To why parents would fork out for an expensive phone for under 16s?

[malificent7]

Dd informs me that some of her classmates in year 5 have iphones or Samsungs.
Im a bit judgy as they are so expensive both if you buy a handset outright plus on a contract they are still expensive as a monthly payment.

I didnt want dd to have a phone at all but due to incessant nagging i relented and got her a cheap handset from Tescos. She hasnt had any credit on it for months and uses it as a tablet.

Aibu to think that giving a child an expensive phone is a bit daft. Kids loose and break things plus it sets an unreasonable standard.

I know i was daft myself to have guven in and get her a phone but everyone else in her class seems to have one!

[malificent7]

Id like to add that i cant afford an iphone or upgrade my Samsung myself!

[MelanieSmooter]

My DS is 9, year 5, and has an iPhone. It cost us nothing - it was give to him/us by my PIL. It’s an iPhone 5c, but we’re upgrading him to a 6s soon. We haven’t paid for that either - it’s an old business phone that my husband has been allowed to keep. He has a contract that costs £7 a month, because that’s cheaper than payg. Don’t assume things and you won’t be so judgemental.

[BarbaraOcumbungles]

DD had dh's old iPhone 6 when she turned 11. She's 13 now are still has it.

Kids only lose or break things if they don't respect them. Judge that instead.

[lalalalyra]

It's not expensive if they get your phone when you upgrade. That's why my 2 14yos have iphones.

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Lots of kids have iPhones because they get their parent's olds phones when they upgrade ime.

[Trashboat]

I think why are you even bothered? If your dd is happy with hers and she isn't nagging you for the latest model, it's not really anything to do with you what phones others have.

Maybe it's a hand me down from their family or whatever. If their parents are happy to pay, I really wouldn't bother myself about it.

[malificent7]

Shes not happy and she does nag.

[niknac1]

Our child has had a phone on a contract to go to secondary school, we chose an iPhone because it’s like her iPod and they will find it easy to use. It’s similar to a tablet and we cannuse find my iPhone to track the phone. No right or wrong, we chose a bulky case to protect the phone. So it’s practical but not for showing off. I expect it to last many years and we won’t be upgrading any time soon. We don’t have lots of things many families do but the iPhone allows us to see where the phone is (I realise it may get lost or broken) and we pay monthly and didn’t choose the latest iPhone but it was something we had to consider as we are not rich.

[CourtneyLoveIsMySpiritAnimal]

DS 13 has had my old iPhone 6 for the last couple of years. It doesn't cost us anything in the sense that it's been paid for. I told him he had to look after it as it was pristine when he got it and so far he's done well.

I think the threat of having to have my Nokia 3310 from 2001 if he breaks or loses it is enough to make him him look after it.

[MycatsaPirate]

DD2 is 12. She has a Samsung bought for £98 second hand. Her contract is through my account and costs £9 a month.

She takes care of her phone.

[Eolian]

Because they can afford to and they want to. I always find threads that ask "How can people afford x, y or z?!" reallly odd. It's pretty obvious that some people have more money than others. How they spend it is up to them.

My dc aren't allowed a phone until year 7. Then they get a decent one, on the understanding that if it is broken or damaged through carelessness, it will be replaced with a very basic one. I don't see any problem with that.

[FrostyThirties0]

Most have their parents old ones

Ours do- they have iPhone 6s with a sim only deal £7.50 /month. Actually costs me less than a cheapy new phone.

[JacquesHammer]

Shes not happy and she does nag

But isn't that your responsibility to manage?

Expensive phone or not. Neither are wrong choices. Just different things work for different families

[AtSea1979]

I bought DS a second hand iPhone 5 for Xmas two years ago. It cost £80 plus £10 pm for SIM. People spend a lot more on Xmas presents.

[BeyondThePage]

Mine doesn't have an expensive phone - she has a Samsung - it is old - it was not expensive

[Hoppinggreen]

Because we can afford it and she wanted one and asked very nicely for one?
Dd is 13 and her phone is much more important to her than mine is to me so why should I have a better one than her?

[SaucyJack]

You can get an iPhone 6 for £23 a month these days.

Not everyone is living on the poverty line where this would be the difference between eating or not, plus everyone has different priorities. I wouldn't spend that on a phone for one of the DC personally, but I would (and do) spend the same on extra-curricular activities.

[ghostyslovesheets]

Mine have iphones which they upgraded this time round - they pay for them out of their allowance (I pay for the basic contract and they pay the rest) - they both walk home from school alone (25 min walk) and are at home alone 3 nights a week until 6 so it gives us both peace of mind

[HoppingPavlova]

Our kids have great phones. DH and I get new phones every year (claim them on tax) and kids get our ‘old’ ones. We would not buy them such phones if it was not for us upgrading and having spares. Their old phones then get put aside in case of loss/breakage which has never occurred btw.

[user187656748]

Yep both of mine have good phones. Both are cast offs when we have upgraded. They have £20 put onto them each month and when its gone its gone.

[Redisthemagicolour]

My 13 and 11 year olds have brand new iPhone 6s's (were brand new on contract a year or so ago). We can afford it. It's not anyone else's business. Are we supposed to provide our children with cheaper products so that it doesn't upset anyone else?

[Hotpinkangel19]

Same, my 10 and 12 year olds have our old iPhones, they are careful with them and they link together on a family plan that my husband controls. (Apps etc) plus iPhones have 'find friends' so we can see exactly where they are if they are on their way home from school etc.

[Notreallyarsed]

Kids only lose or break things if they don't respect them. Judge that instead

Yup.

DS1 had my old iPhone 5 which he used as an iPod, he’s got a tablet which is decent (not apple or Samsung) because he looked after his cheapy £20 from eBay one for a year, and for Christmas he got a second hand iPhone 6s bought from music magpie. Think I’m daft all you want, I don’t see why what happens in my home is any of your concern?

[Mistigri]

I'm slightly anti iPhones for teens because the screens are so fragile, but DD16 does have the cheaper one (SE), purchased outright (she paid half).

DS14 has a mid-price android phone of his choosing, which he also contributed towards.

Teenagers need phones these days - within reason I don't see why they shouldn't have decent phones, although I might raise an eyebrow at a younger teen with a £600 phone.

My starting point is that I will equip them with the cheapest decent Android phone (Moto G or similar, £180-200 ish) and they can pay the difference to have the phone they want.

[duckdarlington]

Why do people have to be so judgemental?
Your kid might not respect and might lose an expensive phone but not everybodies will. Plus you cant afford it so why bother having this conversation. If other parents trust their children and can afford to buy them an expensive phone then that is their decision.
For you to judge, dd(8) got an iphone 8 for christmas.