Why does a 14 year old have zero need for a phone? Like she literally never goes off with her friends or walks anywhere alone? That’s really weird for 14. Even if they get rides to school they usually make after school plans and bop around together to Starbucks or the mall. Seems like maybe you are suffocating her? Assuming that total control will prevent issues, when in reality your anxiety is creating other ones.

I think she’s more than old enough for a phone and being the only one w/o isn’t doing much but isolating her at this point, but getting an Apple Watch is a good compromise if you really have to dig in your heels on this (baby steps). And you can tell if she proves responsible with that you’ll get her a phone before august.

And all this dismissing of social stuff - did the pandemic not reach us that this stuff is way more important than we previously thought?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got my 7th grader a phone and there is only phone, messages, music, camera and photos.

Explain how this is done. Sorry, I’m clueless

Np. My kid has a bark phone.

Anonymous wrote:I got my 7th grader a phone and there is only phone, messages, music, camera and photos.

Explain how this is done. Sorry, I’m clueless

I got my 7th grader a phone and there is only phone, messages, music, camera and photos.

Anonymous wrote:I have to disagree with the previous posters. I got my DD a phone at age 12. By that age, she was gaining more independence. Giving her the phone to text her friends allowed her to begin making plans with her friends herself, tracking her own calendar with practices, tutoring sessions and get-togethers, and allowed her to text me to pick her up when necessary. I think that a phone is necessary for a teenager to function in modern-day society.

This

Like it or not this is how kids communicate, organize and pay for for things.