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AIBU?

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Original poster

Age of your child when they had their first mobile phone!

55 replies

Persephone70 · 03/05/2017 20:02

Sorry to put such a boring thread in AIBU, but I really wanted some high volume traffic on this one.
Basically, what age did/will you allow your child to have a mobile phone?
I know a lot of it is down to maturity etc. But, just wanted some straw poll figures 😃

OP posts:
user1481271611 · 03/05/2017 20:57

When he was 10 he was given a basic Samsung phone pay as you go to get him used to the responsibility of looking after one. And then when he started secondary school he was given a better phone with a contract sim.

Fireinthegrate · 03/05/2017 21:08

11, and that was 11 yrs ago, when she went to secondary school which was 20 miles away and would be travelling by school bus.

Original poster
Persephone70 · 03/05/2017 21:40

Thank you very much for the quick traffic!
Moreover, I am ecstatic that most of your answers are supporting evidence for my offering in a phone discussion! 😆

OP posts:
AndHoldTheBun · 03/05/2017 21:43

Each DC at 11/12, just before starting high school (rural, different town and a long bus trip to contend with). Initially, that was pre-smartphones. Youngest dc will also get his first phone at that age.

allowlsthinkalot · 03/05/2017 21:46

Ds (9) and dd (7) have use of a payg phone to text or phone us if they are without an adult. Mainly ds as he goes out unaccompanied. Dd only if she goes off to different shops in town.

I'm delaying smartphone as long as I possibly can. I can just see how addictive it's going to be.

Hassled · 03/05/2017 21:48

11th birthday for all 4 DC.

WhenTheDragonsCame · 03/05/2017 22:01

DD1 got hers when she started secondary school. My other 2 DDs are younger and will get one at the same age. They don't need one now and haven't asked for one yet. It will just be a basic pay as you go until they prove they are able to look after it properly.

MrsHughesCarson · 03/05/2017 22:04

13 for both my dds but this was 9 and 7 yrs go.

teaandakitkat · 03/05/2017 22:07

Ds1 was 9, ds2 was 8, ds3 was 4. He wanted to play Pokemon Go like his brothers. They all just got old phones of ours with cheap £5 a month sim cards in them. Ds3 obviously can't read so there's no chance of him texting or instagramming or whatever, and he's only got about 3 apps so he can't get up to much. The advantages of being the youngest!

socialanxietysrus · 03/05/2017 22:08

Very basic one at about 9- PAYG Nokia, bought as he was going on holiday with his Dad ( my ex) and I thought it would be unlikely he'd allow DS to contact me during the holiday

Contract phone organised as a treat after year 6 Sats, wanted him to have one ready for Sec school anyway

ShatnersWig · 03/05/2017 22:14

I didn't have a mobile until I was 34!

flibberdy · 03/05/2017 22:16

It would've been 11 on the transition to secondary but we moved to Asia and Ds had to get a school bus so I gave him one at 9yo. Only due to these circumstances though, would never have if we were in England

halcyondays · 03/05/2017 22:20

She was 9, nearly 10. Now in last year of priimary and they nearly all have them.

BlueChairs · 03/05/2017 22:22

No kids but I was 10, sister was 11

BlueChairs · 03/05/2017 22:23

But we had dumb phones - no SM

Doilooklikeatourist · 03/05/2017 22:24

Last term of primary school , when they started going out to town with their friends
But this was a while ago , as they're both at Uni now , having said that I can't think why they would have needed a phone before that age

KC225 · 03/05/2017 22:25

Under great duress, we have bought ours phones for their 10th birthday next week. They are the only children in their year without phones. We have moved to a rural part of Scandinavia and the children have to use the school bus. There are no public phones. Had we still been living in London, it would have been for the transition from primary to senior.

TwoBlueFish · 03/05/2017 22:27

10, final term of year 6 when he started walking home by himself.

megletthesecond · 03/05/2017 22:27

8yrs old, so he could feel safe on days out when we had to go to separate toilets. Women's queues are so long that ds got upset not knowing where I was. Now he's 10 and uses it when he plays out, I can text him when tea is ready or he let's me know which house he's in.

megletthesecond · 03/05/2017 22:28

Just to add, it's a basic phone. No camera or Web access. The battery lasts for weeks Envy.

SuperBeagle · 03/05/2017 22:29

Because he was catching the bus to and from school and I wanted to make sure he could contact me if he needed to.

Flortle · 03/05/2017 22:30

With DD - 10 - a cheap first smartphone. 11 for a decent phone when she started secondary school.

Twins got hand me down phones when they were 9. Will probably get better phones next Christmas after they're at secondary school.

Ameliablue · 03/05/2017 23:05

First proper phone Christmas last year of primary to prepare for secondary but access to my spare phone earlier to talk with cousins and play games.

We had an incident last year where my 8 yo went out of sight in a very busy public place. Luckily she had my phone in her pocket as she had been taking pictures with the camera so my oh could phone her to locate her quickly. This has made me more inclined to allow them access to a phone earlier.

SuperSaint · 03/05/2017 23:15

DS will be getting one for his 11th birthday next month but he is apparently the only child in the whole of year 6 without one and I am the meanest mother in the world for making him wait so long Wink

melj1213 · 03/05/2017 23:24

My 8yo has a cheap PAYG non-smartphone but only for when she goes out - at home it lives on a shelf in the hall and she can get it on the way out and drop it off on the way in - and I still thought it was a bit young.

The only reason I agreed was because, with me and her dad being separated, I might be dropping her off at a friend's house/activity but her dad would be picking her up (or vice versa) so it's handy in case of miscommunication or confusion over arrangements and she can get in contact with one or other of us.

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