My rising 6th grader just got a phone. We decided to get her one because she was taking the bus for the first time. The middle school bus was not super reliable and we like to be able to know where she is if she isn’t home by 5:00.
She is also an anxious kid and I think the phone will make her feel better.

APS rising 6th. Apple Watch with cellular. No phone.

FCPS rising 6th - no phone. I would consider getting one next year (middle school, wildly different schedule from rest of family). I will probably start off without in 7th but will get if it feels like there is a need.

We will get one as soon as DS starts riding transit or walking himself to school, which I hope will be 6th grade. There are no payphones anymore; so its necessary.

Anonymous wrote:No. My kid goes to an fcps public school and he does not have a phone, nor does most of his friends. He rides his bike to school.

Same.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Got a phone in 5th. Need a way to contact us if the bus is late, or if he wants to stop in to see a friend.

He doesn't "need" a phone for either of those scenarios. Land the helicopter.

NP. You should land your helicopter first with telling others how to parent children who are theirs and not yours.

Got one the summer before 6th for similar reasons as a PP. When I went to someone's house as a kid I could call from their house phone to tell my mom where I was. No one has house phones anymore. This way DC can call to say that they are going to a friend's house or a group of them are going to Starbucks or whatever the change in plans might be.

We are very locked down, it's an old iPhone 7 but zero apps, zero social media, zero internet access. DC can use the phone, text and Facetime so is still missing out on some platforms but those platforms are not meant for 11yr olds. We've talked about the fact that responsible use will lead to increased options on the phone moving into upper middle school but for now this serves its purpose.

I line dies not and will not probably until 8th. She is getting an Iwatch for Christmas.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Got a phone in 5th. Need a way to contact us if the bus is late, or if he wants to stop in to see a friend.

He doesn't "need" a phone for either of those scenarios. Land the helicopter.

No. My kid goes to an fcps public school and he does not have a phone, nor does most of his friends. He rides his bike to school.

Yes. Got a phone in 5th. Need a way to contact us if the bus is late, or if he wants to stop in to see a friend.

Yes. We got one when they needed it which was when we were not with them. 6th with restrictions on the phone.

Yes, started taking mass transit to school 40 minutes away by herself at the end of 4th grade. Got one then.

Yes, my daughter does. I’d say half of her friends do. I wish we had waited longer to get her one.

If not, when will they get one? My 6th grader says everyone has one, and he wants to be able to communicate with all of these new friends who supposedly have phones.