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Original poster

Do your kids have Whatsapp?

16 replies

PinkFlowerFairy · 16/08/2019 06:18

My 10.5 year old is having my old phone but currently it doesnt have a SIM. Im trying to worj out if she justs wants some talk and text or more and thought Id research....

Whatsapp would be a free way to send messages and it seems most of her friends use it, so if she's limited ti texts may find it harder to keep in touch. However whatsapp has just been raised to 16 from a 13.

Does everyone who uses a phone have this? (Or imessage i guess on an iphone would be equivalent? We dont have i phones so really Im asking about whatsapp!)

Anythoughts. Also curious how yiu manage costs. Id been looking at a £6 a month contract but if we used whatsapp I guess a simple payg might be okay as shed need less credit...

Help?!

OP posts:

TravellingSpoon · 16/08/2019 07:30

DD does, she is almost 11.

The only numbers she has are mine, her dad's, Ds's and her 2BF's. I monitor it and all she seems to do is send pictures of our cat to people. She is in our family chat group but rarely answers or posts on that.

TravellingSpoon · 16/08/2019 07:31

I like it because I can send her messages when I am on a late shift and so can she.

Original poster

PinkFlowerFairy · 16/08/2019 08:58

Im wondering if we might need to get it.
I hate breaking rules! But I can see it might be easier than texts.

Does it mean you have a low contract or payg for it?

OP posts:

m0therofdragons · 16/08/2019 09:01

We use a free app called Stars. You have to swop a code to connect so there is no chance of unsolicited messages and can be done without a phone number/sim. I think my battle will be lost in September when dd starts secondary but at least I've had control during primary to get her used to messaging and guide her.

greensnail · 16/08/2019 09:05

My 10 year old has WhatsApp so she can contact her friend who lives 3 hours away. Friend doesn't get any credit on her phone so was just using iMessage but my DD doesn't have an Iphone so we let them both get WhatsApp.
DD has the cheapest Giffgaff package each month which gives her more than enough for her needs.

Original poster

PinkFlowerFairy · 16/08/2019 09:09

greensnail thats the position I think were in. Where friends are just using imessage/whatsapp.

I dont like that they've raised the age to 16 though so my 10.5 year old is way too young!

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkFlowerFairy · 16/08/2019 09:10

We're just going into final year primary so I gues its a run up to secondary.

OP posts:

Isadora2007 · 16/08/2019 09:12

My 10 year old has WhatsApp. I can’t see why the age has been raised, it’s not dodgy.

m0therofdragons · 16/08/2019 09:24

The main issue with WhatsApp is bullying and link to mental health and suicide. I think they raised it so they are not "responsible".

LemonGingerCakes · 16/08/2019 09:29

No.

I’ve seen the content of some of his friends' group chats...

It’s too easy to send horrible videos or photos or use it to bully. The app itself is great, but I think the age rating is totally correct.

Nix32 · 16/08/2019 09:46

My 11 year old hasn't. I'm too worried about the opportunity for bullying.

EssexGurl · 16/08/2019 11:16

DD is also going into Y6 in September. Most of her friends have phones and they are all on WhatsApp groups. She has a class one for the girls, plus a whole year girls group. We have a rule that me and DH can check phones at any time, and we do. In fact, most parents I know do this so we are all monitoring.

DD is quite independent and if she doesn’t like messages, will leave the group for a while and tell me.

It is hard as they see the mums all use WhatsApp for school stuff and DD is used to me messaging the group with queries. So, the girls are all used to it as a method of communication.

We take the view everything is open and visible, so we can monitor it and pull her off if there is a problem. There is one girl who is not always that nice but the rest of the group all know she’s a trouble maker and rally round if she’s being mean.

We will keep on with the monitoring when she’s at secondary, same as with DS whose 14.

MakeLemonade · 16/08/2019 11:23

I have an 11yo and we don’t let her have WhatsApp. It’s 16 for a reason and if the company don’t think it’s appropriate (and they have access to way more info than I do) then that’s good enough for me.

The bullying potential, groups and the politics of who is in and out, anyone with your number being able to contact you/see your photo, encrypted messaging that’s impossible to monitor, you can be added to any groups etc.

I suspect we will give in before 16 but not yet.

InglouriousBasterd · 16/08/2019 11:25

Yes, but only to contact me (when at her dads) her dad (vice versa) and grandparents. And I check.

Original poster

PinkFlowerFairy · 16/08/2019 13:10

Thanks everyone.

We decided to do the more expensive route (talk and texts)but got it for £6 a month, and will avoid WhatsApp for now! I remember her pastoral teavher at school telling us to hang off phones as long as we could as she has to deal with all the friends fall outs... so this might be our halfway house!

Will revisit though. We've def gone for open and honestand can be looked at but I know how addictive group chats etc are so wil lleave it a little longer!

OP posts:

siriusblackthemischieviouscat · 16/08/2019 14:37

My 10 and 11 years olds do. I don't really understand why there is an age limit tbh. It's just an easy free way to send messages to people. So long as you check their phone regularly and check their contacts it shouldn't be an issue.

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