9yo has a mobile phone???!!!

[jojo38]

My dh's son is 9. He has been given a mobile phone by his grandfather. (His mothers side). He has been using it as a toy all weekend, playing "old macdonald" ringtone... it's been enough to want to make me put it where the sun don't shine, I can tell you...(My rant-sorry)

How old do you reckon a child should be before he/she has this sort of responsibility?

depends if its on contract or PAYG. Definitely no contract for 9 yo. and I'd be inclined to ask him to play with it in the garden if its annoying you. I know chilren of 7 with them

Apparently you can now get phones which can be programmed to call 5 numbers & not used otherwise - especially aimed at the pre-teen market, so that they can use them just to ring parents.

Otherwise it's a lost cause...I started teaching 5 years ago & was plagued with the buggers, because being a new teacher I lacked the bottle to confiscate any 'phone that rang in my lesson...since I got tough, that particular problem has disappeared.

But I'd suggest that any decent 'phone is likely to be taken off your dh's 9 year old by a slightly older kid, if he's flashing it around. Not a happy thought, I know.

My son will have one at 7. He's old enough to carry his own epipens and inhaler, so I think he should have something to call emergency services and/or me if and when he has to use them.

I'd let him have one if he had a long walk home or bus ride, too. Depends on circumstances.

I have a huge bias as one of my first calls on my cell phone (in the US) was for emergency services for my son.

oh dear - when will we let kids be kids again?

JJ - sounds like a very sensible idea and an excellent justification for it.

I agree to a certain extent when there is a specific reason for having one - or if they are responsible enough to have one - no argument from me.
This child is so young for his age, he is like a 3yr old.
There is no reason for him having it. It's really none of my business and I dont' really care but the noise of the blinkin ringtone goes thro me! We have since stopped him playing with it whilst he is here... phew.

agree if its necessary (ie child goes out on their own, medical reasons) but as an accessory i think its a bit ridiculous.

Hi. This subject was on another thread a couple of weeks ago. I agree that as an accessory it's a bit excessive, but as I said on the other post, my DD has one (my old one) for when she goes to stay with her Dad. He's a tight *&^(%$£ and won't let her call from his land line and isn't the most responsible of fathers, so this way she (and DS) can call me to say goodnight. It's a bit of reassurance for them and me. I would also allow her to take it out if she went out alone, but fortunately at the moment she doesn't go anywhere alone.

Forgotn to say DD is 10 next week

Thanks for you opinions. It is interesting how marmalade, you need your dd to have one when he is at the fathers. My x is a bit of a sh*t too... I lie, he's a big one. Yeah, I understand. I think sd needed something this weekend to make him feel special. He is being emotionally swayed away from his dad. Perhaps I was over reacting a little.
Thanks again all.

ss not sd... sorry.