saying if I had a LO I would definitely say no.

Are there any other parents that you could speak to, to see what their viewpoints / experiences are?

grannybroon

1940sGal wrote: »

I can understand why parents might want their children to have phones, so that they can contact them and make sure they're safe, but I still wouldn't give one to an 8 year old.

I wonder if parents give in to demands for such things simply because it's 'cool' to have one and kids might be teased if they don't, but that's not a good enough reason for me.

Personally I would let other parents think what they want. Besides which is an 8 year old mature enough to understand the costs of such things? If you put £10 credit on her phone, could you trust her not to blow it in a day? It's easy to do and if she did only for you to top it up each time, you could be getting yourself on to a slippery slope.

I would say that if she blew £10 in one day then she would need to wait for a further top up!

mazza111

Think I'm against the grain here too. My kids had them from a young age. Mainly because they were going to places without me. Karate, diving lessons etc. Where they got the bus home. They only used it to let me know they were at one bus stop so I could go to the other bus stop to meet them. Have to admit, the older one was about 12 then though.

Great for keeping in touch if they have to go somewhere, but the kids usually spend more time playing games on them than using them to call or text

1940sGal

raven83 wrote: »

I think a lot of is also status thing so they can say "My 6 year old has an Iphone" Makes people feel like they are better than someone that has a cheap £10 phone.

My 11 year old cousin has just been bought a Blackberry. Her parents have admitted to struggling financially but they still feel the need to buy her a BB. It's ridiculous

Limana68

I agree with the majority and think its too young. My just turned 9 yr old has just got ipod touch for her b day, and wont be getting a phone till she starts secondary school, it was same with her older brother.