Peer pressure to buy kids phones
Discussion
My girls aged 9 and 14 have iPhone SE's on contract. I got a deal whereby I switched from SIM only to handset-inclusive for no greater cost but obviously a tie-in for 2 years, so the handsets are effectively free if they last that long. They have had use of iPads and laptops from very young ages without any major breakages and generally treat delicate items with care and respect. Protective cases are mandatory although they do like to buy different ones and swap them.
All in all, not a major expense. They have 60GB of data each which means I can kick them off the home Wi-Fi as we are in the unusual position of having s
te rural broadband but 30-40Mbps available on 4G. This means they can each stream videos without contending for the limited broadband bandwidth all without me worrying about data charges.
Screen time with iOS 12 means I can switch their phones off at any chosen bedtime whether they are in my home or their mothers.
They use the phones a lot for music (Spotify premium included with the SIM) just like I used personal stereos in my youth, and also for routine FaceTime contact with cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents all over the UK and in North America, which wouldn’t otherwise be feasible.
All in all, not a major expense. They have 60GB of data each which means I can kick them off the home Wi-Fi as we are in the unusual position of having s
te rural broadband but 30-40Mbps available on 4G. This means they can each stream videos without contending for the limited broadband bandwidth all without me worrying about data charges.Screen time with iOS 12 means I can switch their phones off at any chosen bedtime whether they are in my home or their mothers.
They use the phones a lot for music (Spotify premium included with the SIM) just like I used personal stereos in my youth, and also for routine FaceTime contact with cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents all over the UK and in North America, which wouldn’t otherwise be feasible.
Edited by theboss on Wednesday 14th November 10:59
LaurasOtherHalf said:
To be perfectly honest I’m hoping by the time mine get to secondary school age phones are either banned in schools or a new fad has come along.
Me too. There is no need for a phone in school.Some companies in Silicon Valley now ban phones in the workplace. They go in a locker at the start of the day.
No reason that lockers couldn't be provided. Or just ban phones and have an emergency telephone or staff the school office who can call someone in an emergency.
boyse7en said:
Her school bans phones completely. Phones must be in bags (not pockets) and must be switched off. Any pupils found holding a phone (on or off, in use or not) will have it confiscated and their parents can collect it from the school on the next Friday after school. It will not be given back to the pupil.
Sounds very sensible.
I watched the BBC program School last night. We are bringing up a nation of fairies who have tantrums when they cant get their own way. My 14 year old tells me she needs a 7s as she is preparing for her GCSE's in 2 years time. It's all bks, the 5s she has is broken, mainly because she mistreats it. Her friend had a 6 when they were new and launched it up the wall in a rage.
Ive told her if and when she gets a new phone then it will need to go in a survivor case and only a survivor. She said fine. But I know full well she will take it out. So I'll consider no more nailing it together.
I suggested she put her birthday money(£160) towards the phone which is £450 and any Christmas money, then I might consider it. She turned her nose up at this as she wants to buy clothes with it.
On a different point, ive just got my mum a Honor phone, cant think of the model but it was £160 and it's great. As good as any Iphone and certainly a lot better than an ageing 6s!
ks, the 5s she has is broken, mainly because she mistreats it. Her friend had a 6 when they were new and launched it up the wall in a rage. Ive told her if and when she gets a new phone then it will need to go in a survivor case and only a survivor. She said fine. But I know full well she will take it out. So I'll consider no more nailing it together.
I suggested she put her birthday money(£160) towards the phone which is £450 and any Christmas money, then I might consider it. She turned her nose up at this as she wants to buy clothes with it.
On a different point, ive just got my mum a Honor phone, cant think of the model but it was £160 and it's great. As good as any Iphone and certainly a lot better than an ageing 6s!
Whilst I don't have kids, I have neices and nephews who are 10. They are already nagging for phones, and do have their own iPads.
I don't disagree with kids having phones, but the whole attention vacuum aspect of it is the thing that scares me. Even I have facebook and instagram blocked on my phone because I know I can suddenly destroy 30 mins just looking at cat videos, etc.
I wouldn't buy kids new devices and I wouldn't get them contracts.
I don't disagree with kids having phones, but the whole attention vacuum aspect of it is the thing that scares me. Even I have facebook and instagram blocked on my phone because I know I can suddenly destroy 30 mins just looking at cat videos, etc.
I wouldn't buy kids new devices and I wouldn't get them contracts.
Vaud said:
Me too. There is no need for a phone in school.
Some companies in Silicon Valley now ban phones in the workplace. They go in a locker at the start of the day.
No reason that lockers couldn't be provided. Or just ban phones and have an emergency telephone or staff the school office who can call someone in an emergency.
I assume by that you mean specifically personal phones??Some companies in Silicon Valley now ban phones in the workplace. They go in a locker at the start of the day.
No reason that lockers couldn't be provided. Or just ban phones and have an emergency telephone or staff the school office who can call someone in an emergency.
I'm not sure how I could do my job if customers couldn't call me!
I'm also of an age when mobiles were seriously expensive when I was a student/grad, but I got a company phone with my very first job. I've now carried that number with me through seven employers and 25 years. It's the only number I've ever had, so if my current employer decided I had to separate work and personal onto different devices, it would be a nightmare!
