Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

DS would like a mobile for his 8th birthday, too young?

25 replies

SqutterNutBaush · 15/04/2014 12:23

I'm not sure why this has suddenly came about but he's asked for a phone. I think it might be handy as he goes out to play a lot wandering to friends houses nearby although never more than a 5 minute walk away.

I can see it having its uses for us to contact him but at the sane time I think its pointless, would only be a cheap brick if he does get one.

Would you?

OP posts:

Lilaclily · 15/04/2014 12:25

I wouldn't no
Round here it's usually year 6 or 7 (first year of secondary school when they're catching buses etc)

WorraLiberty · 15/04/2014 12:26

No, at that age we had a 'family phone', which was a cheap PAYG that the kids could take out with them so we could keep in contact.

WhoNickedMyName · 15/04/2014 12:28

No.

My DS is 10 and we have resisted so far, although tbf he hadn't asked for one yet.

I don't see the point at the moment. We always know where he is and if he's more than 2 minutes from home then he's always contactable via other parents or family, etc.

Bogeyface · 15/04/2014 12:28

I wouldnt either.

In our house you get your first mobile on your 11th birthday, so just before starting high school. That said, I have given them an old spare on occasion when they have been doing something where they may need to keep in touch (school events with no set finish time for example).

WheresRyder · 15/04/2014 12:28

DD has just turned 8 and I would say she is too young, but she doesn't play out or go out without me so no need for one. Thinking back I think ds2 had a phone at about 8 almost 9 but only because it was his older brothers old one.

I think if its one of those that you can only text and call on, and cost no more than £20 I don't see the harm, like you say it means you can call him to come home or he can call you. Do his friends have mobiles too?

I'm a bit on the fence about this. In our house the thought is mobiles are the birthday present the year you move to secondary school, so even though ds2 had one younger it was very rarely topped up and most of the time lived in a drawer, but his birthday in year 6 he got a nokia lumia, which he had for well over a year until it fell out of his pocket when he was on his bike on the way home from senior school. DS2 does travel a long way for school though.

BigBoobiedBertha · 15/04/2014 12:30

I wouldn't at 8.

My 10 yr old now has DH's old phone but that is more for entertainment than as a phone - he can play games and use the internet. He wouldn't have one if there wasn't one going spare. If you are getting a cheap phone then game playing won't be an option so I don't really see the point at 8. I do wonder if it might, in his mind, give him a licence to wander further, for longer, thinking he can let you know and all will be well.

Also, apart from you, who would he phone? Despite what he might say, I doubt if many of his friends have the use of a phone and the only person he will really be speaking to is you.

Can he think of something else? If he wants a gadget maybe an MP3 player of some sort.

trashcanjunkie · 15/04/2014 12:31

No. And fwiw each of my three boys first asked for a phone at that age apparently everyone in their class had one. A quick check revealed the utter bollocks in their statements. I said high school would be ok, but the irony being ds1 who's 17 now, can't keep the darn thing charged or in his pocket anyway! Gah.

LocalEditorWiganandSalford · 15/04/2014 12:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

felinesad · 15/04/2014 12:45

I really really wouldn't bother. My youngest had one at 8 but it was just his Dad's old one. After the initial novelty wore off (about 48 hours). he realised he had no one to ring and he doesn't actually like talking on the phone anyway!! Much prefers his ipod where he can watch videos, play music and play games.

I was actaully quite happy for him to have a phone as I work in a job which is a bit unpredicatable and arrangements can change quite suddenly so it would have been helpful for him to have the phone. He is much more releiable than his elder brother (elder by 4 yeard)as his elder brother is so unreliable with his phone that it is either not with him or not charged.

OwlCapone · 15/04/2014 12:51

No.

DD takes a walky talky with her when she goes to neighbours houses. An 8 yr old has no need of a phone.

Taz1212 · 15/04/2014 12:52

I think it's too young. DS got a hand me down from his father phone when he was 11 so he could get used to having one and not losing it(!) before switching to a school further away where he needed one to get in touch with us.

