mobile phone for a 12 yr old boy?

[oxocube]

A good xmas present idea or would he be disappointed? Never had one before but spends quite a bit of time out with the dog, on his bike etc so from a safety point of view it might be a good idea. Was thinking of a cheap PAYG, not anything flash. Opinions please !

Has he asked for one? Do his mates have one? I wouldn't get him one if he hasn't asked for it, as I don't think he'll really want it.

My 10-yr-old asks two or three times a year for a mobile, but he's not getting one yet!

thanks, roisin. He has been looking at phones a lot recently and has mentioned a few names of ones he would like (all around the 20 quid mark). A couple of his friends have mobiles but by no means the majority. He's not the kind of kid to spend hours chatting anyway, so I think a phone credit for a tenner would last quite a while.

Think I am convincing myself

hi oxocube, my ds is the same, he hasn't really asked for one, but is often out round the village and it would be better for me to ring his mobile than ring 2/3 parents or drive to the park, or wait until 4pm when i said be back! i have just given him my old one, which he calls the Brick, and it is a PAYG. i also have given it to him to get him used to the fact that he has to charge it and if he runs out of credit he has to give me some cash and i'll top it up. or he can top it up himself. anyway he hasn't had it long but it is good so far!

My niece has had one since she was 10. She is not using it to chat with her friends. But my sister is divorced, and my niece is spending a lot of time flying to her dad for every holiday and many long weekends, so it is reassuring that she can always call when at airports on her own. She is quite used to it, been doing it since she was 5