What age for cell phones?

[beefjerky]

My 11 and 9 year old "share" one. They have it to call me before they leave for the bus in the morning and when they get home in the afternoon. They have an iPhone 4 but that's because we had one laying around and it was the cheapest option. That's it though, the phone does't go anywhere with them, it just sits home for them to call me.

[cjcouple]

Do whatever makes you comfortable. I would not go expensive on a smartphone myself but also not a pay as you go. I would look for a sturdy phone with parental control features as cheap as possible. lol

My oldest is almost 10 and does not have a cell and I don't see a need yet. He is picked up from school by a friend of mine or my DH and I am with him at extracurricular activities. If he were home alone or after school late with sports I would get him one but that is not happening yet.

[nachos]

My older kids were each in grade 6 (it was their Christmas gift at that age). It was when they were starting to go places without me, and I wanted the peace of mind.

They each got smart phones with the understanding that I can check them at any time, and if they refuse - the phone is taken until such time as they unlock it and I go through it. If they go over data, they must pay.

[marvine]

We kept a home phone for this reason. My 6th grader comes home afterschool for an hour. I didn't want to have to get him a phone. He calls me from the home phone. He's not responsible enough to have a phone that he carries with him at all times yet. I am just going to play this one by ear. I know eventually he'll need one, but I'm thinking more high school age.

[jellymankelly]

My son got a phone at 7 because he was going to be away with his dad in another state and I wanted to be sure he could call me in case of emergency, even if his dad's phone was locked. I got a $15 phone at Target and a $20 card. He rarely used it. Recently, my mom got a new phone and gave him her old iPhone. He's 10 now. I have the data turned off for everything except Find My Friends, and he isn't allowed to take the phone to school. It's working so far.

[nahoku]

DS is 9 and we let him stay home for short amounts of time occasionally so we had a land line installed. He can also text us using the iPads from home. We don't have a set age that we'll allow the kids to have phones, we are just playing it by ear for now.

[bittybomb]

My kids have no reason for a phone. My eldest is only 8 anyway, so we are years and years away. But I drive them to school, my nanny picks them up from school, we have a house phone, their dad and I are not separated, and anywhere they go without us (ie my inlaws) there is a phone there if they really want to talk with us.

My 8 year old has an ipad mini that he facetimes and messages us with, and my almost 6 year old has an ipod touch that she can do the same with. They can only contact me, my husband, their grandparents, and each other on their ipad/ipod touch.

[emoflamingo]

My 9 year old is DYING for a cell phone, but honestly? He's not at home alone any and he's usually with at least one parent, his aunt (in the AM for half an hour) or his sitter if he's not at school. I am considering it in the next year or so.

[penguingrrl]

I may get a nonsmart phone as a "house" phone since adding that to my cell plan is cheaper than getting a land line put in. My girls have been borrowing my phone to talk to friends and we're about ready to let the older one (9) stay home alone for short amounts of time so I want her to have access for a phone for that.

In our district you move to middle school in 5th grade and at that time most kids bike or walk to school alone, so when they start 5th they'll get a nonsmart phone to text me when they get to school and if plans change for after school (either to go to the library after school or a club they're in canceled meetings or whatever might come up). That was the age I started carrying change for a pay phone in case I needed to call my mom, so it seems reasonable to expect they will need access at that time.

[ECB]

My 7 year old is also dying for one but I don't plan on getting him one for a couple years yet. Most of my friends with older kids - they seem to get them around 11 or 12? I don't know if we'll wait until then or not. But there needs to be a real NEED for one. Not "just because".

[papie]

We have a home line. I'd much rather pay for that than give them a cell phone. If wait until 13 or 14 for their own phone. My oldest is turning 9, so a bit younger than yours, but she is alone for short periods with her younger sister.

[ducklover]

I agree with Papie, 13 or 14 years old is a good age to get their own phones, they would be more responsible in my opinion

[Jermys]

It's different for us because I'm literally always home. If I weren't, it would be probably 12, which is the age that they can stay alone for short periods of time in our state. And it would be a cheap ass flip phone.

[devonpow]

We are getting ds1 a really basic cell phone this year (he is 9). No texting no internet. He stays home on his own, walks by himself places etc so I want him to be able to call me, DH, and 911 basically.

Right now the plan is an iPhone when he is 13 (he is already asking and a few of his classmates already have them - ugh). This is because he is the only one of his close friends who isn't Jewish, so i figure his first iPhone will ease the pain of not having a bar mitzvah lol

[georgeharrison]

We got my kid one for his 11th birthday last month. He was home alone for short periods of time this summer and he did a TON of activities through boy scouts and youth group. It was nice to be able to stay in touch. He loves having it, but really, I'm a big worrier, so it's definitely more for my peace of mind.

The main reason we got it, though, is because he will be in middle school and there is no after school care option. He gets out at 2:50. I get off at 3 and have about an hour commute to his school. My husband works construction and will often get off early in the day but won't know in advance. So, sometimes he will be waiting for me at school (I only work in the office 3 days/week, so that'd be the max and he'll be inside and secure...not like roaming outside) for an hour and sometimes he will get picked up right at dismissal. We needed a way to communicate with him.

He does have a smart phone. It's a Galaxy On5. It's a free with service type phone, so we don't actually pay for it unless we cancel the service on it before 24 months at which point we would pay the balance.

[nicbreeful]

Have you seen the Kurio phones, super? They're made specifically for kids with tons of parental controls and GPS tracking. They're pretty cool.

