What is an appropriate age to get your child a cell phone

Question

My husband and I are having a debat we have twin 10 year old sons. I want them to have a cell phone and he does not. Please help.

Answer

When I was about six years old, I got a "firefly" phone. I could only call my parents, and numbers my parents put into the phone for me. Since I was going to school, cheerleading practice, and friends houses, my parents wanted me to have a way to contact them if I needed to. When I started junior high, my parents got me a Tracphone. I was given about 60 minutes every 1-2 months, and was expected to always have enough to answer my parents phone calls and text messages. It gave me a sense of responsibility with having a cell phone, while also giving me a small bit of freedom, allowing me to call and text friends. When I started high school, my parents added me to their phone plan. I had a texting limit, and zero data. I didn't get a smart phone, or unlimited texting, until I got a job, purchased my own phone, and got my own plan. I plan on doing the same sort of thing with my own children.

Answer

Never.
I will never buy my kids a phone. If they want one then they need to get a job and pay for it thenselves. Phones aren't a necessity

Answer

Depends if they are away from you a lot. And if so start them out with a simple phone not like a smartphone.

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A pay-as-you-go phone would be the only thing I would get a kid, and they'd be responsible for putting the minutes on it. I'd only have them using that if they participated in activities after school or worked and needed to coordinate rides, etc.

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As soon as they're old enough to be walking around by themselves with friends. Just in case they need something. I had my first just last year and I didn't use it for anything but phone calls and Facebook, with only occasional texts. Not to say all kids do the same.

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When their life's start getting more busy I got mine as a freshman in high school for Christmas.

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I got my oldest a simple phone when he was 10 and upgraded it to a smart phone when he started high school. He's now a sophomore and when I met his teachers a couple of then told me they let the kids use their phones in class and all of his teachers tweet homework assignments and other class updates in case the kids forget to write it down or are absent. His honors algebra 2 teacher said that if they dont have time to go over an answer in class he lets them take pictures of the solution so they can check their work after class.

Answer

I should have been more specific. I do not want to get them a smart phone or add them to our plan. I want to get them just a basic pay as you go phone that we will put time on the first month and after that they would be responsible for doing chores and extra work for us and their grandparents to pay the $25 a month they would not be able to take them to school but when they go to a friends house or spend the night with grandparents I want a way to get ahold of my children. They spend a lot of over night visits with my father in law and he never answers his phone when we call and the boys are there and I feel of they have their own phones I would be able to call or text when I wanted to talk to them. I would set strict rules for their use of them at home since they are with me. I didn't mean for anyone to think I want them to have phones for any other reason outside of the fact I want them to have them so I can contact them when they are gone. They won't have data or access to the internet just unlimited texting and maybe 250 minutes a month that will be used when I call or they call me.

Answer

I think it depends on how much they are away from you and need to contact you. For me, the only time I would need a phone was when I was at school and I could use the front office phone. I did not get my phone till I started driving. I thought that was a good time for children to get a phone. However, nowadays kids are involved in so much more and if they are going all over by themselves, it may calm your heart to know that they have a way to call for help if something happens.

Answer

With my daughter I got her a phone at 12. She was always on visitation with her father who intentionally wouldn't answer the phone when I called to talk to her so her own phone helped alot.i would  have never got  her one any sooner than that .I don't think kids should have a phone so early.