Question

What age did you get your kids a phone and what made you decide they were ready/needed one?  

Answer 1

I won't get Jayden a phone however we got the relay and he can talk to us through that! It works like a walkie talkie with our phones! We set boundaries and if he leaves it then we get an alert. He can talk to both me and my husband at the same time or just one of us we love it! There is absolutely no need for anything other then communication with him so this was an amazing option! I'll post a link below!  

Comments

@li3906 oh this is perfect ! I really didn’t want to get Derek a phone. I’m going to check it out. Thank You !  

---

@hierarchize absolutely I refuse to get Jayden a phone when there is so many options. But I'm also strict with not allowing YouTube and access to the internet and texting people.  Also anyone in your family can get the app to talk to him!  

---

@li3906 great option

---

@li3906 that is a really great option! We got Hailey a phone for Christmas only because she has so many practices, and there is not a pay phone if she needs to reach me. Hailey could not care less that she has one. Half the time it’s either not charged or “somewhere” in the house. I would have totally went with Jordan’s option instead had I known it was out there.  

---

@pilgrimage yes! This is my issue also! The relay also straps to your arm (we bought the strap separate) so it won't fall out of his pocket when he rides his bike! But yes I definitely know Jayden would not know where a phone is half the time  

---

@li3906 I’m stuck with a contract now, but I’ll keep it in mind for Aubrey for sure! The relay seems like a perfect option

---

@li3906 we just ordered it! Thank You ! I didn’t even realize things like this existed haha.  

---

@li3906 how does it work exactly? Can the child choose who he talks too?  

Answer 2

Freshman in high school. He is mature and did not really ask for one before this. It ended up becoming a convenience to contact him.  

Comments

@carliecarlile this is fantastic!  

---

@sesquicentennial Now if I can just hold off my 10 year old daughter this long. She is another story  

---

@carliecarlile I Just read an article in the Chicago magazine with the director of internet crimes. she told her kids to not ask her until high school

---

@carliecarlile RIGHT?!?! I’m in the same boat with my 10 year old. I told her after 5th grade.  

Answer 3

7 and 10. 7 because she did sports 4 days a week and i was not the primary driver i just needed her to be able to call me if she needed something while at practice or away from her parents. We added her brother at the same time just because giving it to one kid might as well give it to the other. However now at 9 and 11 they dont so snapchat or instagram

Answer 4

8yrs old I think. staying nights away and I wanted him to be able to call me at any time if he needed. It was a prepaid flip phone so nothing fancy.  

Answer 5

We don’t have a house phone and once our 4th grader came home after school and was home for an hour before we got home - we go it for her then.  

Answer 6

13 bc he got lost walking home from on the first day of school ‍♀️

Answer 7

5th grade since my son was walking home from school & activities.  

Answer 8

4th grade. He goes to his dad's on the weekends and I want to be able to get ahold of him. But also he has his Minecraft and a couple of other games he plays and I wanted my phone back lol.  

Answer 9

Middle school when they started riding the bus out of the neighborhood for sporting events. We started with the simplest phone and then made them earn upgrades with good grades etc.  

Comments

@standstill I’ve told my 10 year old after 5th grade. I LOVE the upgrade incentive!  

Answer 10

12 - to make up for having a shitty bday. he’s allergic to bees, and got stung walking into school- got the epi and a lights and sirens ride to the hospital - once there he got 3 more rounds of antihistamines and was put on 2 rounds of steroids.  

Answer 11

Hoping later than sooner. going to wait as long as possible

Comments

@sesquicentennial Me too, but my daughter makes it challenging! Lol

Answer 12

My daughter was 2, my son was probably the same. They’ve had technology in their hands their whole lives. We taught them how to use it, just like you would teach a child to use a tv or computer. Our thought process was to teach them as they grew, rather than trying to teach them something all at once during their teenage years.  

Comments

@evanesce a phone?  

---

Yes, cell phones. At first they had no internet access. As the kids aged, we provided a hot spot they could link to when they were with us so we could play games that needed it like Pokémon, etc. At 10 my daughter got cell service, my son got it at 8. We have parent controls set up for apps. If they want to download anything, we get an alert on our phones to approve or deny the app. My kids have grown up knowing that they are not allowed to answer any phone call unless it is a contact they have in their phone. We have warned them of the dangers that are out there. They know if they were to ever receive a contact from a stranger (again anyone not in their contacts) that they are not to delete anything and they are to notify us immediately. They know the phone is a privilege. We do not allow phones during meals at home or during family time. At a restaurant if they are on them (rarely allowed, but Pokémon is fun for them) they have been taught that they are to immediately put their phone down if anyone comes to our table or is speaking to them/us. These are just some examples of the teaching that has gone into their usage, and I truly believe that raising them right along with it has had a positive impact on their understanding of the great responsibility that comes with it.  

---

@evanesce just curious, are their fine motor skills developmentally appropriate? I. E. holding a crayon or pencil and writing/coloring.  

---

@fortyniner absolutely! I am a first grade teacher, so providing balance with all of this has always been my goal. My children love arts, crafts, drawing/writing stories, and reading. They will play outside for hours, too. In all honesty, there are times when they go for days with out doing anything on their phones with the exception of their math fact practice.  

---

@evanesce thank you! I was just asking for my own personal interest in the topic.  

---

@fortyniner of course! It’s definitely a topic with a lot of diverse views. In the end everyone does what’s best for their own family.  

Answer 13

6th grade. They were in after school activities and I wanted them to have a way to be in contact if they finished early or if I was running late. The school is 20 minutes from home

Answer 14

We had a family flip phone that we sent with her when she needed one, and then she got a smart phone for her 12th birthday with the understanding that if anything happened to it, her only option was back to the flip phone.  

Comments

She’ll be 20 this summer and is on her second smart phone  

Answer 15

11th bday. We don’t have a home phone, she was starting middle school soon, etc. No social media until 13.  

Answer 16

16, when he could pay for it.  

Answer 17

6th grade

Answer 18

13 (7th grade) & 14 (9th grade) determining factor was different school times and sports.  

Answer 19

Our daughter was 12, we had already gotten rid of our landline and I was starting to let her stay home alone when I would run errands and was afraid she wouldn’t be able to call for help, fire ect. Also used the phone to track her whenever she was going somewhere without us, she’s 18 now and I still do this to make sure she got to her destination or If I want to know if she’s on her way home and don’t want to distract her in case she’s driving. Lol

Answer 20

Mine know they won't be getting them until they are adults. There is too much liability with cell phones and the things that they can access (even with supervision and parental controls) We have a basic non smart phone that they can take if they are dropped off somewhere in case they need to get ahold of us.  

Answer 21

My 9yr old has a Gizmo watch and she begs me for a phone. She said most kids in her class has one. and most do, they bring them with them when they come to play.  

Comments

@karttikeya @jenks9 Same with my 10 year old daughter. She has a Gizmo as well. She’s constantly asking me for a phone.  

Answer 22

14 yo, we gifted the phone, she paid for the monthly service.  

Answer 23

We JUST went through this actually. I was 13 and that was a long time ago. As my oldest was reaching 10 I was wondering the "new age" for one. I learned that parents bought when they felt like their child needed one. My oldest turned 10 in January. We bought him one and added him on our plan (it was cheaper than a pay as you go) I am very happy with our decision. He is very active in school clubs and such and is at the school 3 nights a week usually. Now I can get ahold of him if needed and same for him with me :) Do what YOU feel is right momma! I didn't like my "baby" out and not having a way to reach each other. This gives ME peace of mind.