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Mumsnet users discuss getting their child’s first mobile phone with musicMagpie

289 replies

EllieMumsnet · 05/12/2018 11:50

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Buying your child their first mobile phone can feel like a big milestone; it’s one of their first steps to becoming a little more independent. With so many different types of phones out there and with a lot of information to sift through on when and how to go about getting your DC their first phone, whether you hand them down their siblings old one, buy a refurbished phone or even get a new one, musicMagpie would love to know your tips, experiences and thoughts on buying your child their first phone.

Here’s what musicMagpie has to say: “With the latest smartphones costing up to £1,000 or more each year, it’s not feasible for many families to be able to afford the latest Tech. You can still get your kids great quality phones without the hefty bill when you buy certified refurbished mobile phones from musicMagpie. You can literally save hundreds of pounds! For example, you could pay £449 for a brand new iPhone 7 or you could save over £170 for a very good condition iPhone 7 with musicMagpie. It’s not just the price – all of our phones comes with a 12 month warranty and go through a thorough 70 point check to make sure they’re in full working order. Here’s how we refurbish our phones. Keep the kids happy and save money… why wouldn’t you?”

What age did you decide to give your child their first phone? Or was it more about them starting secondary school or walking places by themselves that was the deciding factor? Have you/did you ever consider getting them a second hand/refurbished phone? If you did was it a hand-me-down phone from yourself or did you purchase a refurbished one? How did decide which phone was best and what type of package did you get e.g. pay-as-you-go or contract? Have you put any rules in place surrounding the use of their phone? Do you have any tips on where to shop for their first phone?

Whatever your thoughts, tips and/or experiences are, comment them on the thread below and all MNers that do will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

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Mumsnet users discuss getting their child’s first mobile phone with musicMagpie
OP posts:
KingBobra · 10/12/2018 15:08

DD got one at 10, my old phone when I got an upgrade, but I've disabled internet access on it, as I really worry about what they might stumble on while browsing. She doesn't get to take it to school, and mainly uses it for games and audiobooks. A "proper" phone might be on the cards for when she goes to secondary school.

sophiefx · 10/12/2018 15:20

I would make sure they understand the risks of owning a phone. I would also give them a 2nd hand phone or a hand me down!

gd2011 · 10/12/2018 15:27

Delay it as long as possible

GraceWalpole · 10/12/2018 16:05

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meepmoop79 · 10/12/2018 16:43

We were very cautious about this, and decided to wait until our eldest had started secondary school before letting him have a phone. And so far, all seems good.

Nikita90 · 10/12/2018 17:09

My daughter is too young to have a phone, but my sisters who are 14 now have a phone. Both me & my mum check their phone regularly and monitor the apps they download. Kids don't need phones too early in life

Ikea1234 · 10/12/2018 17:13

Whatever you do, so NOT, repeat NOT buy your child an expensive mobile phone, especially their first one. It will get dropped, stolen or lost. But a cheap or refurbished phone and protect it with a toughened glass screen protector. Trust me, you will thank me for this advice (though your whingeing teenager may not!😂)

bonbonours · 10/12/2018 17:26

My girls got a phone at the point they started walking anywhere on their own ie year 5/6 aged 10. They started off with an old very basic model that used to belong to their grandad. No storage space for anything other than texting, WhatsApp and phone. We let them use WhatsApp because they are on payg and can then text for free when at home. They know if they need me to ring two rings, hang up and I will call you straight back.

Eldest got a smartphone when she went to secondary school mostly because everyone else was playing on them at breaktimes. She has an app restricting it to an hour daily usage not including calls texts or WhatsApp. It also has a bedtime so she can't use it at night. Also it is not an iPhone or an expensive android, it has a hard tough case because she can't be trusted not to lose or break it, and she is not a target for theft.

I will do the same for my younger two children when they go to secondary school.

buckeejit · 10/12/2018 17:31

Ds was 9 a few weeks ago & he got dh's hand me down iPhone 6. He loves it. Annoyed he still had to abide by screen time rules though!

lolamia91 · 10/12/2018 17:56

Hand me down phones with limited internet access.