CoffeeTea103 · 15/04/2014 12:55

I wouldn't he is far too young IMO. A good suggestion up thread about having a family phone. Other than needing to contact him when he goes out playing he doesn't need it.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 15/04/2014 12:56

Personally speaking, I think it's too young. As others have said previously, mine didn't have a mobile until they were at secondary school and becoming more independent. At age 8, I would think your son is never going to be far enough away from you (or another responsible adult) to need it.

Wantsunshine · 15/04/2014 12:58

You could get him one of those phones with preset number so he can only call mum, dad, grandparent and 999. It does nothing else so he probably wouldn't want it!

Jollyphonics · 15/04/2014 12:58

Out of curiosity, do other people's 7 year olds walk to friend's houses 5 minutes away on their own? I'm not judging, I'm just curious, because my DS1 is 8 and I let him go a few doors down but no further. Am I being a bit precious?

Hmmkay · 15/04/2014 12:58

I wouldn't yet. My oldest is 8 and a half and hasn't asked for one but I wouldn't get one yet anyway as it would be a bit pointless. I think about secondary age too is about right.

Original poster

SqutterNutBaush · 15/04/2014 12:59

Tbh I don't know half the parents/door numbers that he goes into

We live in a terrace but there are 5 rows of them and the kids have a habit of meeting at the park and disappearing to X's house although to be fair to DS he is rarely gone more than 30 minutes, I'm just a worrier lol

OP posts:

Hmmkay · 15/04/2014 13:00

My 8 year doesn't really go out to play on his own yet but then all his school friends are in other villages/towns anyway.

Sparklingbrook · 15/04/2014 13:01

DS2 has had a phone since that age, just a Tesco Mobile one PAYG.

He's 12 now and still has one, I don't see the harm if it's a cheapo one. It's not like you are getting him an I phone or anything. It would be handy if he has gone to his mates etc-you can text him back for dinner.

He doesn't need it, no but what birthday present does any 8 year old need?

Original poster

SqutterNutBaush · 15/04/2014 13:03

Jolly I wouldn't say you're being precious, all the houses are kind of within our street and he's not allowed to leave the area IYSWIM, its just because its all terraced.

He gets a lot less freedom than some of his friends and I often worry that I'm stifling him!

OP posts:

McPheezingMyButtOff · 15/04/2014 13:04

Definitely no to a phone, and I also be a bit concerned about an 8yr old wandering to other houses. But then I trust no one.

swissfamily · 15/04/2014 13:37

DSD 8 has a "my own Fone" - check out their website. It's basically pre-programmed with 8 numbers that she can make unlimited calls to / receive calls from (so her parents home & mobile, my mobile and grandparents). Other than that it does nothing. No Internet / camera / games / texts. I'm pretty sure she hates it but it does the job

Jinty64 · 15/04/2014 13:43

I can't see any reason why he shouldn't have a cheap PAYG if its what he wants for his birthday. Ds3 (7.9) has an old one of his brothers and likes to txt me or his dad occasionally. No more a waste of money than many things they get.

Out of curiosity, do other people's 7 year olds walk to friend's houses 5 minutes away on their own?

I collect ds3 from school but many of his classmates (and younger) walk home without an adult and I am one of very few of his peers parents that still collect from the gate. He will come home alone after the summer as his brothers did. Ds3 plays out in the street but doesn't leave our street on his own atm and I am precious.

angcas972 · 30/04/2014 16:31

A little phone with a lot to offer

The 1stFone is the world's simplest mobile phone but that's not all! It has a bunch of innovative features that make it a great phone for you and your child.

The best thing of all it only calls the number you program into.

1stfone.myownfone.com/

DS would like a mobile for his 8th birthday, too young?

MimiSunshine · 30/04/2014 17:06

Nope. Too young IMO.

Who does an 8 year old need to call and for that matter how far away are they going to be from home at that age that a mobile phone would be necessary there are still payphones around, teach him to reverse the charges if its an emergency

I knew a primary school aged child who was given a phone, he put it in his coat pocket / bag and mostly forgot about it.
His mum however would call it to check up on him he was ok and would then completely panic that he was in danger when said coat / bag had been thrown down while he played football and he'd not hear it or check it.

She made a rod for her back.

Flip