mobile phones for kids
Discussion
My lad has one he's 9, he has to catch a ferry to school and for that reason he has a phone to let me know if for what ever reason the ferry is late or not running. He also take it with him when he is at Friends or out on his bike etc etc.. No Con's so far he has access to the internet on it but doesn't use it and I think I have only ever put £10 credit on it in the last 6 months and he has £6 left on it...
Would I trust him with a £500 smart phone? No... However a little Nokia 500 does the job nicely.
Would I trust him with a £500 smart phone? No... However a little Nokia 500 does the job nicely.
I got one when I started high school when I was about 11. Mind you, that was 1999 so things are a lot different now. I was one of the first in my year to have one and looking back I really didn't need one. Used it a few times to tell my Mum what ingredients I needed for food class whilst she was shopping, to let her know if I was staying later either by choice or through detention or if I was going to a friends after school but that was it really.
Now that I have kids of my own I'm not too sure when to get them one. I would say not until high school but then if they're capable of walking home on there own in their last year or two in primary school, it would be nice to know that you could text or ring them to make sure they're safe.
I suppose you just have to do what feels right at the time and when the time comes.
Now that I have kids of my own I'm not too sure when to get them one. I would say not until high school but then if they're capable of walking home on there own in their last year or two in primary school, it would be nice to know that you could text or ring them to make sure they're safe.
I suppose you just have to do what feels right at the time and when the time comes.
My 11yr old has one. After a few payg ones that never got topped up etc i got him an iphone 4 on contract which is only 20 a month for loads of minutes, texts and data and the phone came free. Got it with tesco so was able to link it to my own account and also cap his usage so he can't run big bills up.
Got my daughter one when she started secondary school in September. Makes sense once they are more independent. She uses it to text her friends, let us know if her school bus is late or she is doing after school classes etc.
It's a Galaxy Europa on 3 PAYG. Cost about £35 in an offer and I top it up £10 a month which covers everything.
My wifes iPhone 4 is due an upgrade next month so we are considering getting it unlocked for my duaghter to use from then as she has proven she can look after the phone she has now and it gets well used.
It's a Galaxy Europa on 3 PAYG. Cost about £35 in an offer and I top it up £10 a month which covers everything.
My wifes iPhone 4 is due an upgrade next month so we are considering getting it unlocked for my duaghter to use from then as she has proven she can look after the phone she has now and it gets well used.
My daughter got hers when she went into secondary school at 11, she has been lucky as she then inherited my eldest's all singing and dancing Desire HD and contract a couple of years ago, she is due an upgrade soon and we are getting her an iPhone 4 for her birthday, she'll be 14.
Edited by HTP99 on Saturday 12th January 11:49
Just looking into this myself.
My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
TooLateForAName said:
At the point that they're doing stuff independently and might need to be in contact?
This... As soon as they start taking themselves off and about on their own, or walking to/from school etc.
On the proviso that the phone stays in their bag/pocket, and they don't walk along playing with it.
Smart Mart said:
Just looking into this myself.
My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
Funny isn't it, my soon to be 14 year old categorically doesn't want a Blackberry as all her friends are now getting iPhones, she is looking to the future as when she is 15 and still has a year to run on the contract she doesn't want to be the only one with a Blackberry.My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
An iPhone 4 is a little more per month however she has said she is more than happy to have it as her birthday present, so it's swings and roundabouts really and it's still saving £15 odd a month over the contract she has already.
Got my 7 year old a note 2 for Xmas. Surely that can't be lost!! How wrong was I lol
This was from a news story a few days ago, wish I'd though of it myself. Phone contract between a Mum and kid ....
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?
2. I will always know the password.
3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads "Mom" or "Dad." Not ever.
4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30 p.m. every school night and every weekend night at 9:00 p.m. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30 a.m. If you would not make a call to someone's land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It's a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
9. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person -- preferably me or your father.
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts. Don't laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear -- including a bad reputation.
13. Don't take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.
14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO (fear of missing out).
15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.
16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You and I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.
Quality
J
This was from a news story a few days ago, wish I'd though of it myself. Phone contract between a Mum and kid ....
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?
2. I will always know the password.
3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads "Mom" or "Dad." Not ever.
4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30 p.m. every school night and every weekend night at 9:00 p.m. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30 a.m. If you would not make a call to someone's land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It's a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
9. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person -- preferably me or your father.
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts. Don't laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear -- including a bad reputation.
13. Don't take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.
14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO (fear of missing out).
15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.
16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You and I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.
Quality
J
Smart Mart said:
Just looking into this myself.
My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
Of course they do and I don't blame them. Why would they want lookalikes that aren't compatible on BBM just to save you a few quid?My 12-year-old twins started at big school this year and nearly everyone has mobiles in their year. They want cheap Blackberry mobiles so they can BBM their friends but waiting for a good PAYG deal to come up. Seen some BB lookalikes for £16 apiece but of course, they want the real ones!!
Get them sorted. And you may as well let them have iPhones.
My 9 and 12 year old both have mobiles and on contract.
The 9 year old has a cheap Samsung Galaxy Y (£30 second hand, rooted and unlocked) and £6.50/month from Virgin for Internet and some minutes, unlimited text. Virgin are very good at putting limits on the account.
The 12 year old has an iPhone 3GS and £7.50 month from t-mobile for unlimited Internet, 300 minutes and some texts.
I travel quite a lot (I'm in the airport right now waiting to go to San Francisco) so it is part selfish and I can talk to them all the time on Whatsapp or Skype.
They have never gone over their preallocated call or text limit.
The 9 year old has a cheap Samsung Galaxy Y (£30 second hand, rooted and unlocked) and £6.50/month from Virgin for Internet and some minutes, unlimited text. Virgin are very good at putting limits on the account.
The 12 year old has an iPhone 3GS and £7.50 month from t-mobile for unlimited Internet, 300 minutes and some texts.
I travel quite a lot (I'm in the airport right now waiting to go to San Francisco) so it is part selfish and I can talk to them all the time on Whatsapp or Skype.
They have never gone over their preallocated call or text limit.
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