My lad is 10 and has recently been given a hand me down iPhone 4 from his mum.
I was pretty dead set against it but as he has to walk about half a mile to an after school care club I thought having a phone was a good security thing for him.
He did originally have a cheapo Alcatel unit but found himself being bombarded with insults about his rubbish phone.
Kids can bee so cruel cant they? Hence why my ex gave in and gave him her old iPhone.
I have a 6S that I plan to upgrade at some point so I will hand that down to him eventually as long as I know he will look after it.
I don't understand why parents would ever buy them a brand new phone to take to school though. Madness.
I was pretty dead set against it but as he has to walk about half a mile to an after school care club I thought having a phone was a good security thing for him.
He did originally have a cheapo Alcatel unit but found himself being bombarded with insults about his rubbish phone.
Kids can bee so cruel cant they? Hence why my ex gave in and gave him her old iPhone.
I have a 6S that I plan to upgrade at some point so I will hand that down to him eventually as long as I know he will look after it.
I don't understand why parents would ever buy them a brand new phone to take to school though. Madness.
V8covin said:
It really is a sad state of affairs when having a phone is not enough,only the latest iPhone will do.
These kids are likely to grow up being constantly disappointed with life when they can't have what they want....or permanently in debt !
Its always been something though. When I was at school in the 80s and skating was big all the cool kid had Bauer Skates, but I only had a pair of Roces so had to put up with all the piss taking. I didnt get the cool trainers either, or any of the other fads that come and go.These kids are likely to grow up being constantly disappointed with life when they can't have what they want....or permanently in debt !
PulsatingStar said:
Its always been something though. When I was at school in the 80s and skating was big all the cool kid had Bauer Skates, but I only had a pair of Roces so had to put up with all the piss taking. I didnt get the cool trainers either, or any of the other fads that come and go.
That's hilarious, I remember begging my mum and dad for a pair of Bauer blades. Eventually they caved in and I got them but spread across Christmas and Birthday. I agree though, pester power has always been there but you couldn't buy a pair of Bauer skates on credit, hence not everyone was able to have them just like that.Kermit power said:
I assume by that you mean specifically personal phones??
I'm not sure how I could do my job if customers couldn't call me!
I'm also of an age when mobiles were seriously expensive when I was a student/grad, but I got a company phone with my very first job. I've now carried that number with me through seven employers and 25 years. It's the only number I've ever had, so if my current employer decided I had to separate work and personal onto different devices, it would be a nightmare!
No, work phones. They are programmers. No phones of any kind at desks. No access to personal email at all.I'm not sure how I could do my job if customers couldn't call me!
I'm also of an age when mobiles were seriously expensive when I was a student/grad, but I got a company phone with my very first job. I've now carried that number with me through seven employers and 25 years. It's the only number I've ever had, so if my current employer decided I had to separate work and personal onto different devices, it would be a nightmare!
Interestingly it is a strict 9-5 environment.
On your second point, I used to be in that situation but have now started to separate the two with some success.
bulldong said:
That's hilarious, I remember begging my mum and dad for a pair of Bauer blades. Eventually they caved in and I got them but spread across Christmas and Birthday. I agree though, pester power has always been there but you couldn't buy a pair of Bauer skates on credit, hence not everyone was able to have them just like that.
Can we get back on topic, I can feel the long-forgotten trauma of never having a Commodore Amiga when my mates did resurfacing.bulldong said:
PulsatingStar said:
Its always been something though. When I was at school in the 80s and skating was big all the cool kid had Bauer Skates, but I only had a pair of Roces so had to put up with all the piss taking. I didnt get the cool trainers either, or any of the other fads that come and go.
That's hilarious, I remember begging my mum and dad for a pair of Bauer blades. Eventually they caved in and I got them but spread across Christmas and Birthday. I agree though, pester power has always been there but you couldn't buy a pair of Bauer skates on credit, hence not everyone was able to have them just like that.If I got bullied for not having the "latest and greatest" then it was just considered a part of growing up - I probably hated my parents at the time, but now I think they did exactly the right thing.
The sense of entitlement of kids today is astounding, it's probably a good job I don't have any of my own because they wouldn't be having phones of any kind until they had a job where their employer needed to be able to contact them, and they'd be paying for it themselves even then, just as I did!
Nickp82 said:
bulldong said:
That's hilarious, I remember begging my mum and dad for a pair of Bauer blades. Eventually they caved in and I got them but spread across Christmas and Birthday. I agree though, pester power has always been there but you couldn't buy a pair of Bauer skates on credit, hence not everyone was able to have them just like that.
Can we get back on topic, I can feel the long-forgotten trauma of never having a Commodore Amiga when my mates did resurfacing.Interesting thread - my wife and I have resisited the kids having phones until they were 14 - my daughter was the last in her class to have one. She bought (with her own money) a hand me down iphone from a friend. She has just upgraded it to another one bought from a friend at school who has just bee given the latest iphone whatever at a cost of around £800. My son has an iphone 6 he bought off a mate at school. I dont see it as my job to splash out on somethig they dont need and i consider it a waste of their time when they use it. My son causes me great annoyance by playing clash of clans but they cant be bothered to set the table for dinner. Both kids do a lot (100/150 miles a week in the summer) cycling so the phone is used to run Strava and I see the value in that for them but otherise its a luxury item.
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