I want to buy my son a phone for Christmas and am looking for advice on a good phone and ways to keep it under control. My husband and I aren’t into phones (usually just have second hand ones from family when ours break) so I’m not sure whether there are any which are particularly good for children and come with parental controls etc. He is already disappointed at the idea that I will be checking it and he won’t be allowed to have it in his bedroom at night etc. I feel quite worried about it but can’t tell how much is me being overprotective.
He often talks about how all of his friends have phones with snapchat and Instagram etc and have done for ages, which I assumed was an exaggeration, but having spoken to their parents it’s true. I am seen as very strict because he has screen limits and isn’t allowed to play games which are much too old for him. His friends don’t really have any limits on what they do online and I often see them playing adult rated games until the early hours. I’m finding it hard to balance giving him a bit of freedom whilst still overseeing things. The fact that he thinks what I’m suggesting isn’t normal is making things more difficult.
Any suggestions of phones, apps I can put onto it to control things a bit better or rules which have worked with your children?