Anonymous
05/08/2026 22:15
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+1Anonymous wrote:I despise them, as I've seen lots of examples of kids constantly distracted by incoming texts. This is outside of school, but I've heard from my kids that the watches are not really locked down.
We did phones in 7th for my older two, which were easy to put in a drawer, not attached to their bodies, and easy to lock down. For my youngest who will want more freedom earlier, I'm considering a flip phone in 5th grade. Then he could text me when going to friends' houses or other places
My repeated experience is that kids are always preoccupied with their Apple watch. Super duper distracting and it makes it hard for them to focus on anything, including homework and healthy social interactions.
-- Mom of 7th grader
This depends very much on the child, and I have not noticed this at all with my DD and her friends who only have watches. I have, on the other hand, had to ask her friends to put their phones away. My 7th grader never wears her watch at home, she puts it on the charger as soon as she gets home. It's also locked down and in school time during the day (and yes, of course, she does occasionally text us to tell us how she did on a test), but for the most part she uses it to say "can you please come pick me up" or "I am with Friend X in Location Y".
That said, I wouldn't buy one for an elementary schooler. She got one at the end of the 6th and uses it purely as a tool to communicate with us and a handful of friends. I think she even took herself out of a group chat once because it was annoying.
OMG the fact that you are ok with your kid texting you from school after a test, is half the issue. Can you imagine a classroom full of kids doing that? Or the parents who have low boundaries and are texting the kids to ASK how the kid did on a test? Gah.
THAT'S what you took away from my post? Get a grip!
I'm absolutely fine with my kid texting me between classes to tell me about a test grade. I don't see a problem with that. Said kid has a lot of anxiety and if this helps her manage that anxiety, then I, and her therapist, and her school counselor, are all okay with it. By the way, I didn't say anything about ME texting her. I rarely do. Even if I did text her during the school day, she wouldn't get it, the watch is on school time while she's at school.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 09:33
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:I despise them, as I've seen lots of examples of kids constantly distracted by incoming texts. This is outside of school, but I've heard from my kids that the watches are not really locked down.
We did phones in 7th for my older two, which were easy to put in a drawer, not attached to their bodies, and easy to lock down. For my youngest who will want more freedom earlier, I'm considering a flip phone in 5th grade. Then he could text me when going to friends' houses or other places
This. My daughter was on a group chat with her teammates (has since switched teams) and the one girl without a phone but who had an apple watch was always the first to respond to any text. DD said she also would send texts during the school day frequently.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 09:29
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+1Anonymous wrote:I despise them, as I've seen lots of examples of kids constantly distracted by incoming texts. This is outside of school, but I've heard from my kids that the watches are not really locked down.
We did phones in 7th for my older two, which were easy to put in a drawer, not attached to their bodies, and easy to lock down. For my youngest who will want more freedom earlier, I'm considering a flip phone in 5th grade. Then he could text me when going to friends' houses or other places
My repeated experience is that kids are always preoccupied with their Apple watch. Super duper distracting and it makes it hard for them to focus on anything, including homework and healthy social interactions.
-- Mom of 7th grader
This depends very much on the child, and I have not noticed this at all with my DD and her friends who only have watches. I have, on the other hand, had to ask her friends to put their phones away. My 7th grader never wears her watch at home, she puts it on the charger as soon as she gets home. It's also locked down and in school time during the day (and yes, of course, she does occasionally text us to tell us how she did on a test), but for the most part she uses it to say "can you please come pick me up" or "I am with Friend X in Location Y".
That said, I wouldn't buy one for an elementary schooler. She got one at the end of the 6th and uses it purely as a tool to communicate with us and a handful of friends. I think she even took herself out of a group chat once because it was annoying.
OMG the fact that you are ok with your kid texting you from school after a test, is half the issue. Can you imagine a classroom full of kids doing that? Or the parents who have low boundaries and are texting the kids to ASK how the kid did on a test? Gah.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 09:11
Subject: Age for apple watch?
I would say never - let them as an adult if they want. Tech is so addictive. Strapping it to your wrist makes it worse.
My 10-year-old has a crappy digital watch to know what time to come home if he’s roaming the neighborhood. He has never needed to randomly contact me. If he were injured, he can get help — it’s not like he is in the middle of nowhere.
I drop him off at sports practice, and he has never needed to contact me. If he were injured, a coach would contact me.
I have older kids and see the ill effects of tech but know a phone (and one that can support apps) is necessary as they get older. But not for an elementary school kid.
My 10-year-old has a crappy digital watch to know what time to come home if he’s roaming the neighborhood. He has never needed to randomly contact me. If he were injured, he can get help — it’s not like he is in the middle of nowhere.
I drop him off at sports practice, and he has never needed to contact me. If he were injured, a coach would contact me.
I have older kids and see the ill effects of tech but know a phone (and one that can support apps) is necessary as they get older. But not for an elementary school kid.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 23:24
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I despise them, as I've seen lots of examples of kids constantly distracted by incoming texts. This is outside of school, but I've heard from my kids that the watches are not really locked down.
We did phones in 7th for my older two, which were easy to put in a drawer, not attached to their bodies, and easy to lock down. For my youngest who will want more freedom earlier, I'm considering a flip phone in 5th grade. Then he could text me when going to friends' houses or other places
You can set downtown on it and they can’t get any texts except from who you choose. I don’t understand why people are saying it’s hard to lock down.
I have no idea- but I know my kids played with their friends watches at school all the time in 5/6 grades when they were supposed to be locked. So I don’t know if their friends’ parents were bad at setting up screen time or what.
