Please don't give your elementary school child a smart phone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD (now 7th grade) got an iPhone in the sixth grade. Because it made it easier to communicate. With my family plan, it costs $180/mo, not $700/mo.

Right now, with a smart phone, I can keep a better eye on my DD. It has parental controls. And it has tracking -- so I know where she is.

Learn to read. I said $700/year. Which is what it is.

$40 a month line access fee, plus $10 in taxes is $50 a month/$620 a year. Plus the cost of the phone.

Not if you are adding to an existing plan. Or if you use a Republic. My kids have unlimited talk, text, and data. $25 a month.

Yes if you are adding on to an existing plan. At least on the Verizon More Anything plan.

Do your phone have smart phones? Or just dumb phones with texting?

Smart phones are basically $10 line access fee to add on, plus about $40 for data. They give you more data now, but that's what it is.

That said, we do have Verizon More Anything plan. http://www.verizonwireless.com/landingpages/more-everything/

But smart phone is $40 plus line fee plus taxes. It's actually closer to $55 a month.

Are you asking me if we have "smart phones". Um yes. And we pay $25 a month UNLIMITED talk, text, data with Republic. We ditched AT&T and our iPhones for the Moto X which is a smart phone. Sounds like you don't believe you can get a plan that cheap? Republic wireless.com. 3G unlimited. $25 a month. No contract.

My speed is faster than my 4G with the iPhone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

You're saying nothing. Of course it's their right to make stupid parenting decisions. It's bad for obvious reasons: cyberbullying, alienation from family time, shortening of attention spans, constant instant gratification, and exponentially more screen time. But go for it, it's your call. And, yes, I will judge you.

[Anonymous]

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.


I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

I agree. I've got a 6th grader, 4th grader and 3rd grader. I know kids who got smart phones in 1st grade - kids who bring them when they come for playdates/sleepovers. My kids have no cell phone (smarter or stupid), no DS, no iPod, iPad or anything like that. I hear all the time how much they need one of those devices and 'when am I going to get.....' (imagine the whining and pleading in their voices). I don't care. I don't need to understand the reasons other parents get things for their kids and I don't have a problem saying no to my kids. If it wasn't a smart phone, it'd be something else.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, no. I'm going to make the decisions I feel are right for my family (it doesn't matter if that involves smart phones or not.) As others have said, be confident in your decision, and it won't matter if you are challenged in it. Have strength in your convictions OP.

[Anonymous]

Someone should compile a DCUM list of Things to tell Your Children Not to Say -

Don't tell other kids to text you
Don't tell other kids that Santa isn't real
Don't tell other kids that there is no God

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

Oh, I guess you haven't run into the wifi lady on here yet. You know you are making your kids infertile, have autism, cancer, and all other sorts of things with all those wireless gadgets.

[Anonymous]

I think kids should have smart phones by at least age 10. My friend gave her 2 youngest them in kindergarten. Her oldest had gotten a flip phone by then back before smart phones existed. I think 5 is a little early to have an iPhone but her children have managed them just fine. In this day and age people don't have land lines. Kids need there own phone and why not get them the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

You're saying nothing. Of course it's their right to make stupid parenting decisions. It's bad for obvious reasons: cyberbullying, alienation from family time, shortening of attention spans, constant instant gratification, and exponentially more screen time. But go for it, it's your call. And, yes, I will judge you.

This statement is especially awesome and ironic statement, coming from someone judging anonymous people for their parenting decisions on an Internet forum. Let's talk screen time, family time, and cyber bullying, and the examples that parents actually set for their children through actions vs. them giving their children a piece of random technology. Because last time I checked it the parent doing the parenting, not the phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

You're saying nothing. Of course it's their right to make stupid parenting decisions. It's bad for obvious reasons: cyberbullying, alienation from family time, shortening of attention spans, constant instant gratification, and exponentially more screen time. But go for it, it's your call. And, yes, I will judge you.

