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Parenting

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Original poster

Why why WHY would you give your 7 year old a mobile phone???????

30 replies

CharlotteACavatica · 05/03/2007 16:18

My friends little boy who is only just 7 has one, she put £10 top up on it for him today while we were out, im sorry but i think its bloody loopy!! now my ds1 is begging me for one - no chance!

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DeviousDaffodil · 05/03/2007 16:20

Who does a 7 yr old need to ring.
DS1 's friend has one and I find it completely bizarre!

lulumama · 05/03/2007 16:21

DS is 7

if he is not with me, at school , with a friend or family member, where would he be , that he would need to call someone !!!! unless it was 999

ludicrous IMO and wasteful, unnecessary

wurlywurly · 05/03/2007 16:21

we have a spare one that ds who is 7 takes with him when he goes and stays at either nannys houses, only so he can text us, he isnt allowed to take it out with him.

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Kelly1978 · 05/03/2007 16:22

my dd is 7 in June and still can't use a phone! I thinks its absolutely crazy. Plenty of time for all that when she grows up.

Hulababy · 05/03/2007 16:24

One of DD's school friends had a mobile phone when we met out of school once. She was 4.5 at the time

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 05/03/2007 16:24

madness.

there is absolutely no reason why a 7 year old would need a mobile phone. none what so ever.

but then I'm against children having mobiles fullstop. but 7? absolutely ludicress.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 05/03/2007 16:27

plus no-one actually knows the risks from mobiles do they? they emit radiation, so what harm are people potentially doing to their children simply by letting them have them?

Budababe · 05/03/2007 16:29

Madness.

Ds (5.5) did ask me when he can have a phone.

I said when he is earning enough to pay for it and the bills.

Hulababy · 05/03/2007 16:31

I thought that the most uptodate research of mobile phones and radiation showed no risk?

wurlywurly · 05/03/2007 16:33

we only let ds take his to his nans as she is ALWAYS having her phone cut off for not paying the bill and its the only way we cvan make sure we can get hold of him if there is a problem.

MrsRecycle · 05/03/2007 16:33

my dd2 found a spare one and keeps on texting me to tell me how much she loves me! Not all bad eh???

Original poster

CharlotteACavatica · 05/03/2007 16:34

Well i know my friend bought him some credit only about 2 weeks ago so how the hell he has managed to make £10's worth of calls in 2 weeks escapes me!! i think its ridiculous!!I have told my ds1 if he wants one he is going to have to wait until he is about 12/13 at least!

OP posts:

Kelly1978 · 05/03/2007 16:37

how do you even teach a child that young about emergencies? dd still couldn't even dial 999, because I don't think she would understand the concept of a real emergency. I can imagine her calling because the dvd player wont work.

Original poster

CharlotteACavatica · 05/03/2007 16:37

And i dont trust any government research that says there's no radiation risk, there is still alot of people who are convinced there is a real risk and im not prepared to risk my childs young brain cells! little kids with mobile phones - ridiculous!!!

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kslatts · 05/03/2007 16:41

We went to a party last year and one of the girls dd was playing with had a phone and was only 6. My dd is 7 and is constantly asking whether she can have one, I have told her she can have one when she starts secondary school.

Freckle · 05/03/2007 16:42

We have a "house" mobile that anyone can take with them when they go out (I and DS1 have our own). DS2 has been using the house mobile for a couple of years when he goes out on his bike.

He has just been given his own mobile as he goes to secondary school in September and it was a reward for all his hard work leading up to the 11+. He's 11. There is no way I would let any of them have one earlier than that. DS3 (8.5 years) has just said that he'd like one but he's got a snowball's chance in hell of getting one before he's 11.

Tortington · 05/03/2007 16:43

my dt's are 14 they just got one each

MrsRecycle · 05/03/2007 17:01

oops meant to say dd2 aged 6! She's better at texting than dh is .

Fauve · 05/03/2007 17:07

There is a link with brain cancer - research has shown that long-term users are more likely to get brain cancers on the side of the head they always held the phone to.

Kids shouldn't use mobiles because their skulls are thinner, so they're more vulnerable to the radiation. IMO grown-ups shouldn't use them too much either.

We were all supposed to get government advice in a leaflet warning us not to let kids use mobiles, but the Dept of Health was overruled by the Dept of Trade and Industry

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 05/03/2007 17:10

so because the research says it's ok, it is? just like the research that said you shouldn't eat too much fish in pregnancy which has now been counteracted by the research that says you should eat lots of fish during pregnancy.

the reality is, no-one knows.

IMO children shouldn't be allowed mobiles until they're 16. there's no reason why a child needs a mobile phone. They didn't need them 10 years ago, nothing's changed.

Jelley · 05/03/2007 17:13

DD1 is 7 and I gave her one for Christmas. She texts her grandparents on it, but it doesn't leave the house, and she doesn't make calls on it. She has used about £3 in 3 months.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 05/03/2007 17:17

but why does a 7 year old need to text anyone. what's wrong with ... oh i dunnow, talking?

Fauve · 05/03/2007 17:19

Wannabe, the precautionary principle says that kids under 16 shouldn't use mobile phones. That is the government advice in countries like Russia, and it would've been the advice in this country if the Dept of Health had been allowed to go ahead.

My ds is the only 13-year-old we know of who hasn't got one. And I'm giving in, and going to get him one, on condition that he adheres to a whole load of safety advice I'm going to make him read. Mainly that he texts, plays no games or music, and only rings anyone on the mobile in a genuine emergency. He can have free and liberal use of the landline at home.

Jelley · 05/03/2007 17:22

She doesn't need a mobile phone. Nor do I. She is very happy just knowing she has it (and her grandfather is in India, and it is alot cheaper to text him than to phone).

Lact8 · 05/03/2007 17:27

DS1, 10, has had one for about 2 years now. He barely uses it. It was an old one and we just bought a new sim and cover for it. I wanted him to have it as during the summer holidays he plays in a park just out of shouting distance and he never ever comes home on time for his tea. And i was so fed up of all the effort of shoes, hats, I want to take my bike muuuumm, with 2 under 3's every evening when tea's ready.

But this only works if he actually remembers to take it out with him

He doesn't text or phone anyone else on it. But he does enjoy a game of snake now and then.

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