School time is easy to get out of. Screen time requires some patience to set up, it's not intuitive, but the watch can be locked down and I think some people just can't figure it out. It would be nice if Apple made it easier.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 23:22
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:+1Anonymous wrote:I despise them, as I've seen lots of examples of kids constantly distracted by incoming texts. This is outside of school, but I've heard from my kids that the watches are not really locked down.
We did phones in 7th for my older two, which were easy to put in a drawer, not attached to their bodies, and easy to lock down. For my youngest who will want more freedom earlier, I'm considering a flip phone in 5th grade. Then he could text me when going to friends' houses or other places
My repeated experience is that kids are always preoccupied with their Apple watch. Super duper distracting and it makes it hard for them to focus on anything, including homework and healthy social interactions.
-- Mom of 7th grader
This depends very much on the child, and I have not noticed this at all with my DD and her friends who only have watches. I have, on the other hand, had to ask her friends to put their phones away. My 7th grader never wears her watch at home, she puts it on the charger as soon as she gets home. It's also locked down and in school time during the day (and yes, of course, she does occasionally text us to tell us how she did on a test), but for the most part she uses it to say "can you please come pick me up" or "I am with Friend X in Location Y".
That said, I wouldn't buy one for an elementary schooler. She got one at the end of the 6th and uses it purely as a tool to communicate with us and a handful of friends. I think she even took herself out of a group chat once because it was annoying.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 23:12
Subject: Age for apple watch?
OMG, OP. Obviously that's way too young. My older daughter got her Apple Watch in 6th grade and still has it in 8th. She will probably get a phone next year. My younger daughter will probably get one in 5th because of travel sports and carpooling, but we are going to lock it down.
Anonymous
05/07/2026 08:55
Subject: Age for apple watch?
I hate the gizmo we got our oldest in 3rd. Our neighborhood has terrible service coverage and it never works when I need to reach him. Just got him a refurbished Apple Watch now that he’s 11 and it works much better. He doesn’t wear it to school, only when roaming the neighborhood with friends so we can find him if we need to.
Anonymous
05/06/2026 12:18
Subject: Age for apple watch?
We were also a Gizmo in fourth grade family, but I think it really depends on what the purpose of the watch is. We got it for communication with parents after school, to allow for my changes of plans, going to friends houses, etc. It's been great for that, and I also like being able to text from work just to say hi in the morning before school.
If your kid is looking for something else, you're either going to need to buy something else or disappoint them.
If your kid is looking for something else, you're either going to need to buy something else or disappoint them.
Anonymous
05/06/2026 12:04
Subject: Age for apple watch?
My kids got gizmos when older was in 4th and younger was in 1st. I got older an apple watch this year (6th grade) when he turned 12, since he's going to middle school soon.
Younger will continue with his gizmo until he turns 12 in 6th and then will also get an apple watch.
I was okay with the apple watch now, but not the phone because of the social media apps etc.
Gizmo is excellent for the younger ages as long as you have Verizon, and very easy to lock down for school days.
Younger will continue with his gizmo until he turns 12 in 6th and then will also get an apple watch.
I was okay with the apple watch now, but not the phone because of the social media apps etc.
Gizmo is excellent for the younger ages as long as you have Verizon, and very easy to lock down for school days.
Anonymous
05/05/2026 17:21
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Got the gizmo in 4th grade. Got an ipad in 6th grade. No phone or other watch yet.
Anonymous
05/05/2026 15:17
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:This is OP, thanks for the feedback. My child has been reporting that several friends have them. One does have divorced parents and one an older sibling who has one (I think sibling is in 5th). I want to hold off on this as long as possible!
Why not just do an iPad he can text friends with?
Anonymous
05/05/2026 15:12
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:Whatever age you are OK with a phone, add a couple years.
Do you mean subtract? Why would you get a watch after a phone?
I got my daughter one in 2nd grade. She wanted to go outside after school alone and I wanted a way to know where she was or for her to call in case of emergency. It's worked out very well for our family but YMMV. She is very responsible with it, never on it at school for games or texting, calls me when she needs to, never lost it, charges it every night. It costs us $20 a month which is worth it for that peace of mind. I would not have gotten it for her if she said "all my friends have one!" but rather it was for US to call or text her when needed.
Anonymous
05/05/2026 12:52
Subject: Age for apple watch?
Anonymous wrote:The people on this thread who think iPhones are somehow not as bad as Apple Watches are out of their minds. Apple Watches make it very difficult to access social media at the best of times (videos are close to unviewable) and can be easily locked down because the workaround browsers don't work on them. Texting is possible, but a pain to do for long chains/convos. You can treat the watch like a phone in terms of putting it away at night. Basically Apple Watch >>>> iPhone for a kid.
I got my kids Gizmos for logistics in 4th grade and we will let them upgrade to Apple Watches in 6th (middle school) for the maps, Apple wallet and compatibility with non-Gizmos functions. iPhones likely in 8th so we get a year of close supervision before HS, but not 100% sure on that yet.
Thankfully, most schools are now taking watches and phones during the day.
I hear what you are saying, but watches are easier to hide, and harder to put away. The watches also give parents a false sense of security, in that they think their kids aren't sucked into them all the time. I don't think kids should have either before middle school, (which is 7th for my kids). Once mine had phones, I turned off safari, so they did not have a way to browse the internet, but absolutely I know they will find ways to work around whatever I set up. In that way the phone definitely requires more attention from the parents.
Anonymous
05/05/2026 11:04
Subject: Age for apple watch?
My kids have Fitbit ace lte. Contacts are managed from parents device.