You're assuming that they allow their kids free use of it at home. Ds is in middle school and has an old smart phone of DH's. When he comes home, phone is handed over to me and then he has a choice of using his allotted screen time between computer time, tv time, or phone time after everything is done. His friends know to call the house if they want to talk and ds isn't answering a text. Having a husband who is a coder and developer has allowed us access to ds' texts, emails, and basically anything online, beyond what dsl already knows we look at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

Oh, I guess you haven't run into the wifi lady on here yet. You know you are making your kids infertile, have autism, cancer, and all other sorts of things with all those wireless gadgets.

LOL!! The wifi lady..

[Anonymous]

If this was so important OP, why didn't you post this a month ago BEFORE Christmas when many parents still hadn't bought their kids smart phones as a Christmas present?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an example of another dumb post as indicated by the topic. Just because OP chooses not to buy her kid a smart phone, she has no right to impose her personal decision on and judge others who differ from her. Parents make their own decisions and it should be left at that.

Not OP but of course she has the right to judge. I'm judging u right now for giving an iPhone to a 6 year old. I'd judge you if you gave her a diamond tiara or a gun too. We all judge bad parenting all the time.

My 5 yo has an iPod, iPad and her own iPhone.
Judge on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop the madness.

We debated whether to get the older kid a smart phone when she entered middle school, but that seems to have become the de facto entry point when parents give them. So, we decided to do it, drafted a contract for expectations of behavior, the whole works.

Now, two or three parents of friends of our youngest kid, in elementary school, have given their children smart phones for Christmas or whatever. And as you can imagine, the badgering has started as these kids have no one to text and keep telling our kid they want to text her.

But guess what? We're not ready for this child to have a phone, for a number of reasons (including the fact that this is a $700/year investment once all is said and done). We're also not ready for this child to have a texting account, for a number of reasons (maturity, uncertainty about whether child will follow our expectations based on personality).

I wish people would realize that when they give their children phones this young, it's like a virus that spreads throughout the network of friends. They become a wedge for the "haves" and the "have nots" for whatever reason. My kid will be a "has not" until middle school, but I get to hear about it every day now for a year and a half.

Ugh.

It's just dumb to give a kid that age a smartphone. Has nothing to do with the kid's maturity. But bad parents have always been there and you just have to stick to your guns.

I love how the best argue,net most people can come up with it that it's dumb to give a kid a smartphone. Why exactly is it dumb? Becaus they will be connected? Becaus they may have fun with it? Because they will learn the technological tools that they will use for their lives before your kid does? Or because y don't like it?

You don't want your kid to have smartphone- good for you. They want their kids to have one - good for them. You don't have to agree - it's a parenting decision either way and neither in this case is actually a bad one.

You're saying nothing. Of course it's their right to make stupid parenting decisions. It's bad for obvious reasons: cyberbullying, alienation from family time, shortening of attention spans, constant instant gratification, and exponentially more screen time. But go for it, it's your call. And, yes, I will judge you.

This statement is especially awesome and ironic statement, coming from someone judging anonymous people for their parenting decisions on an Internet forum. Let's talk screen time, family time, and cyber bullying, and the examples that parents actually set for their children through actions vs. them giving their children a piece of random technology. Because last time I checked it the parent doing the parenting, not the phone.

You must be mentally deficient. Taking 5 minutes on an ipad while my kids are at a play date means I set a bad example re screen time for my kids. OK....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an example of another dumb post as indicated by the topic. Just because OP chooses not to buy her kid a smart phone, she has no right to impose her personal decision on and judge others who differ from her. Parents make their own decisions and it should be left at that.

Not OP but of course she has the right to judge. I'm judging u right now for giving an iPhone to a 6 year old. I'd judge you if you gave her a diamond tiara or a gun too. We all judge bad parenting all the time.

My 5 yo has an iPod, iPad and her own iPhone.
Judge on.

Will do! That's gross.

[Anonymous]

I don't want to hyjack the thread but what about iPads? At our school they are given to children in 1st grade and they are sent home daily. Do you allow that? This is how children do a majority of their homework.