When do kids get a cell phone?

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a 2010 question. Today My kids don’t use phones for phones. So what age do they get a device to
Communicate with friends, take pictures, listen to music, play games in the car on a long trip, that has a gps so I track them on the bus, and with the ability to call me (they usually text) if practice gets out early or they are “stranded” somewhere....

For us that was 6th grade for my son, and my Dd got a phone in 5th grade 2 years later. Also, We haven’t had a landline since 2012.

[Anonymous]

A basic one in 6th grade and a nice one for 8th grade graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone try to start out with like a basic flip phone, essentially calls only and maybe slow texting? It is that not really an option any more?

We did in 6th, so she could prove she could use it responsibly. Not lose it, not text inappropriately or excessively, etc. She did great, and at the end of 6th grade she got my old iPhone, with full parental control over downloading apps and monitoring web browsing. The condition was that if she abused the smartphone features, we could send her back to the flip phone at any time.

I will say that if you have a kid who’s sensitive about being different, or being teased, you might look for a smart-looking “dumb” phone, or start out by disabling certain features on an older smartphone. My kid isn’t too worried about that stuff, and just laughed it off with a joke about being “old school,” but even in our mixed-income, high-FARMS middle school, she was occasionally teased about her flip phone. I can only imagine it would be much worse in schools where everyone competes to have the latest and greatest.

Also, it is harder to find a basic flip phone these days. Verizon only had a couple of options, one a pretty expensive waterproof and shockproof model with walkie-talkie features like a construction contractor might use, and that was a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

6th grade. When they started walking/biking to school and then hanging out with friends by themselves after school. Life 360 has been a lifesaver for me and DH! I actually feel like we know more about them now than we did before. Also, we were very strict with social media and control of the phone the first year: told them that we had access to their accounts until we were comfortable they could handle it on their own, etc. etc. It was like giving them training wheels and by 8th grade, I almost never snooped in their phones.

[Anonymous]

Our rule of thumb was when they started doing more things on their own, where there wouldn’t necessarily be a trusted adult nearby to let them use the phone.

For us that was 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Mine got theirs at 10 - primarily so they could text their Dad directly and not through my phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a 2010 question. Today My kids don’t use phones for phones. So what age do they get a device to
Communicate with friends, take pictures, listen to music, play games in the car on a long trip, that has a gps so I track them on the bus, and with the ability to call me (they usually text) if practice gets out early or they are “stranded” somewhere....

For us that was 6th grade for my son, and my Dd got a phone in 5th grade 2 years later. Also, We haven’t had a landline since 2012.

Don't brag about that. Every firefighter will tell you homes should have a landline. You'd be surprised at the number of people who know their home address but forget it in a fire. If you call 911 from a landline they can trace the call much faster than if you call from a cell phone.

[Anonymous]

Our kids got hand me down phones when we (parents) upgraded our phones, but they were WiFi enabled only (no cell service) until end of 5th/start of 6th grade, when they started to walk to school without an adult. In my observation a lot of kids get activated phones around this time.

[Anonymous]

Summer before 7th grade. He had responsibilities for picking up younger sibling after school and running errands as needed. I also felt like he could go farther on his bike when he went out on trails since I could see where he was.

[Anonymous]

summer before 6th grade

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids got phones the summer before 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious at what age is a cell phone justified?

I had one in 1999 when I turned 16, but it was obviously at that point for safety...call us when you get there type of thing. Texting wasn't really a thing yet, and this was a Nokia phone so it was long before smart phones.

Most of my friends still called the landline at my parents house, so I just have no idea what is normal for kids in today's world.

I didn't get one until I was 21, in 2001. I had an old school emergency car phone that lived in my car's glove box for emergencies. I think a flip phone is a good idea to start with. Kids don't need to be using smart phones unsupervised, IMO. They can search the internet on their smart phones and find anything, or snapchat with anyone. Just kick that can down the road.

[Anonymous]

We got a gizmo starting in 4th. Planned to get one this year in 6th but no point since child is home. Will get one a soon as we go back to school or if there is a need over the summer (but may do a month or two prepaid till school goes in person). We didn't allow ours to be free range but it was more for pick up/drop off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious at what age is a cell phone justified?

I had one in 1999 when I turned 16, but it was obviously at that point for safety...call us when you get there type of thing. Texting wasn't really a thing yet, and this was a Nokia phone so it was long before smart phones.

Most of my friends still called the landline at my parents house, so I just have no idea what is normal for kids in today's world.

I didn't get one until I was 21, in 2001. I had an old school emergency car phone that lived in my car's glove box for emergencies. I think a flip phone is a good idea to start with. Kids don't need to be using smart phones unsupervised, IMO. They can search the internet on their smart phones and find anything, or snapchat with anyone. Just kick that can down the road.

The difference is they were very expensive and people had land lines. Now they are cheap so not a bad idea for tracking your kid and emergencies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Around my neighborhood, 6th grade - when they head off to middle school on their own using public transportation.

+1