Mobile phone for nearly 9 year old

[applecrumbleandcream]

My dd has asked for a mobile phone for Christmas and I'm just not sure if she's too young. I was going to get her one in a couple of years time (by the time she goes into senior school) for me to keep track on her but her 11 year old cousin has one and she borrows mine to Whatsapp her and text. What does everyone think?

I think it's reasonable for her to have one, as long as you set clear boundaries around it's use. I have an 8 year old who also wants one, and I'm inclined to go with it so that she can ring or text me when she's on sleepovers. I'll only allow certain numbers, like mine, dad's, childminder & best mate, and allow enough credit to reach me in an emergency.

I absolutely wouldn't give a mobile phone to a child that age and definitely wouldn't want them having a phone in their room at night or on a sleepover. My Dd had her first phone in the summer holiday aged 11.5 in time for starting secondary school. I don't monitor her phone usage too much, but I do remove it at bedtime and I would not allow her to be on it late at night. I would delay for as long
as you can, as once they have a phone, it's difficult to go back!

ipod touch?

dd is 9 and she uses Skype/facetime on her ipod to talk to school friends.

in our house mobile phones are the birthday in yr 6, ready for secondary school and usually coinciding with walking to and from school alone.