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Original poster

What age did your DC get a mobile phone?

46 replies

Redyoyo · 24/01/2019 19:55

My dd is turning 9 soon, most of her friends have mobile phones, she is the youngest of her group they are all turning 10 shortly.
She's not asked for one, but she's wanting to start going to her friends for sleepovers, is 9 too young for cheap pay as you go phone?
I was 18 before i got a phone lol!

OP posts:
BackforGood · 25/01/2019 00:31

My dc had them to go to secondary. So the Summer born had his for his 11th birthday, the September born had hers for her 12th birthday. I think my middle one had hers a few months early, on the understanding she knew it was for her birthday present, just got it in time to go to secondary.

DramaAlpaca · 25/01/2019 00:34

Mine all got phones for their 12th birthdays.

chipsnmayo · 25/01/2019 01:28

This is 10 years ago but most of DD's friends got a mobile when they started secondary school

I think DD got a phone in her last year of Primary for her birthday but she's born in May.

That said, times have changed and I know quite a few 9/10 year olds with mobile phones, I do not really see the issue tbh so long as its cheap and you regularly check her texts etc.

MrsDrSpencerReid · 25/01/2019 01:41

My DD just got a phone for her 12th birthday. She starts secondary next week and will be making her own way home for the first time so we thought it was time. I’d say maybe 50% of her friends have their own phone.

DS is 9, he’d have no use for a phone but I’m going to let him have mine when I upgrade soon. It’ll be more like an iPod though as it won’t have a phone number, he just wants to be able to check his fitness tracker app Smile

Do you have an old phone she could have?

Starlight456 · 25/01/2019 02:10

Christmas when 10 so could monitor all use before started taking to school.

4forkssake · 25/01/2019 07:40

11th Birthday a few months before they started secondary. No need for one sooner. My youngest (8) has an old phone to use for games/take pics but no sim.

leccybill · 20/03/2019 19:45

Having issues with Year 4 DD feeling left out as some classmates whatsapp each other with their phones. Really want to avoid getting a phone until secondary school. She's an outdoorsy kid, likes climbing, running etc, don't see any need for a phone tbh.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 20/03/2019 20:32

They both got basic mobiles when they started school age 6.
They were both making their way to school on their own by underground.

leccybill · 20/03/2019 22:37

At 6? In the UK? Year 1? Rubbish.

FogCutter · 20/03/2019 22:42

Mine got a mobile in the summer holidays before starting high school.

He never needed one in primary school as he spoke to his friends at school and via his Xbox and he never walked to/ from school on his own - it's too far so I drove him.

OvO · 20/03/2019 22:43

Eldest on 11th birthday but it was barely used. He’s 14 now and it’s only been about 7 months since he’s started using it a lot.

Youngest is 11 and I asked if he’d like one but he’s not interested. He'll definitely get one when he starts High School (will be getting bus on his own) but that’s not for another year and a half! He says he doesn’t want one even then but I’m sure he'll change his mind.

Sophisticatedsarcasm · 20/03/2019 22:55

DS got one last year as he started to walk halfway to and from school by himself he was 10. Dd 6 has one but has no sims as it’s a super old one just for her to play games and watch you tube 😊

Hippogator · 20/03/2019 23:03

9th Birthday

IloveJudgeJudy · 20/03/2019 23:07

DS1 and DD - 10th birthday. DS2 was asked but preferred something else. He got his aged 11. That was 14, 12 and 9 years ago.

Janus · 20/03/2019 23:12

Pro I hope you mean in year 6 they were using the underground not age 6 ?!! (Although even that sounds young!!).
Mine were all end of year 6 when they started to go out to the high street with friends etc. So for me it was when they were actually out of sight.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 21/03/2019 06:30

No, @leccybill (nicely put) and @Janus not in the UK.

Perhaps I understood the question wrong, but that was the age my DC could be trusted with a mobile phone and needed one (with emergency services, school secretary, parents' numbers) (They also had mobility training.)

ApolloandDaphne · 21/03/2019 06:35

Around age 11/12.

imip · 21/03/2019 06:40

Dd12 in y7 still doesn’t have one. I assume she will over the next couple of months. Dd y6 and 10 wont have one till end of y7 either.

Dd3 is 9 today - she’s years off...

Most of the older 2 peers have them. The bullying etc is absolutely outrageous. WhatsApp is particularly dangerous. I’ve seen so many terrible incidents. It has really turned our resolve. This is helped by dd2 and now 2 secondary completely banning mobiles.

They still have friends, social lives etc. They can text there friend using my phone. I’m afraid I’ll ban WhatsApp til the recommended age.

Theonewiththecat · 21/03/2019 06:42

Dd was 8 when she got my old iPhone 4s, it was rubbish. She got it to play Pokemon go, but the battery would die after 20 mins outside. So that lasted all of a week and we went and got her a new phone, but it's handy because she walks home some days by herself, some days she decides to go to her friends house and not after school club. So she will phone me and let me know.

She's nearly 10 now and she really looks after it. There is rules. We bought an expensive protective phone case. It must stay in that at all times. No nasty texts to anyone. No answering to unknown numbers. If anything happens you don't like, come straight to me or her dad.

RLE2 · 21/03/2019 06:44

Maybe an ipod touch? I got my DD this when she was around 9

FrameyMcFrame · 21/03/2019 06:47

DD was about 12

With DS who is 10 I plan on holding off for as long as possible
He isn't interested anyway.

Passthecake30 · 21/03/2019 06:47

i gave ds my old one just last month (Feb), he's in year 6. In retrospect I feel a bit guilty, he should have had it sooner as he's a bit of a loner and it possibly has made it worse as he's missed out on group chats.

When my dd is in year 6 she'll have one around the same time (or I'll never live it down!)

cocomelon23 · 21/03/2019 06:51

My ds is 9 and now asking for one.

Why do you need one for sleepovers? Ds has been going to sleepovers since he was 5 without a phone.

TheLastNigel · 21/03/2019 06:54

10 and 11. In retrospect I wish I'd waited longer

AlexandraPeppernose · 21/03/2019 06:55

Year 5 here but we have middle schools so that is the age they all start walking to school alone