Does your 8/9/10 year old have their own tablet or phone? What are your rules?

[HaggisTheGreat]

DC1 has been asking for own phone or tablet for upcoming birthday. We had said that’s highly unlikely, but now with the lockdown I am wondering about getting them “their own” device for video calling friends etc. But then part of me still thinks it’s not necessary as they have (limited, controlled) access to our technology and I would still set firm limits on anything that was “theirs” if that makes sense. So what do your kids have around ages 8/9/10, and what rules do you have?

9 & 6 year olds have tablets. They have parental controls on so I can control the hours they use them, they can't download anything without my input. No internet browser. They're only allowed to watch Youtube in the same room as an adult. That's about it really.

DS got a tablet aged 8.

He got a phone aged 11.

Rules are I check it as and when I want to and no changes to passwords that we set. We often have chats about the dangers online. Phone doesn’t go to school. If it does, that’s it, it’s removed and not returned. He goes to High School is August so that will change then.

He knows to come to us with anything and at anytime that he sees or isn’t sure of.

8 year old has tablet and also uses my old phone . She doesn't have her own account on anything so i can see what she doing. She doesn't call friends on facetime etc unless i have planned it. Her friends don't have their own accounts/phones either so have to organise it with their parents anyway.

Dd (9) year 4 has her own iPad and has had one since she was 5. She uses it for so many things and we do limit her usage as she tends to get obsessed with certain Australian siblings....

Lots of her friends have a phone which surprises me. We can afford to get her one but I feel that I would rather wait until she’s 10. We do have a couple of spare iPhones in the house 6 and 7’s and could easily give her one but I would prefer to wait as I don’t think she needs one yet.

As this lockdown continues though I may feel differently. She’s in contact with her best friend via Roblox and she doesn’t have a phone either.

I don’t know of any child her age or approx her age who doesn’t have a device of some sort.

My 9 year old has a tablet and an old phone of mine that he has games on, theres no sim card in it but he has whatsapp on it and only 1 contact- his dad who lives abroad. It makes it easier for them to communicate whenever they like. I always check through the phone but its mainly used to play games on.

Our two had smart phones to start high school (rural area, long bus journeys), but laptop computers earlier than that. We use the Microsoft Family parental controls to keep a (loose, by now) eye

Kids aged 7 and 9 and they have their own iPad. Usage depends on their day to day behaviour.

I have a 9 & 10 yo.
Neither have phones yet, they have access to tablets and a laptop and can use my phone. At present all screen time limits are off due to doing online based school work.
Eldest will probably get a hand me down phone when she starts secondary (hopefully in September).

To keep in contact with friends eldest uses Zoom on the family iPad. Youngest uses Messenger video calling on my phone. It means I can keep an eye.

Before all this kicked off it wasn't anywhere on my radar to let them have access to this level of tech, but a few weeks changes things!

We have a couple of family tablets that they share.

Phones are a 'starting high school' privilege (so age 11).

I wouldn't get mine their own tablet/smartphone at that age becuase they just don't need it.

8 yo has an old iPhone. Currently using it far too much to FaceTime his friends. Will start to crack down a bit now we’ve had a week of being at home

Thanks! And those of you whose kids have tablets - would you recommend the Kindle Fire Kids? Or is that aimed at younger kids?

10 year old DS has an iPod touch. Pretty much the same capabilities as an iPhone but no capacity for a SIM card so it’ll only work on wifi.

Apple have got some pretty decent settings for keeping your kids account as locked down tight as you want it. He has to request permission (notification to my phone) to download any app. He has a screen time limit that automatically cuts all the fun stuff off once reached.

I also require it to be left in my room overnight and I periodically check his browser history and messages/photos etc.

Mine just have a standard kindle fire.

8 and 9 year olds here. Both have own iPads - have for years. And both have hand me down iPhones. Only the 9 year old has a SIM card as she has started walking to and from school (or did!)
We’re all in Apple family - they are both completely locked down so can’t really do anything without me knowing it. Downtime kicks in at a certain time and from then on, they cannot use them except for Kindle/Libby etc.

Kids aged 8 & 6. 8yr old got a Kindle for Xmas when 7yrs. My Husband decided to get her this as a surprise. I wasn't overly happy, but she follows the rules and doesn't get it during the week. And only an hour each day over the weekend. She has asked for a phone a couple of times but understands we believe she is too young and doesn't need one and will get one when she starts high school.

6yr old is dying for a Kindle of her own (big sister is very good at sharing). She has asked if she can put it on her Santa list for this year, so she will probably get one.

We have no other devices in this house. No laptops (apart from work ones which only come out when WFH), no PlayStation etc...

2 dc and they share a tablet. We have a family Chromebook as well. They're allowed to go on for 1-2 hours at a time and can only access certain apps on them. they are in the same room as us when they use it. They can also play Minecraft and the Crew 2 on the PS4 for an hour or so at a time. Usually they use these things once a week but under lockdown they're going on a lot more often!

Ds 9 has his own ipad, he saved up and put £100 of his own money towards it and got it for christmas. He uses it mainly to play roblox and is usually only allowed it for a few hours at the weekend. He wants an iphone for his 10th birthday in August, we've said we will put £100 towards one as his present, and he has to put his own money towards it if he wants a better one. He is one of only a handful in his year at school that doesn't have a phone. He wont be allowed any social media. Dd is 8 in June and she wants the kids amazon fire 10, which her 4yr old brother has. She's not bothered by brands like apple.

Both aged 8&10 have iPads which are mainly used for school work apps (mathematics/purple mash & duo lingo)
They have to ask to use them for other things.
10 year old has an iPhone (old one of mine and only costs £6 a month contract) this has been her lifeline to her friends at the moment.
8 year old has an ipod for music and she’s been FaceTiming her friends during lockdown. It was very sweet watching them this morning whilst doing joe wicks pe lesson.
Both have parental controls on and I monitor the 10 years olds messages.
There’s a rule of no electronics after 6pm.