At what age do you buy your kids a mobile?

enemes

Hi

A straw poll really ...

My 9 year old wants a mobile phone. For the life of me, I can't imagine why a nine year old would need one. "Some of my pals have one ...", is the usual garb!

His mum and I are seperated. He lives with me, but his mum wants him to have a mobile, though I know that her motives are different.

The big question is ...

Am I being unreasonable, or out of date even, in not wanting my kid to have his first phone at this age ( he's nearly ten)?

Thanks for your thought ....

mountainchrisriver

No....................

gillianandterry

My son first asked me for a phone for Xmas (he was age 9) and i said no ( was thinking someone mite take it of him or would lose it )he was 2 young so Christmas came and went and he had some money left over and he asked if he could buy one on thinking he would prob look after it as its from his own money and yes its a year old and its still like new and hes only ever phone me to say were he is witch is a good thing as well and i only phoned him to say his dinner was ready or to see were he was playing

DianeM

No, you are just being a parent. They have a canny phone for a tenner in carphone warehouse but you have to add ten pounds credit.
D.

hopeless_case_2

Well lots of kids do have them mine is 9 hasonebut does not use it alot.however just buy them a second hand one what harm is it tell them they must pay for own credit.Cant be any worse than the toys they get each year that they dont play with.Or do younot want to get him one because his mam wants him to have one? Sorry!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Hey i never got my first mobile till i was 15 (im only 22 now:D ) and that was only because i had to make a 1 and a half hour bus journey to school everyday and i sometimes stayed after school for sports and art classes so sometimes not actually getting in til almost 8pm.

But saying that where i live now i know of 7 year olds with mobiles:eek: . What they need to talk about i have no idea, and who funds their credit baffles me even more because i wouldnt pay for a 7 year old to chat to their mates all eve, espesh when they all live around the corner from one another:rolleyes: .

How i see it is find out what is it going to be used for, general chit chat to mates or for safety so that you can get hold of him when he is out and vice versa? You know if going to the park or something with freinds. If its general chit chat - well then does he get pocket money because in my eyes if he wants it so bad thats how he should fund it. Have a chat with him and see. If he wants it that bad and agrees to fund it through his allowance well then its not too much harm i suppose. Mobile phones are usually just another expensive novelty at this age.

My god, i am waiting the day when my little girl turns 9 and asks for a fake tan or highlights....... _pale_
:eek: My jaw will hit the floor!!! :rotfl:

enemes

hopeless_case wrote: »

.....Or do you not want to get him one because his mam wants him to have one? Sorry!

Nah, its not that. I don't like the idea that she can call him whenever it suits her. They never phone each other any other time, and they visit her every second weekend. I suppose I look upon it as some sort of intrusion into MY life.

I am looking for justification as to why he shouldn't have one at this age. He is never out of my "safety zone", or that of his schools, so what is the need? His wee brother hasn't got one, so how would that make him feel?

I was in my mid thirties before I got one, so perhaps my opinions are a bit jaded.

hopeless_case wrote: »

.....Or do you not want to get him one because his mam wants him to have one? Sorry!

It is more likely the case that she wants him to have one because she knows that I don't want him to have one ... if you get ma gist!

elisebutt65

I got my DS1 his first phone when he started big school - so I could contact him if necessary if he was late home or when walking home in the dark - I put on a tenner last month and he's now down to 9.30.
He is canny though - he rings people and then hangs up so peeps ring him back and use their credit - LOL

Having said though - most of the time he doesn't even remeber to pick it up and only uses it mainly to text me when he's away at his Dad's.

I think 9 is waaay too young - they spend all dy with their mates - why do they need them after school???

Unless his mum wants him to have one so he can call her in private???

::OMG::

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

My god, i am waiting the day when my little girl turns 9 and asks for a fake tan or highlights....... _pale_
:eek: My jaw will hit the floor!!! :rotfl:

It will hit the floor when she asks for a REAL tan!! :rotfl:

BTW ... Nine, going on ten ... no way, far too young. Is his mum going to pay for the credit? If so, you can run it dry every time. Mmmmm ... sounds like one real insecure parent there ( mum, I mean).

There is nothing wrong in the way you are feeling, ur just parenting!! Bomb the idea right out of the water before your DS knows about it. Good Luck xx

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

enemes wrote: »

Nah, its not that. I don't like the idea that she can call him whenever it suits her. They never phone each other any other time, and they visit her every second weekend. I suppose I look upon it as some sort of intrusion into MY life.

It is more likely the case that she wants him to have one because she knows that I don't want him to have one ... if you get ma gist!

I say sod bringing his mum anywhere into this - he should have the choice when to speak to her or not. I remember i wasnt allowed to call my dad but at a certain time once a week, this made me turn a little sour, and yep at the age of 9 - 10. If she is doing it on her own terms and not speaking to him at any other times than that suits her then he will realise this, kids arent silly!

i think if he can fund it with pocket money then maybe think of it as a treat for him, let him go and choose one of the cheaper ones, it will only set you back about £20. Dont let him fool you into the all of my friends have one though because i used to say this if i wanted something and one or none of my friends had it, i was a cheeky little lady see - but it didnt always get me my way, i had to work for my pocket money so it meant more if i could get something i really wanted.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

TBH loadsa factors come into this really - if he never leaves the house without an adult (we lived on an estate so all us kids used to play out together from about 7yrs old and go swimming and to parks and stuff at about 10 - all without an adult and as long as we stayed together) then there is prob not much use for it!

Anyway, honestly i think you have made up your mind, you are his daddy so i think you know whats best for him! Good luck! x

:xmassign: