At what age do you buy your kids a mobile?

enemes

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

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:

I have made up my mind, in that I don't think there is any need for a nine/ten year old having a mobile. BUT, and its a big BUT, I know that my opinion doesn't have any say in the outcome. As tomorrow is his birthday, and I will drop them of for a couple of hours after school at their mums, she will give him his present ... and I am reliably informed he's got a Motorola RAZR V3 ... whatever that is ... Duh!
No idea wether its PAYGo or contract, or anything ... all I know is that I don't see why such a young kid needs a phone at all ....

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Hmmmm, sounds bitter - this is a matter that should have been discussed with you first, that is not good! However you may come over as mean if you confiscate it, may this be her intention? Its sounds obvious that things arent even amicable with you both which is never good...personally if this is the case you may have to let him have it and smile while gritting your teeth, but i would have a private word with her espesh as you are the main carer and tell her you dont agree with things like this happening and that it must be passed by you first in future!

Sorry enemes, doesnt sound good!

If it is not Pay As u go, then i would make it clear that you will not fund it. if it is then tell him he needs to save his pocket money to top it up... sorry i wish i could make it all better for you

james-73

one note, please think of the health issues when giving children mobile phones. do a little research to clarify.

use speakerphone where possible etc.

br

LouBlue

My niece and nephew didn't get one til they were about 12 I think...when they had been at secondary school for a bit.

enemes

thanks for your worthy opinions. I kinda get the gist that it is too young at ten years of age. As LouBlue points out, I agree that the start of High School as a good rule of thumb.

Keep them coming ...

::OMG::

Many issues raised here. Again, I still feel that ten is waaaaay too young ... but the point raised earlier about the health issues are also not to be dismissed. Until we understand more about them, we should consider than in some European countries it is advised not to allow young children access to them, unless the phone has one of those sheilds attached.

Good thread this ...

affordmylife

Firstly i have bought my son one of the phones for a tenner from carphone warehouse for christmas - he is 17. its not cool but he can be in contact if he needs to.

Secondly my youngest daughter has a bright pink motorola razr (or whatever it is) as a hand me down from older sister. I would never have dreamed of buying her one at her age but as a hand me down its fine. She has had ten pounds of credit on it since she had it (about 3 months) and uses it to text me and her dad if we are out for the day or evening and she is staying with granny. she also has two pals with hand me down phones that she text to arrange playdates. its quite sweet. she is just turned 8.

as long as your sons mother is funding the phone i think it is a nice way for them two to stay in touch when they are apart.

try to imagine how you would feel if you were the parent without him living with you.

enemes

affordmylife wrote: »

.... i have bought my son one of the phones for a tenner from carphone warehouse for christmas - he is 17.

As long as your sons mother is funding the phone i think it is a nice way for them two to stay in touch when they are apart.

try to imagine how you would feel if you were the parent without him living with you.

Thank you for everyone's comments.

I was aware of the Carphone Warehouse tenner jobs, but the price here is not the issue. If I wanted to have one, I would have probably got him one of those. There is no doubt that his mum will be funding it ... I have made it clear to him already, as he arrived home tonight with his razr.

I appreciate what you say, affordmylife, and I couldn't imagine living apart from them. However, its been over two years since we split, and in that time she has never phoned them at all ...

she knows my opinion on the issue, and thats been her real motive, and subsequently I feel a sense of intrusion. At the end of the day, yet again, I am the bad guy ... but I suppose that is what parenting is all about.

Thanx again ...

hopeless_case_2

look we are all going to have a difference of opinion on this and i think as you said the real issue is your ex wife intruding into your life.Ask yourself this if it was not for her would you have bought him one? lots of nine year olds have them just think of it as an advanced walkie talkie. Get with it all this i never got a phone till i was 15 etc which people have posted phones were not as widely used or available then.Ifhis mam is a pain then get him to switch it off. my guess is it will be well used to start with and then put in a drawer and brought out occasionally just like most of the toys they get.GL.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

hopeless_case wrote: »

Get with it all this i never got a phone till i was 15 etc which people have posted phones were not as widely used or available then.

Well i quoted this and i was 15 only a few years ago so yep they were widely available - if i remember correctly there were ony two of us in all of my classes that didnt have one. So yep by this age i felt left out a bit .

But as 'hopeless_case' stated it seems to be more about the matter with his mum than anything. Really as its prob been done now you will just have to deal with the situation the best you can....let us know how you get on though! And yep being a good parent does mean your known as a bit of a meanie at times, but hey they'll look back and laugh! i know i do about some of the strops i had, gosh i couldnt have looked after me back then:o .:rotfl:

Take care!:beer: