Daughter has bought her 7 year old a phone

Yes. This is the bottom line. When my child asks me when she will get a phone I say “when you understand the depths of human depravity”. She doesn’t quite understand what that means yet so I’ll wait till she’s older to elaborate (and even older still to have a smartphone). As she is almost secondary school age, I see the advantage of her having a non-smartphone - she is now occasionally not with me and not at school or a club so it will be handy to be able to contact her. Soon, not just yet.

People who buy their kids smartphones and use them like shared communal devices, well I don’t have much of an issue with that but I also don’t see it as a 7yo having their own smartphone. People who just give their 7yo a smartphone are 99% of the time fucking dumb. The only exception I can see on this thread is where there is a custody arrangement with a parent who has substance abuse (or similar) issues. Totally understand that, but perhaps a non-smartphone might be suitable and less risky.

A mobile phone without a SIM card and controls on which apps are there is just a small tablet. My first got an old phone because I couldn't get the MP3s any more. Now they have Spotify. The phone doesn't have messaging or email or web browsing or social media apps or make any calls apart from 999. It's not the phone that is the problem.

The ops point is that her grandchild has a smartphone that could potentially have social media downloaded into it.

My point is that not everyone who allows their child to have a smartphone would allow that, and they can be supervised and restricted on it.

The op is judging the phone without knowing anything else about the plans for it.

Most posters seem to think parents who's kids have smartphones are unsupervised etc, so I am offering a different perspective.

Op is angry with no reason at the moment.

Music
Google Classroom
Games
Camera

Its not much different to a kid having a tablet. But its the usual MN OMG its a phone

It’s not another perspective. Your situation is not even close to the ops point.
You have gone out of your way to say how different it is in fact.

The difference is she doesn’t own a smart phone. She’s using her mums to message her siblings. That’s normal. A little girl with a smartphone is a very sad idea. Not my kid though so…

Absolutely this. There is so much information and data now available about the serious harm to young children to have a smartphone (internet enabled and social media). This is your grandchild and of course you are right to have an opinion and influence where you can. It takes a village.

they can be concerned the same way people can be as offended as they like. They are entitled to any feeling they want. It's just doesn't matter.

Don’t be ridiculous. The grandparent
cant remove the phone purchased by the parent.

YABU

it only sounds "dangerous" for lazy parents who believe parenting mean leaving your children unsupervised to occupy themselves and learn to be bored.

For parents who actually parent, smartphone are a great tool, and in 2026 nearly, it's not too early for children to learn how to use them

Why do you assume the parents will let her have a tik tok account and be without supervision?

Lazy parents are projecting, that's all

Wow, she's a moron. You need to take it away.

YANBU. Not your place but you’re not wrong to be fuming. A 7 year old doesn’t need a brick phone, let alone a smart phone.

Exactly, the assumption, with absolutely no basis whatsoever.

You're asking me what the point is, I'm asking you what's the difference between supervised access to my phone for a limited period of time a day, and supervised access to her phone for a limited time per day?

Honestly couldn't give less of a fuck if people judge me. Was just giving another perspective.

I 100% agree with you, OP - no 7 year old needs a phone, and they are very damaging.
Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do.

I attended a talk by a psychologist who said that when parents ask him what age is okay for a child to get a phone he answers 'when you (the parent) are okay with your child seeing porn'.

Replies like this are so ridiculous. While it may be the parent’s decision it isn’t unreasonable for a loving grandparent to be worried about the consequence for their grandchild. You saying ‘ it’s none of your business’ isn’t going to stop the grandparent being concerned for the welfare of their grandchild.

I supervise all of her screen time anyway, regardless of whether it's my phone or hers or the TV.

To be fair she would have more of a chance of a random message popping up on my phone than hers. She literally has my number and the numbers of her siblings in it.

What’s the point then? If that’s all she uses it for surely it makes sense it’s on your phone?

This post is about a parent letting her dd have a smartphone and the assumption is she’s using it unsupervised. You’re ok with that? Or are you just making a bizarre point because you feel judged?

FYI I totally judge anyone who lets their young child have a smartphone. There is no defence. It’s stupid.

Because I like being offline when I'm out. The phone is for emergencies.

That does seem very young - 7 is year 2 or 3. But there is a big difference between using their parents old phone like a tablet, and having SIM cards, whatts app and social media. Hopefully your daughter is doing the first option.

My 10 year old (year 5) will get one in year 6, as will start to walk home on own to prep for secondary, and school make it mandatory to have a phone for this. We considered waiting until secondary, but thought better to start access to whatts app etc with her close friends who we know well, to get her used to how to access sensibly and safely, rather than waiting until secondary.

Because you're supervising the chat.

She/you won't have the risk of random people/friends sending things to her phone that a child shouldn't see.

I just genuinely can't see the point in giving them a phone of their own at 7.

They can still be taught how to safely use tech before being given access to their own phones at an older,.more suitable age.

I do check my DC's messages regularly, and he uses standard messaging only, so is not able to be added to groups. He only messages his close friends - he has maybe 4 contacts, other than family.

Also, he is a typical boy, so his messages are either practical ("do you want to play fortnite now", "are you going to the park") or a back and forth of emojis with a two day gap in between messages.

I do see the potential issues, but part of giving a phone is keeping an eye on these things. And they do hit an age where you can't keep sending their messages to their friend's mums constantly on request.

I saw on Tik Tok an eight month old baby getting an IPad! Also a 3 year old and a 5 year old! Parents are mad!

This. While I wouldn't buy a new smart phone for a child that age, my 8 year old has a very old one with an old fashioned pay as you go SIM.

She can message her family. Most of the time it's sat on my cupboard. But we live in a small village and she sometimes calls on her friends to play. That is the reason for the phone. We tried watches but they still needed a SIM and were so temperamental that we sent them back and gave her an ancient phone instead.

It's locked down and she needs permission to install anything.

So I'm on the fence. I agree she's far too young for the things you mention but this may not be the intended use.

I understand you concerns .
Could you ask your daughter if she has any concerns and what she is doing to safeguard her 7 yr old .

YANBU. No 7 year old needs a phone FGS.