calgal08
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,519
Jun 27, 2014 15:43:46 GMT
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Post by calgal08 on Nov 21, 2015 15:06:48 GMT
We bought our oldest an iPhone at 10. He had between Christmas and the start of Middle School to learn to be responsible with it, as in, if you take it somewhere bring it home again.
Dh hates Mac products, but because 99.346430 of the kids at school have an iPhone that's what we went with and I'm glad we did. During joint school projects is great the kids can face-time each other and if you asked my son, he's happy about it because many of the apps/games are only available on a Mac and that would mean you wouldn't get all the cool new games.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 4:23:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2015 15:09:04 GMT
iPod to start for sure. Great gift at that age!
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brandy327
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,353
Jun 26, 2014 16:09:34 GMT
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Post by brandy327 on Nov 21, 2015 15:09:37 GMT
I'd go for it. In fact I'm trying to talk my friend into buying his 9 and 7 year old grandkids IPhones for Christmas I love that my grandsons have them because I can talk or text them directly without having their Mom or Dad and their phones available. They can have parental lock downs installed but I do think too many people get stuck on "oh no, kids don't need phones deal." Of course they don't NEED them but I believe in putting technology into young hands. They are our future. This is one of the main reasons our kids got one. DS got his at 11 and the twins got them at 10. There were many factors but one grandmother lives 600 miles away and it's an easy way for the kids to keep in contact with grandma without having to use the adult phones. And like you, dh and I both have android phones. But all 3 of our kids have iPhones. We did it simply because all of their friends have iPhones and I knew they'd want to facetime and stuff. I really detest apple products but the kids love them.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Nov 21, 2015 16:30:27 GMT
When my daughter turned 9 her Dad got her a cell phone, not an iPhone, and an iPad. I thought it was completely over the top.
I would recommend getting a cheap phone for a first phone. The chances of her losing it are pretty good at this age. If she has a cell phone, she can take pictures etc. If she proves responsible maybe an iPhone can be a future gift.
My DD did get an iPhone 6s for her 13th birthday from her Dad. No way would I spend $600 on a phone for someone that young.
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Post by beanbuddymom on Nov 21, 2015 16:32:29 GMT
At 10 the child gets an ipod Touch in my house - did that with both kids. DD didn't get a phone until she was in high school.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,119
Jun 25, 2014 22:52:46 GMT
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Post by iowgirl on Nov 21, 2015 16:36:49 GMT
I laugh when I think of getting a phone (any kind) at 10, but times have changed. My youngest got his first phone when he was 13 and his sisters about died. They didn't get theirs until 16. He got his iPhone last year when he started college.
But... I did give him his first rifle when he was 10.. and that would freak a lot of people out.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 4:23:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2015 16:49:24 GMT
Do what works for your family. My 14 year old does not have a cell phone or needs one. I take her to and from anywhere she goes and she only has 1 friend. Her brother has a basic cell phone and he can have one with data if he pays for the new phone and the increase in our cell phone bill. Luckily we live in an area where people are poorer than most and having an iphone is not the norm.
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Post by epeanymous on Nov 21, 2015 16:57:18 GMT
My oldest got one in sixth grade (middle school here). She needed a phone anyway for her activities, really, and it has been a convenience for our family--I know things vary a lot by community and region, but we live in a city, she has activities and events all over the place, and it can be hard for her to access a phone that isn't hers. We had iDevices already, so just added her to our plan. She has been very responsible with the phone. She doesn't have the phone for social reasons, but it is nice for her to be able to text with and call friends. She could do that without the phone, however. She is 13 now and has an Instagram account, a twitter account, and a dusty unused Facebook account; the Instagram account has actually been a great learning experience for her in terms of figuring out how to manage social media, and I love it because I can see what her friends are up to .
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paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Nov 21, 2015 17:05:10 GMT
My Just 10 yr old dd wouldn't get a phone. She doesn't really call anyone from our house phone or from my cell phone - occasionally she calls grandparents or other family members to thank hem for gifts, etc. - so why would she need a cell phone.
She has access to my old iPhone 4 that she shares with her sister. It can't make phone calls (no data plan) but she uses it for apps while on vacation. She doesn't use it at home. She has my mom's cracked, old generation iPad that she uses to play her music when she practices her dances or to look up the odd thing on the Internet when friends are over / for a thesaurus when she's writing, etc. she uses it for email but she's not interested in email so she only checks it once every couple of months. She also has texting ability on the iPad. Her friends text her sometimes, as does my mom, but she's not that interested so she doesn't initiate any texts. I'm glad I didn't buy her her own Itouch and realize her lack of interest after spending the money.
That is about all she needs. She is always with an adult so there is no need to have a phone.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 4:23:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2015 17:07:10 GMT
Laugh out loud!!
Like I did at the 12 year old.
The touch is going to have to satisfy his desires for now.
I might consider a used one from at least a generation ago. If he pays for part of it.
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Post by peano on Nov 21, 2015 17:27:30 GMT
I don't think we got DS an iPhone until he was in middle school but then he didn't show any interest nor did he have any need for it until then. But if his circumstances were that a phone would have been beneficial at age 10, we would have gotten him one.
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Post by cyndijane on Nov 21, 2015 17:41:32 GMT
Our oldest is only 8, but even at 8, he's responsible enough that if we were to give him a phone, he'd take care of it. However, our lifestyle doesn't necessitate him having a phone of any kind. If it were helpful for *us*, I would consider getting him a phone- but it wouldn't be an iPhone. And that has less to do with HIM than it does his younger brother just 2 years behind him. Even at 10, DS2 won't be a kid who easily keeps track of his things. He's just like his dad, and loses/breaks things daily.
Sometimes we look at choices today, and make decisions based on where we think those choices will lead us tomorrow. When they're old enough to purchase their own expensive electronics, they're welcome to do so. The older one will certainly choose his with care, and maintain it with the same care. The younger one won't- so he can spend his own money, and if he loses/breaks it, will discover if he wants it bad enough to keep buying them.
But that's just our family. I used to laugh at the thought of elementary kids with phones, as I see them as largely unnecessary, but I will say every family is different- in lifestyle and what they value.
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Post by lindywholoveskids on Nov 21, 2015 17:42:28 GMT
I talked to a woman who tutors high school students writing essays for college. she has had to teach them real words to use! texting has also become a way to "not interact" directly with people. like face to face conversations.
I would discourage texting and encourage real conversations.
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catfan
Shy Member
Posts: 35
Aug 2, 2014 17:11:16 GMT
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Post by catfan on Nov 21, 2015 17:49:15 GMT
We just got my 13 year old an iPhone. Our Verizon bill went down. So it's worth checking available options and doing the math before making a decision.
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suzastampin
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,587
Jun 28, 2014 14:32:59 GMT
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Post by suzastampin on Nov 21, 2015 17:54:51 GMT
No way would my 10 year old get a smart phone. Some have mentioned social media. Most, if not all, social media require the child to be 13 to participate. To me, doing so before then sends the message to a child that it's ok to break rules. If any of my children were going to get a phone at 10, it would be a dumb phone. If that wasn't good enough for them, they wouldn't be getting one at all.
I vote for the iPod touch. My son has loved his.
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Post by anxiousmom on Nov 21, 2015 18:01:02 GMT
What always makes me feel sad about these conversations is that everyone feels the need to defend their choices if they don't fit the norm.
My kids got cell phones when they needed them. I think my youngest was around 10, maybe 11.
Both my ex and agreed to the whys and whatfors, and it was right for my family.
(as an aside, and against my thoughts about providing justifications, I think divorced families can really benefit from the kids have access to communication with the other parent independent of the parent they are currently hanging out with.)
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raindancer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,095
Jun 26, 2014 20:10:29 GMT
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Post by raindancer on Nov 21, 2015 18:20:27 GMT
I have an almost 8 year old who would dearly love to have her own phone. I've told her she needs to be 13 AND have an actual need for a phone AND demonstrate that she's ready for the responsibility. (To me, what constitutes a need for a phone is a regular circumstance in which she needs to be able to communicate with someone else in a way that is not accessible to her otherwise - exactly the reason I have a cell phone.) I have a handset I could give her, my old 5c, but in all reality - the truth is that I don't actually want her to have a texting life on her own phone yet, even just with Grandma. **For me** that is a little too soon, and I'm not ready to give up that piece of control. She's in second grade. She can facetime with Grandma on my phone if she needs to, but Grandma lives five minutes away and she's there four days a week as it is, so we get the benefit of physical proximity over digital communication. If her other grandma was interested in communicating with her regularly, I'd consider facilitating that with a device of some kind. She has plenty of access to technology at home and at school, and in my opinion having her own phone is not going to benefit her in any measurable way. When it will, she'll have one. As it is, she's either at school, at gymnastics, or at home; two of those three places a phone is inappropriate, and at one of those three places she has access to two iPhones, two tablets, two laptops - it's plenty. She also has an iPod with her music on it. The above quote is exactly how I feel about kids and phones. My daughter is 13 (14 in Feb) and does not have a phone but she does have her own tablet (that she bought herself) and access to a laptop and phones to talk to people. She is NOT socially stunted and she is NOT a technological dumb-dumb. She has good friends and is involved in lots of activities. She has stayed out of the middle school social media drama because she's not on any social media (and doesn't want to be). The social media bullying was big last year at her school. She also does not get in constant trouble with a phone at school (since she doesn't have one) like so many of her classmates. Parents always get reminders from the principal about school phone rules. I feel sorry for the teachers. She will most likely get a phone either for Christmas or graduation. For my family a phone just before high school is appropriate. Oh, and she won't be getting a Mercedes for her 16th birthday but I think she has already figured that out! If you do decide to get a kid a phone it doesn't have to be the best and most fancy one. A simple one will suffice. Just like a basic Toyota will get you to the same destination as a Mercedes. My almost 14 yo has a phone. She has stayed out of social media drama with her iphone because of her personality and the rules in our home. She also doesn't get in constant trouble at school with her phone (even though she has one) like many of her classmates and all of her friends. Not one of them has lost their phones for inappropriate use. She has the newest iphone because it works with our budget and because i hate how fast phones become obsolete and we want her to have it for a couple of years minimum. Oh, and she won't be getting a mercedes for her 16th birthday, she will instead by driving my manual transmission Honda Fit that already has well over 100K on it. But if that car isn't working right we will buy her a car that fits our budget and has a good safety and reliability rating. That may be a Toyota or it may be an Audi. I really can't say. If an older Audi is more reliable and in better shape and a good price than a Corolla then we may go that route.
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CeeScraps
Pearl Clutcher
~~occupied entertaining my brain~~
Posts: 3,824
Jun 26, 2014 12:56:40 GMT
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Post by CeeScraps on Nov 21, 2015 18:34:42 GMT
It's not just the phones for kids it's the cost of the dang data packages. That to me is a big issue. Sure, nice to get them phones, but in reality who pays for them? That would be the parents. Before buying a phone for a child who wasn't personally my own I suggest talking to the parents. They are the ones who have to deal with the bill, not the phone purchaser. You're wrong in this case. Grandpa is willing and able to pay for the data packages too. They would be added to his plan not the parents' That's super that Grandpa can afford this. It would really help out mom and dad. I'm just saying that if someone is thinking of purchasing a phone for kids who aren't their own they should discuss it with the parents. I would hope that would be a given. Is it always? Nope.
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Post by monicad on Nov 21, 2015 18:44:16 GMT
Our rule was that you have to be in middle school and even then our kids got the cheap flip phones, but it seems those are a thing of the past. I think you'll get a 50/50 answer here, but no...you're not the only "fuddy duddy." LOL
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Nov 21, 2015 18:46:59 GMT
I'm too cheap. At that age my dd had a phone, but it was the cheapest, i.e., free, phone that was offered. She did have an iTouch,
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RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,376
Jun 25, 2014 19:28:04 GMT
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Post by RosieKat on Nov 21, 2015 18:51:46 GMT
If it were my kids, and with the needs they have and their track record of not taking care of things, I'd just laugh my butt off. That doesn't mean it's the same answer for your family, of course.
Maybe try to find out why she wants one - perhaps if it's just something like the photo capability, a cheap digital camera would be (almost) as good.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 4:23:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2015 19:28:29 GMT
Well, for my household, that wouldn't be an appropriate gift for a ten year old. But all families are different, and it doesn't mean that it wouldn't be the right gift for another family. I agree with this. It's not for our household to embrace this much technology at a young age. But others will do what they will.
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Post by rainangel on Nov 21, 2015 19:39:43 GMT
I bought my 10 year old a Samsung Young. It's a Smartphone and all, but it's not really an advanced model. At 10 she doesn't need an advanced model. We use it as a homephone because they get home from school an hour or two before I get home from work. I can call and check on them, and they can call me (usually to ask me if they are allowed to eat a yoghurt or watch tv LOL). She occasionally texts her friends, and she has one or two games on it she sometimes uses. She doesn't need a brand new iPhone or a fancy model smartphone.
I have heard other kids her age ask each other what phones they have. It seems to be a status thing. It's always cool to have the shiniest toy, but that not a good enough reason for me to buy her an expensive phone. I might upgrade my own and give the kids my old one. That's the farthest I'll stretch it. And I have a Samsung Galaxy 3, so it's not the newest phone around either.
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Post by kristi on Nov 21, 2015 22:09:36 GMT
My 10 year old would get an iPod touch. The kids can text & our schools have wifi. My daughter used her touch until freshman year when we got her a phone.
I think a lot of social interaction for kids is done via texting & an iPod touch allows them to participate without having a phone.
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Post by Blind Squirrel on Nov 21, 2015 22:25:23 GMT
I agree with kristi, my 15 year-old DD can do quite a bit of socializing/texting/etc with her I-Pod Touch. That's what works for us.
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Post by threegirls on Nov 21, 2015 22:47:59 GMT
Even if your child is responsible with a phone and has parental controls on it, that doesn't always mean that other kids are the same. A friend of ours came over to our house with his son who was in third grade. His son was playing with one of our girls. He showed her a pornographic image on his phone. I wish I could have un-done that image from her brain. At least she was open enough to tell me. I think the kid's dad just didn't have a handle on what was on his son's phone.
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Post by AussieMeg on Nov 21, 2015 23:32:18 GMT
My son, who just turned 11, has been bugging us for an iPhone as well. There is NO WAY he will be getting an iPhone at this age. As far as I know there is only one boy in his year level who has one so it isn't common here. Most of the kids have iPads that they use to play games and message each other.
DS will probably get one when he starts high school (which in this country is Year 7). So either for Christmas just before he starts high school when he is 12, or for his 13th birthday which will be 3/4 of the way through Year 7.
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Post by dreamer on Nov 21, 2015 23:38:27 GMT
NO!!
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,402
Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Nov 22, 2015 0:43:03 GMT
Hell to the no in this house! iPod touch MAYBE. Our DD won't have a phone until it's necessary with sports or if she's driving. THEN she will be paying for the phone, plan, data, whatever.
Granted, my DD was given my old iPad at 3 years old.
Will this device go to school with her? As a teacher, I'd suggest that it stays at home. I have so many issues with devices in my classroom and kids watching videos in the bathrooms and recording kids fighting, Nope.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 4:23:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2015 3:32:47 GMT
It's not just the phones for kids it's the cost of the dang data packages. That to me is a big issue. Sure, nice to get them phones, but in reality who pays for them? That would be the parents. Before buying a phone for a child who wasn't personally my own I suggest talking to the parents. They are the ones who have to deal with the bill, not the phone purchaser. You're wrong in this case. Grandpa is willing and able to pay for the data packages too. They would be added to his plan not the parents' awwwww Grandpas are the best!! Grandpa pays for my kid's phone service as well. They are on his plan, his bill, he takes care of everything.
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