My suggestion is go with something less expensive
And with better battery life. Charging every 18 hours is just absurd on the Apple Watch.

I got my son the garmin vivosmart HR+ from Costco for a quarter of the price and was small enough for smaller wrists. It has a 5 day recharge life and Does all The heart rate and fitness stuff and has a great fitness results on the web and phone (if she has one) too. It doesn't need the phone when he does the exercise. My teen doesn't have a phone with data and not allowed use in school classrooms so this is perfect. It has in built gps to track runs and stuff even without the phone but that uses a bit more battery (reduces to 2-3 days)

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all for the responses. She says she wants it for fitness stuff and music primarily, but also for internet during non-school hours. Several kids in her class have them. She also says no one uses them during school/in class for phone-like things (which is disallowed). A few more questions, if you don’t mind: Does her iphone need to be nearby in order for some of the functions (I guess phone and email?) to work? I thought it required a separate service subscription? I also see a huge range of prices, from reasonable to crazy. I guess the reasonable ones are older models. Are they significantly different from newer models? Thanks for your help!

The newest model will work without her phone if you pay the increased price for that model and add it as a line with data plan to her existing cellular contract. Otherwise, her phone will need to be nearby for anything internet, call, or text related. The newest model is the only one with the option of cellular connectivity. Honestly, you can’t use “the internet” on the watch. You can read texts and emails. But it’s annoying to try to do.

OP here. Thanks all for the responses. She says she wants it for fitness stuff and music primarily, but also for internet during non-school hours. Several kids in her class have them. She also says no one uses them during school/in class for phone-like things (which is disallowed). A few more questions, if you don’t mind: Does her iphone need to be nearby in order for some of the functions (I guess phone and email?) to work? I thought it required a separate service subscription? I also see a huge range of prices, from reasonable to crazy. I guess the reasonable ones are older models. Are they significantly different from newer models? Thanks for your help!

PP - I also have an Apple Watch that I use for running only. It connects to wireless headphones and plays music from my iTunes. It also tracks my run. I don’t wear it other than for runs, hikes, and other workouts, though.

They’re bulky, expensive, and distracting. I know many adults who wear them but only a couple who manage to do without being rude. Depending on why your daughter wants an Apple Watch, there’s almost certainly something more appropriate that fits the bill. Need to tell time? Track steps? Monitor your heart rate? You can find a watch that will do all those things without providing a steady stream of stimuli from her wrist.

Now outpouring of all the old skool parents who get their kids Motorola flip phones when they are 16.

Just get the watch, it's fine.

Anonymous wrote:Not a thing in the world wrong with an apple watch. My tween daughter has my old one, and uses it as a fitness device.

+1

Anonymous wrote:I may be sheltered, but I don't know any 12 year olds with Apple watches. I know several juniors and seniors in high school with them. You know they have to have an iphone to even make that very expensive watch work, right?

Agree. Maybe I'm sheltered too as I just got my HS senior an iPhone and he's the last of anyone he knows to get one.

Signed, mom of 17 and 12-year-olds.

Not a thing in the world wrong with an apple watch. My tween daughter has my old one, and uses it as a fitness device.

Oh please, no

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 12 year old daughter wants an Apple watch. What's the deal with them? And the different models? Anyone's similarly aged kid have one? What's your experience? Thanks!

They could get her into trouble if she violates student privacy: eg., video streaming in class.

You can’t use it to video stream. At least be somewhat informed before commenting.

Anonymous wrote:My 12 year old daughter wants an Apple watch. What's the deal with them? And the different models? Anyone's similarly aged kid have one? What's your experience? Thanks!

They could get her into trouble if she violates student privacy: eg., video streaming in class.

No. Just no.

I may be sheltered, but I don't know any 12 year olds with Apple watches. I know several juniors and seniors in high school with them. You know they have to have an iphone to even make that very expensive watch work, right?

My 12 year old daughter wants an Apple watch. What's the deal with them? And the different models? Anyone's similarly aged kid have one? What's your experience? Thanks!