[formerlyak]

DS is 10 and I got a pay as you go phone for him last year when we got separated at a beach clean up day. He only gets it when we are going places with big crowds where we might get separated like Disneyland, a football game, etc. This year, I will put it in his pocket when he goes someplace with friends and I am not with him. But he knows it is not for him to make calls and text. It is for emergencies.

Next year, in middle school, I will have one for his backpack. It will likely be like an earlier poster suggested - my old iPhone with the data turned off. So he can call and text, but he will have to show he is responsible to get to use apps.

[illgetthere]

Aug 30, 2016 9:26:35 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

I may get a nonsmart phone as a "house" phone since adding that to my cell plan is cheaper than getting a land line put in. My girls have been borrowing my phone to talk to friends and we're about ready to let the older one (9) stay home alone for short amounts of time so I want her to have access for a phone for that.

In our district you move to middle school in 5th grade and at that time most kids bike or walk to school alone, so when they start 5th they'll get a nonsmart phone to text me when they get to school and if plans change for after school (either to go to the library after school or a club they're in canceled meetings or whatever might come up). That was the age I started carrying change for a pay phone in case I needed to call my mom, so it seems reasonable to expect they will need access at that time.

My son got an ipod touch in 5th grade, and it has worked great for talking to firends. It seems they all have ipod for that reason. He also has the oovoo app installed so we can communicate (I have android), and we have a prepaid phone with no minutes that can call 911 in an emergency

[glynn]

Mine did not get them unitl DD1 15 because of cheerleading and DS 17 when he started driving. DS was grounded a lot and did not go anywhere so he had to wait and he is the oldest. DD2 I hope never....

[penguingrrl]

Aug 30, 2016 10:56:05 GMT -5 illgetthere said:

Aug 30, 2016 9:26:35 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

I may get a nonsmart phone as a "house" phone since adding that to my cell plan is cheaper than getting a land line put in. My girls have been borrowing my phone to talk to friends and we're about ready to let the older one (9) stay home alone for short amounts of time so I want her to have access for a phone for that.

In our district you move to middle school in 5th grade and at that time most kids bike or walk to school alone, so when they start 5th they'll get a nonsmart phone to text me when they get to school and if plans change for after school (either to go to the library after school or a club they're in canceled meetings or whatever might come up). That was the age I started carrying change for a pay phone in case I needed to call my mom, so it seems reasonable to expect they will need access at that time.

My son got an ipod touch in 5th grade, and it has worked great for talking to firends. It seems they all have ipod for that reason. He also has the oovoo app installed so we can communicate (I have android), and we have a prepaid phone with no minutes that can call 911 in an emergency

Can they talk on iPod touches or only text? They are always talking, not texting.

[textbookcase]

We got c a smartphone for her 11th bday (she's 12 now). She is home alone occasionally, babysits, and is involved in sports and other extracurriculars so I like to be able to get ahold of her and for her to be able to call if she needs a ride, etc.

[ciescalove]

Aug 30, 2016 9:54:01 GMT -5 papie said:

We have a home line. I'd much rather pay for that than give them a cell phone. If wait until 13 or 14 for their own phone. My oldest is turning 9, so a bit younger than yours, but she is alone for short periods with her younger sister.

This is us as well.

[Deleted]

My 11 year old boy has had one for a yr. he's going into 6th. But he barely uses it until just recently. My 9 year old is getting my old 4 iPhone bc she's walking up from bus alone this yr

[clairedunphy]

I'll get my kids a phone when they are old enough to be alone. Until then they should always be with an adult who I would assume has access to a phone. Not sure when that will be, but my oldest is only 6. Although he did just ask me for a phone for his 7th birthday so he can play pokeman go. LOL, no.

[illgetthere]

Aug 30, 2016 11:07:33 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Aug 30, 2016 10:56:05 GMT -5 illgetthere said:

My son got an ipod touch in 5th grade, and it has worked great for talking to firends. It seems they all have ipod for that reason. He also has the oovoo app installed so we can communicate (I have android), and we have a prepaid phone with no minutes that can call 911 in an emergency

Can they talk on iPod touches or only text? They are always talking, not texting.

They FaceTime on the ipods.

[penguingrrl]

Aug 30, 2016 12:36:26 GMT -5 illgetthere said:

Aug 30, 2016 11:07:33 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Can they talk on iPod touches or only text? They are always talking, not texting.

They FaceTime on the ipods.

Is there an app to do that on a droid? My kids have droid tablets already that were way cheaper than apple products....

Either way, I know they'll still need phone access, especially to stay home alone.

[illgetthere]

Aug 30, 2016 12:57:00 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Aug 30, 2016 12:36:26 GMT -5 illgetthere said:

They FaceTime on the ipods.

Is there an app to do that on a droid? My kids have droid tablets already that were way cheaper than apple products....

Either way, I know they'll still need phone access, especially to stay home alone.

They can get the oovoo app and talk to anyone else they are "friends" with on the app. Their tablet would have to have a microphone to talk though. We did the refurbished ipod from the Apple site

Edit: it acts as a phone while on wifi and we do the disconnected $5 prepaid for 911

[cinco]

I have an 8 and 10 year old as well. We got rid of our home phone line and think we are going to get a cheap cell phone to keep at home or have them take to drop off sports practices. It would be more of a family phone. None of the 8 year olds we know have one, but 10 seems to be 50/50.

[sonrisa]

I'm hoping to hold off until high school.

My kindergartener rides the bus and we have a landline at home so that wouldn't be a tipping point for me.

[stephm0188]

When he's apart from me in a public place.

Right now he has the capability to text and Facetime via his iPad if he's home, so I don't feel the need to get a phone for that same purpose just yet. When he's away at practices alone or something similar, I'll consider it.