How to set up a new phone for 10 year old?

[benshep]

Bought my eldest daughter a phone, since she's just reached the end of Y6. Big milestone. She's hugely pleased since all her friends have one already.

I'd like to set it up so that she can download apps - this means she has to sign in to a Google Account. Fine. But when I put her details in, it seems she's not allowed one until she's 13. So my options are:

• Lie about her age on the setup form. I'm fine with this but it seems a bad introduction to the "adult world".

• Sign in as me. I don't like this, as I use my Google account for a lot of stuff online - she would get my emails to her phone, all her pictures would be backed up to my account and so on.

• Make another account in my name and use this.

• Something else?

I can't find any helpful advice online. There's a question on Stack Exchange but it's a couple of years old. Google has this thing called Family Link which sounds great, but it's US-only.

This can't be a rare problem. What's the 'standard procedure'?

Thanks!

I set up another Google account and linked it to mine.

So that her inane comments on YouTube no longer have my name on but I can reset the account when we forget the password etc. I don't have a payment method linked to the play account.

And I have her password to unlock the phone so I can check it. She's allowed WhatsApp but isn't allowed to make video calls except to her cousin.

Thanks. So did you put your name on the linked account, or hers with a false DOB?

Those are all good reasons to keep accounts separate too!

I put some anon initials on it, think I put my dob but tbh I can't remember.