Mobile phone dilema for son?

Andypandyboy

ViolaLass wrote: »

Parental choice. It's clearly worked OK so far.

The child is only 11, you have a long way to go........

nimbo

My question here is - won't be get in trouble for having a phone at school?

My nieces and nephews have phones for a similar age- however are made to relinquish them before going to school so they do not get detentions for getting them out on the Premesis.

I do think being able to text friends of an evening will enable him to socialise in a way considered essential by children today though.

ViolaLass

Andypandyboy wrote: »

The child is only 11, you have a long way to go........

1. I said 'so far'.
2. The kid will only get older!

My point was it's up to the parent to decide and telling them that it's a silly decision after they've done it and when they weren't asking for your opinion is rude and pointless.

onlyroz

My son is 10 and I've just given him my old iPhone. I unlocked it and got him a Three PAYG sim (which is about the cheapest deal going at the moment 3p calls, 2p texts and 1p per MB data). Once he starts secondary school in September I want him to have more freedom about where he goes but I also want to be able to know where he is (the Find Friends feature on iPhones is particularly useful for this). I've told him that I'll pay up to £5 a month for the phone and he's been sensible with it so far.

saveallmymoney

I have 3 kids around that age.

Nearly all 11 year olds will have a mobile phone, I think mostly though just hand-me-downs from parents old ones. It would be unusual to be bought a smartphone at that age.

As well as texting their friends they also use it to let me know if they are going to be late, phone me when they have forgotten their PE kit and use the alarm to remind them of things.

The school have strict rules they can't use them and they must stay in their bag all day.

(I also track my kids via the find-my-friends function, and i would second three payg as being good and cheap!)

redpete

ViolaLass wrote: »

My point was it's up to the parent to decide and telling them that it's a silly decision after they've done it and when they weren't asking for your opinion is rude and pointless.

Quite reasonable to state your opinion that there is no need (even that it is silly) for a child that age to have the latest iPhone, if nothing else to rebalance any impression that it is 'normal' for kids to have such devices.

Alikay

I'd say he does need one from a social if not practical point of view. His friends will be texting and What's Apping each other, and without a phone he won't be part of it. My children are all in their 20's and had mobile phones when they started senior school.

Doesn't mean you have to simply give him one, or pay for a contract on it though: Mine saved Christmas/birthday/pocket money towards their phones and had some PAYG credit (£5 a month IIRC) towards it as part of pocket money. They became pretty resourceful at finding free and discounted credit and text bundles, and looked after their phones pretty well too.

Money_maker

Yes, one would be handy but doubt if he 'needs' it. My boys had to switch theirs off in school lesson time which worked fine.

Sorry but I can't get my head around a parent giving an 11 year old an Iphone 6 - I know its personal choice but apart from not being very :money:it will make him a target to everyone. Really weird.

DrivingMissDaisy

When my nephew started secondary school, my sister bought him a cheap android phone + £5/month Virgin SIM. It's all part of growing up. It's definitely proved useful him having a phone, especially to coordinate pickups. I sometimes pick him up from school and it's easier to let him know where to meet up to avoid the traffic, etc.

I believe in his school, as long as they switch off the phone it's fine. Many kids of his age carry a mobile phone.

pigpen

a 5 year old in my daughters class takes a phone in every day! .. 5!!! just WTAF!!???

11.. no they don't NEED one.. does anyone actually NEED one??

most of the other children will have one.. Tesco do some really good deals.. as do EE but you cant cap their contracts.

PAYG is a very expensive way to provide it.. the calls are so much more expensive and the WIFI thing eats that money (most phone updates turn it on automatically.. by admission from the Orange customer services!)

Cheapest phone on the cheapest contract.. better still and old phone with a sim only contract shoudn't be more than £5-£7 a month.

If teacher SEE a phone they confiscate it here and you pick it up from the office at the end of the bag.. they bag and tag them as they have so many!

Camera phones are banned.. totally!! Breach of school confidentiality of some such tosh.

tbh.. until they ASK for one I wouldnt bother.. still waiting for my 17 y/o to ask.