Anyone else's 15 year old not got a phone?

[bridgetjonesmassivepants]

As above. He just isn't interested. Neurotypical by the way and popular enough at school. Has a computer in his room so chats with friends on Discord but that's it.

I know not having any sort of phone, smart or brick, is unusual but how unusual is this?

Agree, good for him.

My ASD DS 14 y old has a phone that he only uses to play videogames with at home. He refuses to take it with him anywhere because he's afraid of loosing it🤷‍♀️. He only goes to school and the rest of the time he's at home since he doesn't have a lot of friends.

Phones are fine as long as you parent your children appropriately.
We restrict screen time, ensure they don’t have them in their rooms at night and check them. We also have pare r on each iCloud account for photos.

I have a NT year 8 dc without a phone. I know several other boys in the year who also do not . Ds is not interested in chatting / contact / SM with his mates out of school- he’s says he sees them all day! He does a lot of organised sports evenings and weekends so is contactable through the coach. We live rurally so no public transport to navigate. We have offered an iPhone several times. Just not interested and is concerned he may lose such an expensive item too.

Exactly how we did "back in the day". Say goodbye, then see them later. The world's gone mad.

If that's your choice, that's fine - I was commenting on the ones (many of them on MN) who state as if it was some sort of law of the universe that there ISN'T a choice, that they just "can't" resist nagging or not let their dc have something their peers have. There's a lot of them about. Well done to anyone who demonstrates to their kids that they don't actually HAVE to do anything just because most people do. (Wouldn't choose it myself, but I rather admire the one thirtysomething I know who doesn't have a smartphone. Watching other people goggle at her with this weird mix of contempt, confusion and envy is always good for a laugh).

My 16 year old doesn't either. Has no interest. If his friends want to speak to him they either call the land line phone or knock on the door.

Meant to ass he has no computer access either, doesn't game etc and is super social.

Unusual.

Mine are much better at self limiting on their phones than me though.

I'm guessing a lot of the respondents on this thread don't have a clue about discord 😂

DS didn't get one til he was 16 when we got him one so he can use maps, Uber, city mapper & Trainline etc. and so he'd be functional as an adult where you need an app for a lot of things.
He also used discord mostly to talk with friends before that.
He was the only one I knew who didn't want a phone. He's not diagnosed as autistic but I do suspect he is on the spectrum, in, frankly a completely fabulous way.

Lol this

@Tarraleah the min age to marry in the UK was quietly raised to 18 last year.

Does he play any PC games like Civilisation?

Could it be some kind of resistance to limbic capitalism?

Agree, this is not unusual where I grew up. Under driving age and you have to be taken everywhere by your parents as there is no other option. (Historically mumsnetters have refused to believe that’s a possibility 😂) There’s no pavements, let alone taxis, trains or buses.

Good for him. Seriously.

Yep, no pavements! 40 minute walk to the nearest bus stop along a muddy unlit path. DS loves it when we go to London, he's amazed by the public transport!

Also, can I stress, this is not a parenting brag, as I've said my other son is very attached to his phone.

I think it’s great he doesn’t feel pressured to have a phone. So many get them so young, even having them at primary school which I think is crazy. Like you say, it doesn’t sound like he needs one to keep in contact with you. And even if he did, he could use a friend’s phone etc. Just let him be him and carry on as you are! ☺️

I second this. Discord is an absolute cesspit.

It sounds lonely. Mine are in contact with their friends all the time on their phones. Sociable girls in a small city though. Agree better to delay phones if possible but it’s not easy as need to balance this with not leaving them socially isolated. Don’t know any 15 year old with no phone.

but phones pull people away from real social contact and connection with each other. I mean we all coped in the 90s so this isn’t needed. Good on him, his mental health will be better without something in his pocket to constantly distract him from life/friends/difficult feelings

Is be more concerned he has discord, it’s known back web grooming site.

My twins never got phones unto they were 16.
They were fine with it and never asked. They were not remotely socially isolated. They are perfectly well adjusted teens but benefitted from not having to put up with all the social media garbage that goes on. They still generally switch them offim in the evening as they want peace and can't be arsed responding to people.
According to Mumsnet though, this is impossible.

Why are people so paranoid about keeping I touch with their children all the time? I didn't have a phone when I was a teenager.and survived. As did my friends.
If he doesn't want one then don't get him one. Wait until he asks, I'm sure he will at some point.