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Preteens

Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

Original poster

Do all 11yos have their own phones and ipads?

47 replies

WorkInProgess · 19/01/2016 20:17

DS1 says all his friends do. I have told him I will get him something when i think he is mature enough (he has been very aggressive when asked to stop gaming) but his father (my ex) told him at the weekend that he is old enough to decide whether he is ready or not.

He does get some technology, we have a wiiu, a few games on an ipad and he got a kano for christmas. He can also email from my ipad whenever he wants.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
AveEldon · 19/01/2016 20:19

Secondary school age 11 year olds probably all have phones

Palomb · 19/01/2016 20:19

Dd has a hudl and a kindle but no phone. I have no idea why an 11 year old would need a phone until they are at secondary school and dd isn't till September so we'll get her one then.

Titsywoo · 19/01/2016 20:20

DD has her own phone as I wanted her to get used to having one before secondary school later this year. It has no internet on it so just used for calls and texts. No ipad though - thats too expensive. Her phone is a cheap refurbed one.

IHaveBrilloHair · 19/01/2016 20:21

I'm going to say yes, the vast majority do.

DragonsCanHop · 19/01/2016 20:21

DD has a phone for keeping in touch after school whilst I'm at work. It's an iPhone but it's my old one from when I upgraded my contract.

We take the phone back off her when she is at home and then she takes it to school again otherwise she would spend her whole evening on Instagram.

annandale · 19/01/2016 20:22

Fraid mine did (12now). Sorry.

Brokenbiscuit · 19/01/2016 20:22

I agree that most secondary age kids have phones. During the last year of primary school, however, some do but ime most don't. Is he in year 6 or year 7?

They definitely don't all have tablets, although many probably do!

My dd is in year 6. She will get a phone in the summer before starting secondary. She has use of my iPad if she needs it and if I'm not using it.

RJnomore1 · 19/01/2016 20:22

Yeah I have an 11 year old and they algae phones and tablets. I can't think of one of her friends who doesn't have a phone.

Hulababy · 19/01/2016 20:22

No they won't all have them.

However, I would imagine the majority of 11y at secondary school do have a mobile phone of some form. Many, ime, will have a smart phone of some kind. Some 11y at primary school may have them too - I know it is often a birthday present for 11 year olds, in preparation for secondary. Obviously many may not have them too.

I also imagine many 11y have access to a tablet of some form. It may not be an iPad, though they are very popular I'me, but possible other types.

FWIW, DD got a mobile phone (smart phone) for her birthday, age 11y. She had an iPad mini for her Christmas present when she 10y.

BoboChic · 19/01/2016 20:23

DD (11) has had a phone and iPad for a couple of years. She got a MacBook Air for Christmas.

Brokenbiscuit · 19/01/2016 20:25

I know it is often a birthday present for 11 year olds, in preparation for secondary.

YY, this is what many people do. We'll be doing the same.

TheSecondOfHerName · 19/01/2016 20:25

Phones: almost all have their own.
Tablets: some have their own, some share a family tablet.

FullOfChoc · 19/01/2016 20:25

Of course they don't all have them. Some kids don't even have internet access at home.

I agree that they don't really need them. Even at secondary school, at our local secondary school they aren't allowed to get them out on the premises anyway.

usual · 19/01/2016 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Robertaquimby · 19/01/2016 20:27

Mine has a phone. No tablet though. He goes out and about with friends so it is useful and plays games on it too. Most of his friends have phones, cheap smartphones. Some have their own tablets, others have family ones. We are unusual in not having one. I would like an ipad for myself though.

I would buy him any more tech if gaming is causing problems

BoboChic · 19/01/2016 20:27

DD definitely needs her phone and computer - absolute necessities. The iPad is just for fun.

balletgirlmum · 19/01/2016 20:31

At ds's school they all have to have either an iPad or a Hudl. Everyone has a phone.

Melonaire · 19/01/2016 20:31

Yes to phone by secondary.

itallsucks · 19/01/2016 20:31

DS 11yrs (yr 6 at primary) doesn't have either but he will be getting a phone during the summer for when he starts secondary in sept, it worked well for us doing it that way for his older brother so we are doing the same for him, the phone he gets will something cheap so it doesn't matter if it gets broken/lost/stolen.

JenEric · 19/01/2016 20:34

My y6 11 year old has my old phone (perma not charged as she never bothers with it, just wanted to say she had one I think) and her own tablet. The tablet is a £40 cheap and cheerful one not allowed in her bedroom.

SirVixofVixHall · 19/01/2016 20:35

My dd is 11 and doesn't have a 'phone. She says quite a few of the kids in her class do, but by no means all. We live in a rural area though, where the children are "younger" for longer than in a big city like London. Certainly here they have less stuff. Its a more outdoorsy culture, lots of farmers. She has a tablet, bought by my MIL. (not an ipad)

peggyundercrackers · 19/01/2016 20:40

It's an interesting subject. Mister kids seem to have phones but I don't think it's really necessary but that's probably because I don't like mobiles and think too many people abuse them ( sending messages or calling at any time of them day).

I dont have any issues with kids having computers or tablets because they are a learning aid. Our dd who is 3 has her own iPad mini, it's an older one and wasn't bought by us, it was given as a present. She loves it and uses it for various things, she has some games on it and uses it for numbers and letters and different bits and pieces. Given computer use is an every day fact of life now kids need to be confident with them and not be scared to use them like some adults are. I work in IT and she sees me all the time using them and wants to be like mum...

peggyundercrackers · 19/01/2016 20:40

Most not mister

Original poster
WorkInProgess · 19/01/2016 20:41

He is in year 6, goes on school bus so no phone needed as the lady who drives the bus has a mobile and contacts parents if nevessary. For secondary school he will als go on school bus and school has strict no phone policy, if not for this policy i would have let him have a phone in September.

He has his own email address and can email from my ipad and can look things up on the internet when i am around. We also have an old ipad for all 3 children with games and netflix on it but no access to internet or app store without our passcode. And he will get limited internet access on his kano once i see no more aggression.

He is very emotinally young for his age and has a poor attention span, and i wonder if all the intense gaming he has done with his dad since he was 4 has contributed to this.

OP posts:
Melonaire · 19/01/2016 20:42

When are you planning on letting him have a phone?