RACHELSMITH45 · 10/12/2018 18:38

I'll get my daughter a phone once she starts High school as she will need to catch the bus so for emergencies really. I'll be signing her up to a cheap monthly contract, one she can't exceed.

kennythekangaroo · 10/12/2018 18:44

What age did you decide to give your child their first phone? - 10 mainly ready for secondary.

Have you/did you ever consider getting them a second hand/refurbished phone? If you did was it a hand-me-down phone from yourself or did you purchase a refurbished one? DD was counting down the months for my next phone upgrade.

How did decide which phone was best and what type of package did you get e.g. pay-as-you-go or contract? She had no choice of phone. We tried adding her contract on to mine but it didn't work with shared data so she has a £5 month contract - unlimited with 1gb

Have you put any rules in place surrounding the use of their phone? I can check messages/photos/anything; no phone in her room at night; and I have to ok any apps.

Do you have any tips on where to shop for their first phone? I think whatever handset suits best and shop around for a contract - doesn't need to be expensive .

emmamcmahon · 10/12/2018 19:02

My eldest, now 14, got his first mobile at age 9, when he started having to get the school bus and he could ring me if there were any issues. It had no other functions and he couldn’t go online etc. He got an iPhone when he was 11 or 12, it was my old one when I upgraded.
My 8 year old doesn’t have a mobile yet.

ChocolateWombat · 10/12/2018 19:38

My DC got mobiles in the summer a year ago, before Secondary. Most of the children in Y7 had just got their phones.

Our DC have had hand me down IPhones from relatives - not very up to date ones - the last who got theirs in 2017 had a 5C. If we hadn't been given one by an aunt, we would have bought refurbished and then bought a small sim only contract - lots of data isn't needed as they are on wifi at home and school and that is still the majority of the time.

We will never buy new phones or buy phones on contracts but always buy outright and have sim only contracts and buy refurbished from a reputable dealer with a good reputation, who gives a full year warranty and will refund if you're not satisfied. The standard of such phones is really good and very good value. In fact, I recently got a new(refurbed) iPhone SE (not bothered about latest models) for just over £100....and that's the most I'd be prepared to spend on a teenager to be honest.

I think most people are a bit wary about giving young kids (and I'm a always amazed how young lots of kids get phones) expensive phones which may get broken or lost and loads give hand me downs, do actually a reputable refurb is basically the same thing and the next best thing if you don't have an old one to pass down, or want a different model.

disdream84 · 10/12/2018 19:43

I think mobile phones are great for kids when they are at an age where they can go out on their own to play. There's no need for them to have an expensive smartphone, but a basic cheap phone with the function to call and text is really handy for keeping in touch with them.

QwertySmalls · 10/12/2018 19:45

I got my son a phone when he was 8. It was a very basic cheap one for £10.

maryandbuzz1 · 10/12/2018 19:49

We bought a cheap mobile phone when our son started secondary school. We lived quite a distance away and thought it better as he was reliant on a bus to go to and fro and we were happier knowing he had a means of contacting us if he needed to.

juju3 · 10/12/2018 20:09

a basic smartphone that functions well but is not state of the arts

phillie1 · 10/12/2018 20:17

As soon as they started walking to school on their own, essential they had a phone of some basic type - so year 5

towser44 · 10/12/2018 20:25

We're not at the stage where our DC is old enough to need or warrant having her own phone, but she is so tech savvy (as most kids are nowadays) she can work my phone better than me!

jandoc · 10/12/2018 20:25

I will try to hold off as long as possible before getting them one, definitely not any younger than 11

glennamy · 10/12/2018 20:28

A refurbished phone if they want a decent model, as for charges they have a limit and when that is reached they can only receive incoming calls... No phones at the dining table and they are turned off an hour before bedtime and left with us! :)

IonaAilidh11 · 10/12/2018 20:49

gave my son my old phone wouldnt of bought him a new one as a first mobile

jacknjessica · 10/12/2018 21:29

Both our children had second hand phones as first phones, and only progressed onto more expensive phones once that had proved that they were responsible and sensible with them.

giddyypixie · 10/12/2018 21:32

We bought our son his first mobile phone when he was 11, starting secondary and using public transport on his own for the first time. We got him an iphone so my OH can monitor where he is on his journey home if needs be. We have also disabled his app store so he can't download any apps without my OH knowing or having to approve it. I just feel like you can't be too careful with phones these days and the amount of damage they can do!