We child had a cheap $99 smartphone. I put on parental controls so I know what he's doing, etc. But the phone is great for him to make plans with friends and also for me to call him and tell him to come home at a certain time or know where he is

Anonymous wrote:Why does it have to be an iPhone? They are $$$$. You can still text with a regular generic (cheaper) smartphone .

older models are cheap. it doesn't have to be a new one.

but it doesn't have to be an apple product.

We got our then 11 yo DD a basic phone which she can use to text/call via WhatsApp.

We did iPod until age 12 (or they could use my iPad), I had access to all texts
Flip phone 12-13
iPhone end of 8th grade

You had to work up to the next level

I would get an iPad if you don't want them to have a phone. You can text/chat on one via wifi. Or, if you have an old phone, give them that one and set up an app with a phone number via wifi.

Anonymous wrote:Why does it have to be an iPhone? They are $$$$. You can still text with a regular generic (cheaper) smartphone .

There are cheap ones. You can do more things iPhone to iPhone.

Why does it have to be an iPhone? They are $$$$. You can still text with a regular generic (cheaper) smartphone .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get him an iPhone.

+1

I've taught middle school and pretty much every 6th grader had an iPhone!

My son was in 6th grade a few years ago now and this was true. I still held off until 7th grade. I should have just given in as the teacher would text homework help/study help with the kids, so I’d end up giving my phone to my kid for that anyway.

Anonymous wrote:Get him an iPhone.

+1

I've taught middle school and pretty much every 6th grader had an iPhone!

Just get him a phone. Best to teach him to be responsible with the phone now that he is at home then when he is out and about on a bus, at school, after school activities, etc

Get him an iPhone.

I would just get him an iphone. It seems like a big step but it's really your best best from a technology standpoint.

A flip phone won't get him anywhere.
An ipod will allow him to text kids with Apple devices when he's at home. That is probably your best quick fix but if you're likely to get him an iphone in a year it would likely make financial sense to get buy one device now.

We tried to get DD a flip phone.
We ended up getting her a free, very basic I phone which was somehow free through our carrier.

It works for texting. I would actually call your phone company. May end up being easier for you to go a similar route. Also when she has in person school, which is intermittent, she likes to bring her phone in case there is a sudden schedule change.

Do his friends have iPhones? If so then they can text to an iPod but this doesn’t work if they have android phones. An iPod is the same as an iPhone without phone service so you may just want to get a phone and just use it on wifi until you’re ready to activate. It depends on why you don’t want him to just get a cell phone though.

I'm not ready to get my soon-to-be 12yo his own phone - for one thing, he doesn't go anywhere right now! But many (not all) of his friends have phones, and so neighborhood get-togethers these days are mostly via text. Since I work FT, it would actually be great for all concerned if he could make his own plans occasionally. Should I get:
1) An Ipod that could be used on wifi - at home he'd have no issues with access etc.
2) Some track phone that would give him very limited outside-the-house calling etc as well as texting on wifi at home;
3) Something else? His older brother says he could just use Google hangouts to text friends but I want something where he doesn't need a separate chat from the friends who are all texting each other directly.

Thanks all. I'm feeling especially technologically inept these days.