We have been really happy with the Tmobile synch for my 9. He is only allowed to text/call people who we add to his contact list. Tracking is decent, and it has a school mode so he can only text emergency contacts while it is in school mode, the rest of it is locked down. No internet access (which is my concern with the apple watch).

8 yo DS bikes solo to and from school. I like being able to confirm that he arrives to school on time. It also encourages him to arrange impromptu play dates on his own, but still check in with us. It is relatively stripped down compared to the Apple Watch and we put it in “school mode” during the day, so it is not a distraction.

We love the gizmo and I’ve used it with my three kids for many years now. Great way to allow some freedom around the neighborhood knowing they can call if they need help, I can pinpoint their location etc.

Anonymous wrote:I do think it’s pretty crazy to get a gizmo or apple watch at such young ages! I don’t think it’s necessary for elementary age kids. The parents I know always talk about how their kids don’t use them that much or that it’s so much better than a phone… but then I see their kids at the playground and ALL they are doing with their friends is tinkering with their watch. It is incredibly frustrating that these parents are just sticking their heads in the sand about how hard these devices just condition kids for phones.

I highly doubt this. We spend a lot of time at playgrounds and I've never seen kids just sitting there tapping at their watches. In my experience, they play with them when they don't have friends to play with or are bored in a restaurant or something. Also, to be clear, these watches don't really have games or fun things. My 11 year old now has an Apple Watch and I have to remind her to wear it on days when I know I need to reach her after school. It otherwise sits in a drawer.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the thoughts. I am glad I am not alone in thinking 7 is too young! Really seemed like the gateway to the phone to me so it is interesting to hear that some see it as allowing them to put off getting a phone.

It’s not a gateway to a phone and by 6 or 7th most kids have phones. You can limit phone use.

OP here. Thanks for all the thoughts. I am glad I am not alone in thinking 7 is too young! Really seemed like the gateway to the phone to me so it is interesting to hear that some see it as allowing them to put off getting a phone.

Anonymous wrote:We got our now 5th grader one last year and it's perfect, especially since he's taking the bus independently to school this year. It let us track him, call and message each other, and he can call friends. It's simple enough not to be a distraction, and is letting us delay getting him a phone for several years. But I see no point for one at age 7.

Same

I think 7 is too young. I see the appeal if my kids are wandering the neighborhood by themselves, but they aren't. If I need to reach one of my kids I call the adult whose house they are at. Simple.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t waste money on Gizmo. Go straight to Apple Watch.

+1

But 7 is young

My kid had the TickTalk watch not the gizmo. Got it for her at 8 when she was starting to play out in neighborhood and walk the dog by herself.
It was fine but sometimes there was a delay in location info.
She was trustworthy with it though, then we did an old phone with WiFi only for 2 years. Then got her an older model IPhone at 11.

I'm thinking of this too for my 8 year old. Honestly I feel that the culture is kind of crazy with the lack of independence for kids and I'm eager to do anything I can to facilitate more independence. I don't love the idea of opening the gateway to a smartphone either though. It's a tough call.

I do think it’s pretty crazy to get a gizmo or apple watch at such young ages! I don’t think it’s necessary for elementary age kids. The parents I know always talk about how their kids don’t use them that much or that it’s so much better than a phone… but then I see their kids at the playground and ALL they are doing with their friends is tinkering with their watch. It is incredibly frustrating that these parents are just sticking their heads in the sand about how hard these devices just condition kids for phones.

Our kids got a gizmo at 8. We do send them off more independently than others might — walking to the store, school, friends’ houses, etc., so it makes us feel more secure. They almost never sit around messing with it.

We got my kid a gizmo in 4th grade because he started just going to friends houses after school. IF i did it over I would just get an apple watch. He is in 6th and the gizmo is still going strong but now at almost 13 i would like more texting capabilities.

My 9-year-old has a gizmo watch. I'm an Android person so I wasn't really interested in an Apple watch for her, plus I'm just not comfortable with her having that at this time. I'm pretty happy with the Gizmo watch, she is able to contact me and her dad and others on the list of people I put in there only, plus it lets me know when she gets to school and when she leaves. At first she was playing with it a little during school but now it stays in a case in her bag and she's good about not using it when she isn't supposed to. I'm very happy with it and it's like $14 a month so it's not too expensive.

It seems to have been durable so far.