Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy an 8 year old a phone.

25 replies

Shootingstar1115 · 28/04/2019 20:26

Have bought by son (birthday this week) a second hand iPhone SE. Not to use as a phone really, as he doesn’t go anywhere without us obviously but more to use as a device for videos, games etc - there will be no sim. He will just connect to our internet at home. I may allow him to face time, or use messenger to speak or message to relatives.

Also, he has autism and likes to take videos of absolutely everything. He has an iPad but it’s a bit bulky to take everywhere also very epxnwisbe to replace if it gets broken. The second hand SE was cheap.

Didn’t see a problem, but my mil, my ex (his dad) has said he’s too young (despite buying him a gift that need to connect to a smart phone), but it’s not like I’m giving him a monthly contract?!

To be used more like an iPad.

Surely it’s not any different to a iPad really, just smaller??

It will also stop him from picking up my phone and using up all my space with his videos 😏

OP posts:
Order654 · 28/04/2019 20:28

Your child, your choice.

My 7 year old has an iPad and a iPod. She can send me iMessages on there. Normally gifs messing around.

ZippyBungleandGeorge · 28/04/2019 20:31

It's your choice, it wouldn't be mine, but it's up to you not anyone here or your MIL

Haggisfish · 28/04/2019 20:34

My dd8 has a phone and ds6 will have oNe, too for sinilar reasons to yours.

PeachQueen · 28/04/2019 20:37

Far to young in my eyes to have any kind of device.

What about a toy camera that you can film on?

sanityisamyth · 28/04/2019 20:39

My DS (5) has got my old iPad mini (really slow now) to use to watch videos etc. On and play games. It doesn't have data/cellular on it so he can only use it offline or connected to the home WiFi. He takes it on the school bus to keep him entertained on the way to/from school. Seems to be working well so far.

Futureisland · 28/04/2019 20:42

I got my son his first phone for turning 9. I had always planned to wait longer but he just seemed ready at 9 and was starting to go a little further when out playing. Mainly he used it for games like you are planning. I think its fine and a second hand iphone SE is probably cheaper than many tablets.

safariboot · 28/04/2019 20:49

YANBU, but be sure to set good parental controls and supervise the use. I think 8 is plenty old enough to have gadgets, but it's too young for unsupervised internet access. I don't know what controls iPhones have, but I'd want to restrict the web browser if I could.

Original poster
Shootingstar1115 · 28/04/2019 20:53

Thank you all. It is mainly just for YouTube, games and creating his own videos to re-watch (something he loves). I’m always too scared to take his iPad out with us in case it gets broken, damaged or lost. I think an SE is much easier to take out and about. He doesn’t really browse the internet (other than looking at pictures of things he likes). I’m fed up of my phone being full of videos and him getting upset when I’ve had to delete 😂

OP posts:
Ihatehashtags · 28/04/2019 21:29

My 6 year old has a phone but only for music and photos. There is no sim in it.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 28/04/2019 21:57

My boys have had tablets since they were three so I think it’s fine. The key thing for me, is fostering good habits and ingraining internet safety into them.

cocodash · 28/04/2019 22:08

DSD got a phone for Xmas when she was 9 (her mum got her it) and in my opinion it's been worst thing for her. To be fair she has a sim and uses WhatsApp and Instagram (her mum chose to allow this) and ever since she has just been GLUED to her phone. Apparently it is her whole life. Never wants to do anything or go anywhere. Just sit on her phone.

Hopeygoflightly · 28/04/2019 22:09

No, no, no. Get a camera for photos. Too young.

tor8181 · 28/04/2019 22:14

my disabled 8 y old has had his own contract phone since he was 4,we pay £30 a month but he has a lot of data which is needed for ourlifestyle(home educators that do a lot of trips/holidays)

he has a decent phone as well tbh,8 months ago he had a samsung 8 edge

he only has 3 numbers in it(me,dad and his brother)no social media being 8 and metally 4-5 and as cant read or write dont have certain apps

he has it manly for the data when we are out and for using the speech search bit on google

he used it for his home education as well as he uses the educational apps

he also has music,videos and audio books on it(pre downloaded as well as amazon music) and uses it to take videos with commentary when we are out on our educational day trips that he does for projects

hes never dropped it so its never been cracked and he takes good care of it as we have a screen protector and a good case

Original poster
Shootingstar1115 · 29/04/2019 11:13

Similar to DS tor8181. He has autism and although he’s pretty high functioning, he has learning difficulties and his reading and writing is young for his age. He doesn’t know anything about social media, Instagram, Snapchat etc and doesn’t understand the whole chatting to people. He literally sends myself and other relatives one word messages or a load of emojis!

My son also likes to take videos with a commentary. He loves it 🤣

OP posts:
Teddybear45 · 29/04/2019 11:16

If he likes taking videos / photos I’d probably buy him a cheap camera (maybe a low end SLR) and basic video editing software. A phone and unsupervised internet at this age is a bad idea.

PetuniaPetunia · 29/04/2019 11:16

It is sad that parents feel that their children need a phone to be safe when going out to play.

Namechangeeee1 · 29/04/2019 11:17

I saw a thread on here a couple of weeks ago where an OP was given an absolute thrashing for allowing her 7 year old a mobile phone, which didn’t have a sim, so was basically the same as having a tablet.

Now you all think it’s ok?

The hypocrisy on MumsNet is unreal 🤦🏽‍♀️

EvaHarknessRose · 29/04/2019 11:18

It's fine, as long as you have oversight.

TeaForDad · 29/04/2019 11:22

I wouldn't let him have either

reluctantbrit · 29/04/2019 11:24

We used an old iphone (first a 4, then a 6) for exactly these purposes. DD was able to listen to music or play, it is just more transportable than an ipad.

She only got a sim at the end of Y6.

flowery · 29/04/2019 11:30

DS2 had one of our old phones from 8, just for playing on, no SIM. We put a SIM in it from the start of year 4 as he was going to school on a minibus and I wanted to track him. He has very strict parental controls on it obviously, and isn’t allowed any social media of course. Had he not been going to school on the bus, we wouldn’t have got him a phone with SIM until 11, same as DS1.

EllenRachel · 29/04/2019 11:35

I think it's fine. I have an old, water damaged iPhone but it still works. It has no sim in it but my 5 year old uses it to take photos, videos and play a couple of games (like teach my monster to read and number games). YouTube is hidden but I sometimes get it open for her to watch too. Just like lending her the iPad.

Mamadothehump · 29/04/2019 11:58

It's exactly what we got our DD for her 8th birthday last week!

AudacityOfHope · 29/04/2019 12:14

It sounds like he's using it in a really safe way, i.e. with no internet or social media access, but my concern is just the addictive nature of having a phone in your hand. Once it begins it's relentless, I'm hoping to put it off as long as possible. DD is almost 9 and feels left out already because her friends are all on WhatsApp Sad

llangennith · 29/04/2019 14:02

I haven't rtft so this may have been suggested but instead of deleting his photos why don't you transfer them to a laptop or memory stick?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread