Anyone else's 15 year old not got a phone?

Yes I'm using the internet but what has that got to do with a 15 year old who doesn't want a phone?
Personally think life was probably better before we could track our children/get in touch with them 24/7, before we became reliant on phones for everything. Do you think children survive or do better than survive just because they have a phone? I'd say phones have ruined a lot of teenagers lives

My ds is only 13 and although he has a phone, shows absolutely zero interest. He does have a computer (set up in the living room, if it was in his bedroom I’d never see him!) used for mostly, Minecraft, YT and a bit of googling. Also has an iPad. He is Autistic and not particularly sociable, a few friends at school. I can’t see him changing with this as he gets older but you never know.

Presumably she doesn't. At 15 he's capable of saying/ being given a tine to cone home

I think phones make life much worse. Especially for teenagers. The toll on their mental health is well documented. As for me, I'd be asleep right now if I didn't have a phone.

maybe because we don't want to merely "survive" and having a phone is making life easier and more convenient?

There's a lot of things we used to do without, people survived without electricity for how long? And yet here you are, using the internet.

Why are people so paranoid about keeping I touch with their children all the time? I didn't have a phone when I was a teenager.and survived. As did my friends.
If he doesn't want one then don't get him one. Wait until he asks, I'm sure he will at some point.

My twins never got phones unto they were 16.
They were fine with it and never asked. They were not remotely socially isolated. They are perfectly well adjusted teens but benefitted from not having to put up with all the social media garbage that goes on. They still generally switch them offim in the evening as they want peace and can't be arsed responding to people.
According to Mumsnet though, this is impossible.

Is be more concerned he has discord, it’s known back web grooming site.

but phones pull people away from real social contact and connection with each other. I mean we all coped in the 90s so this isn’t needed. Good on him, his mental health will be better without something in his pocket to constantly distract him from life/friends/difficult feelings

It sounds lonely. Mine are in contact with their friends all the time on their phones. Sociable girls in a small city though. Agree better to delay phones if possible but it’s not easy as need to balance this with not leaving them socially isolated. Don’t know any 15 year old with no phone.

I second this. Discord is an absolute cesspit.

I think it’s great he doesn’t feel pressured to have a phone. So many get them so young, even having them at primary school which I think is crazy. Like you say, it doesn’t sound like he needs one to keep in contact with you. And even if he did, he could use a friend’s phone etc. Just let him be him and carry on as you are! ☺️

Good for him. Seriously.

Agree, this is not unusual where I grew up. Under driving age and you have to be taken everywhere by your parents as there is no other option. (Historically mumsnetters have refused to believe that’s a possibility 😂) There’s no pavements, let alone taxis, trains or buses.

Does he play any PC games like Civilisation?

Could it be some kind of resistance to limbic capitalism?

@Tarraleah the min age to marry in the UK was quietly raised to 18 last year.

Lol this

DS didn't get one til he was 16 when we got him one so he can use maps, Uber, city mapper & Trainline etc. and so he'd be functional as an adult where you need an app for a lot of things.
He also used discord mostly to talk with friends before that.
He was the only one I knew who didn't want a phone. He's not diagnosed as autistic but I do suspect he is on the spectrum, in, frankly a completely fabulous way.

I'm guessing a lot of the respondents on this thread don't have a clue about discord 😂

Unusual.

Mine are much better at self limiting on their phones than me though.

Meant to ass he has no computer access either, doesn't game etc and is super social.

My 16 year old doesn't either. Has no interest. If his friends want to speak to him they either call the land line phone or knock on the door.

If that's your choice, that's fine - I was commenting on the ones (many of them on MN) who state as if it was some sort of law of the universe that there ISN'T a choice, that they just "can't" resist nagging or not let their dc have something their peers have. There's a lot of them about. Well done to anyone who demonstrates to their kids that they don't actually HAVE to do anything just because most people do. (Wouldn't choose it myself, but I rather admire the one thirtysomething I know who doesn't have a smartphone. Watching other people goggle at her with this weird mix of contempt, confusion and envy is always good for a laugh).