What phone does your 11-12 year old have? Want something basic

[18761875j]

What phone does your pre-teen have? I don't want to open Pandora's box and give her a full smartphone, but also considerations are that having wifi data access like Whatsapp would also be good, as it would save needing to get a full monthly minutes plan, so could be used to phone me or text me even when on wifi only.

Open to a brick phone but also wondering if it will be too limiting if doesn't allow basic internet and whatsapp type apps.

Want the cheapest option for running as well! E.g. data or minutes that don't expire as we won't use it often.

Also having a cheap handset is important in a way - 11 year olds are not the most responsible with tech and posessions!

I used to feel exactly like this and used to feel smug and superior to dh who was always getting the latest iPhone. And then I got an iPhone. And it was so much better, and more user friendly and just works better all round. Now I wouldn’t have anything else. I think you need to ask your dc what their friends have and be led a bit by them. No one wants to be the odd one out. And yes it shouldn’t matter, but it does.

Definitely some form of smartphone. DD uses maps, bus apps, train apps, whatsapp, camera (for Visual Art lessons in school), uses it to research in school.

We had a shared app account until she was 16, so we had full control over what apps she had on it. You can tweak SM like Instagram, DD had to get us to approve any photo she wanted to post plus several strict rules about usage.

You seem to be mistaken. I am pro android and anti iphone, I don't give two hoots if my child has a "cool" phone or not! Maybe you misread my post? Please read my post again as I think you are mistaken

I'm not looking for a iphone on a plan.

I want a cheap handset that is easily replaceable if lost.

An android second hand could cost me £50ish plus a small amount for a sim only contract some of which are £5 a month or less (£110 per year including the cost of the phone, if over two years even less per year including the phone purchase cost).

Looking at iphone the cheapest I can quickly see are £27 for 24 months (£650ish over two years).

From what I can tell there's a huge difference in the cost, around £400.

Plus bear in mind if the iphone got lost or broken it could cost as much to repair and replace as a full year of sim data plus second hand handset for android.

thanks but no thanks. It's not necessary to pay five times over the odds for something that sits in your pocket at age 11. No matter what your kids friends have. If your kids friends take the mickey out of the phone they have they are the problem, not your kid.

There's no difference in functionality between an iphone and android, both can do the same things (albeit pressing different buttons). And I say this as an apple user for my computer.

that plan sounds perfect - I will look into it thank you!

12 year old has an S21.
10 year old has an A33.

With the 12yo, he had my old S20 but it started to die and I didn't want him to downgrade when I could get an S21 for the same price.

Get a Nokia smartphone, the one DS has we have actually had for about 6 years as DD had it first and (touch wood) no one has broken it. If fully android and DH uses Google family app, but we also have tesco plan which I know is slightly more expensive then some around £8, a month unlimited text and phone calls. I can't remember what we each have data wise, but Tesco you can limit Internet content so DS is on under 12's only and DD on under 16's. I limited DH's once just as a joke 🤣.

Mine has a Nokia with no sim card, it only has BBC sounds and a library app for audiobooks. It isn't used outside of the house. I'm trying to last as long as possible without a full access phone: https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/

I fully agree with the sentiment of this, but I need my child to be able to phone out / in for secondary school! Maybe a brick phone is the way forwards.

Make sure she has enough data and able to download homework apps. My son has 5 different apps for homework at secondary and also they use phones in class to research etc. 2GB a month would last less than a week here!