To be shocked that 97% of 12 years olds have smart phones?

[Rhayader]

My DCs school does not allow smartphones and most of the schools around here are the same. The kids all have Nokias (and often an AirTag or similar for tracking).

I can’t believe it’s 97%! Am I totally out of touch? She’s never even asked for a phone.

https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2024/sep/23/children-who-dont-have-smartphones

I reckon the kids at your school OP probably comprise the 3% of the study who don’t have them. It’s very unusual. DD is 12, all her friends have them. I spend most evenings and most weekends either at the side of an athletics track or netball court, and they all have them too. Neither of my DC (Y8 & Y11) could get into their athletics track for training without the online membership card - on their smartphones.

Yes throw away burner phones.

I think I know the one. I considered applying for my son, only because I really like the lack of smart phones. I think it's a great idea. Decided school is a little too religious for us though.

Haha yes I think a dumb phone would scream county lines here.

My 12 yo has no phone.
She gets school bus to school and back, she has a chromebook/tablet that she uses for games, chat and schoolwork (eg most of the stuff a phone does).

For her sister we held off until 13th b-day. I might push it to 14 this time.

Important info: we are in Canada and things are a bit different here. High school starts at 14 (grade 9).

For my 12 year olds class (grade 7) I would say about half the class has phones, maybe 40-50%

Why would you be privy to what 100% of all the other kids in the school own?

OP if you live where your username is (I assume not but I will go with it) I absolutely would not believe the local school had kids mostly with dumb phones. Unless indeed they were involved with county lines.

I’m surprised you’re surprised. None of the kids that age that I know (and my two are very similar age so I know quite a few) have non-smart phones.
I cannot believe, I’m afraid, that the majority of your child’s peer group are carrying around brick phones.
Our school does not allow phone use in school time either. It doesn’t really affect the phones the kids own.

Doesn’t surprise me at all that it’s that high. Pretty much every kid here gets their phone from the time they start walking to school alone (last term of year 6). Then from year 7 the school sets homework via an app they access from their phone.

It's a shame. The lucky kids in the future will be those who go to schools which are small enough/well-coordinated enough that the parents can agree a policy that their children won't have smart phones until 15/16. I believe some private schools/academy schools manage this - hopefully it will become more common in the state sector, although of course children travelling independently should have basic phones for contacting parents/emergencies.

We spent a few years in the U.S. and just came back earlier this year. Lots of parents there were signing a “wait till 8th” pledge, to say they would wait until 8th grade (year 9) for a smart phone. Probably 50% of the 5th graders (y6) had smart phones.

I guess we moved from that environment into this one where 3 of our closest schools (where most of our friends kids go) are all in the same academy chain that doesn’t allow them… I guess I am out of touch for this reason.

Do you think other kids at the school all have them and my DD has just not mentioned it?

My youngest has just started secondary and never had any sort of phone until now. Yes, he has a smartphone, but he's sensible. He messages me when he's arrived at school and messages me when he's home. Otherwise, it stays in his bag.
I'm not shocked by this at all. I've seen children 6/7 years old with a smartphone. I don't believe they need one at this age, but each to their own.

@VyeBrator when they come around they have dumb phones and call their parents using them.

@pickedplock its London

If it’s a strict religion based school likely most of the children will have access to a smart phone/ipad outside of the school, and everything you can do on a smart phone you can on a iPad.

Just under a rule to not talk about in school.

We can’t fight it. Best thing to do is teach your kids to be sensible and promote screen free time.

My eldest is 11.5 and we have no plans to get her one, she doesnt need it. When she needs one I'm going to get a GABB phone. Looks like a smartphone but only does calls, texts etc. Can't connect to the Internet. Smartphones should not be for children.

Ours for them in Year 7 - although they are time minutes, monitored by us and they have no Social Media. They use WhatsApp or video calling to talk to friends, and although our DS did start out at first with a Nokia it became apparent he wasn’t going to be able to communicate with friends just by text - not in groups anyway.

This sounds very specific to your local community.

My 11, almost 12 yr old has just got her smart phone. She does not have a SIM with data though. All of friends apart from 1 have smart phones, I was very late and felt like the last man standing here!

Honestly any 12 year old with a smart phone is bad parenting. It's a hill I'm happy to die on.

A phone that can text and call is plenty for a 12yos needs

Not happening in my house. She can have a BlackBerry for her 18th.

Lots of private schools don't allow smartphones.

I agree that 12 seems far too young.

I think it's a shame but I disagree that it's bad parenting. If it's the norm in your community, then parents need to strike a balance between the dangers of smart phones and the risk of their children being/feeling left out.

As a secondary school teacher it does not surprise me that they pretty much all have smart phones. At our school, they must be switched off and in their bags during the school day but they can get them out as most of them have their e-passes for the bus. I don't know a single kid with a Nokia-type phone. Quite a few younger ones (11/12 year olds) have their parents or older siblings old smart phones though.

You’re in London too? The most high tech area of the UK where a lot of public amenities can be interacted with directly with your phone? I’m certainly not surprised people that age have phones, especially if they’re catching public transport by themselves

Most of the kids at our school have e-passes for the bus.