11 year old wants a phone for Christmas .. would you?

Question

Our 11 year old brings up the topic of wanting a phone often. All of his friends have one, everyone at school... etc. 
I personally don’t see a reason at this time. Due to covid, he is home or with us constantly. He isn’t playing sports, going to friends and there are no after school extra curricular right now. I just see no need. However, with that being said, I did want to really consider it, as I told him I would. At what point did you get your child a phone? 
If not, why are you waiting?

Answer

Honestly with Covid it might be better for him to have one. Like you said he isn’t hanging out with any of his friends meaning that he has no peer interaction right now which is fundamental for development. Definitely would put parental controls on it and monitor who he’s talking to and about what.￼

Answer

I think Covid might arguably be more of a reason to get them a phone. So they can feel more connected with their friends, instead of more isolated. 
I currently have no bio kids and haven’t fostered babes that age, so i can’t speak from experience first hand, but my 11 YO niece facetimes me and loved FT my foster daughter on her school breaks. She also video chats her friends since they are masked, outside, and socially distant IF they even see each other (which isn’t much, especially with it getting colder.) she’s at that age her friends matter, and I’m assuming your boy is too. Good luck mama! It’s hard to not feel like there’s too much time to be grown that we want to protect their innocence!

Answer

Our rule is going to be, when you can afford a phone, you can have your own phone. Before then, we will have a cheap phone that has no internet access that our son can use if he had to go somewhere or wants to text his friends. My parents did this, and I had no complaints about it except they felt it was their right to read our text conversations, even when I had a boyfriend......So I’ll let my kids’ conversations be private. But no internet

Answer

You can put parental locks on a phone. Id say its fine but monitor him on it until he's older. A phone is basically a computer now adays and you can read and watch and learn a lot of inappropriate thing on one. So with monitoring I think its fine and would let my child have one. Maybe I would restrict when they get it though or something. Not just free for all

Answer

My 9 year old has one, it helps give him responsibility. It's nice because he can keep in touch with his aunt's, uncles  cousins, and grandparents. Another nice thing if they do go out, you can link to yours and it gives you their location if ever needed.

Answer

I got my first phone at 10 but it was because my mother worked alot and i had after schools things and would walk to my friends. Had no internet and limited minutes. Maybe a tablet or ipod if you dont want him to have a phone?

Answer

At 11 I think it would be acceptable especially with Covid. He doesn’t have access to his friends and a phone would be a good way to help keep him social. I would have pretty strict rules though due to his age.

Answer

I got my first phone when I was 10. Granted phones were VASTLY different back then but I don't see the harm in an 11 year old having a phone. Doesn't have to be top of the range or anything.

Answer

I plan to get my daughter a phone as soon as she's old enough to spend the night at a friend's house, so about eight.  I know that seems young but I want her to always have the ability to reach us if she's feeling uncomfortable.   
That being said, I plan to install and use Net Nanny on her phone.

Answer

Once my kids get to middle school, they'll get a flip phone. If they want a smartphone, they can buy it themselves

11 year old wants a phone for Christmas .. would you?

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