Iphones for 6th graders
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Anonymous
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My kids are pushing for cell phones. They claim 80-90% of 6th graders have one.
If you got your kid an iphone, please share what kind of phone did you give them? i.e. your older phone, or you got kid a new phone at t-mobile, verizon etc, or you got kid some kind of refurbished phone on-line, etc.....thanks for any tips on how to handle this. |
Anonymous
| Originally they got our old ones but when we got new ones they offered us a new SE for 1/2 price so it was just as cheap as replacing the battery so we did that. i would upgrade yours and give them yours in case it gets lost or stollen. If you get new, apple directly has a warranty that includes getting stollen. |
Anonymous
| The teacher did a survey of the 6th grade class last month. Only 7 kids had a cell phone out of about 25. So, not as many as they think. |
Anonymous
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Most 6th graders we have known had a phone.
My oldest got my old phone. My youngest ended up with a new SE but she was more careful with her stuff compared to sister |
Anonymous
| When my kid was in sixth, I got him an inexpensive android. It sucked, and we are an Apple house anyway. So when the android phone started having technical problems (in addition to all the software issues of apps being buggy and complicated), I went and got him an SE. Now it works with everything else in our ecosystem. However, for many years I didn’t tell him his password, so if he wanted to buy or install something, he had to come to me first so I had some control over what was on the phone. |
Anonymous
The family settings have improved. We got my ds, an 8th grader, a phone this year. Anytime he wants to add an app I get a message on my phone and have to approve it. |
Anonymous
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I agree with passing down an old iPhone as a first phone. Make sure you completely understand Apple parental controls and have them in place before the kid gets the phone. Also set expectations about where the phone will be at night, etc beforehand.
Starting out strict and then loosening up later is much easier than the reverse. |
Anonymous
| Not as many 6th graders have phones as I thought in my kids circle of friends. I would say there is a good number of apple. Watches vs phones. Maybe 40-60. |
Anonymous
| IT’s recommended to not allow the cell phone at school at that age. |
Anonymous
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We handed down an old iPhone in 6th however it was not much more use than a flip phone. No internet, no social media, only one game at first. We made clear it was a communication device and DC would earn more apps and capabilities over time.
In our house there’s no social media until high school, including no Snapchat or discord. |
Anonymous
| Also, disable the camera. Because another kid may ‘borrow’ the phone, take inappropriate photos of body parts, then send them to the contact list, and it looks like your kid did it. Kids are stupid with phones at a young age and this is like putting a computer in their hands. |
Anonymous
| How do you keep track of your kids if they are 11-12 years? That's the primary reason I am considering a phone for our almost 12 year old boy |
Anonymous
Right now our almost 11 year old has a Gizmo watch. It is for phone calls/texts only and we can track her location on it. Our DD is really pushing for an iPhone but we told her she has to wait until she’s 13. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to hold out that long (she’s always stealing my phone and it’s driving me nuts) but that was the rule we had with her brother. |
Anonymous
| 6th grade Dd- all her friends have Apple Watches. About 1/3 have phones. The ones who do are on it constantly. |
Anonymous
Apple Watch has been great for our 6th grader. Kid can text & call. Has maps. And has Apple Cash. When kid gets home, has iPad. No need for phone. |