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MNHQ

What are your non-negotiables for your child’s phone use? Win The Other Phone worth £279!

15 replies

LibbyMumsnet · 04/11/2025 09:42

As you may have seen by now, we have launched The Other Phone, a safety-first smartphone for children, created with Mumsnet users and built with Nothing and SafetyMode.

First phones can be brilliant for independence but access to the internet on a personal device brings its own safety concerns.

That’s why we have designed a phone that brings you peace of mind: tailored safety settings that suit your family, with the design and performance of a modern smartphone that your DCs will actually want to use.

With a first phone comes new boundaries to set and everyone has a slightly different approach. We’d want to hear what has worked for your family:

  • What are your house rules for phones and your DC, and which have genuinely stuck?
  • Have any softened as your child has grown?

Share your thoughts below for a chance to win The Other Phone worth £279. One lucky winner will be chosen at random. Enter by 30 November. (T&C's)

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MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 06/11/2025 08:22

AmandaDS · 04/11/2025 17:56

This is a brilliant idea however, I think the price of the phone makes it very unaccessible to most families.

Thanks so much, am really glad you think it’s a good idea.

I hear you on the price point. It’s worth saying that, as TechRadar pointed out in their review, “On paper, the device sounds similar to the HMD Fuse, which uses SafeToNet’s HarmBlock+ AI to detect and block harmful content. The Other Phone, however, costs less than half the price of HMD’s kid-friendly phone, and in being a modified version of the best cheap phone on the market, it may better resonate with style-conscious teens.”

So while it’s not bargain-basement, for the tech (it's a really high quality device) it’s actually relatively affordable compared with other safety-focused phones - and the hardware itself is based on Nothing’s “best cheap phone on the market.”

That said, we completely get that price matters, and we’re already seeing if we can negotiate a special Mumsnetter discount to make it more accessible for parents who want a safer first phone for their kids. Watch this space!

‘The safest phone for children on the market’: Nothing partners with Mumsnet on a safety-first, modified version of the CMF Phone 2 Pro

Online safety never looked so cool

https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/this-nothing-inspired-other-phone-wants-to-save-your-child-from-doomscrolling-and-tiktok-heres-how

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 13:18

DinkyDaffodil · 04/11/2025 10:41

There will always be apps that they can use and download, and others which I would not allow like facebook and instagram until they are old enough and mature enough to view the content.

Hi @DinkyDaffodil holding off on social media makes sense. Are there any other types of apps you’re quite strict about, or any you’re really happy for them to have?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 13:27

sharond101 · 04/11/2025 19:32

I definitely have become less strict as my tween has gotten older as they use it to arrange meet ups with friends. Absolutely not at meal times is my biggy and not in their bedroom. Beds are for sleeping not for phones.

Hi @sharond101 it’s so tough when “everyone else” seems to be allowed everything, especially in that tween stage. How do you find the peer pressure from friends and even other parents? Are you able to hold firm on your big boundaries?

@SaltyJT the landing rule is clever, you always have that bit of oversight. Do you think you will relax things as he moves through his teens, or is the phone-out-of-bedroom rule one you feel you will hang on to?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 14:57

BathSalt · 05/11/2025 10:27

I gave DS (my eldest) his first phone quite young, before he was really interested, which made setting rules very easy. I did it because he was at the age (9) where he wanted to walk to a friends house/the park independently and I wanted him to have a way to contact me. We had and still have fairly strict rules - he is 13 now and the rules continue.

  1. phones are for communication. Not games. He has an iPad and uses that for playing and watching stuff - we have separate rules and screen time limits for that - so on the phone no games are allowed. At all. It’s just for communication even though it’s an iPhone.
  2. no phones (indeed no screens) in his room, or during dinner, or after 8pm (used to be earlier)
  3. I have full access

No problems or arguments here. He is allowed WhatsApp now he is 13 and I monitor this closely but phones have never really been an issue for us.

His sister, who is disabled, is at the age now where he had his first phone and I haven’t given her one yet. She is not independent, won’t be for a long time, so it doesn’t feel pressing. But maybe this is the time to get her used to having a phone, I’m sure she would love it.

Really interesting @BathSalt that giving it earlier actually helped you bed the rules in. Now he is 13, does he ask for the same games or apps his friends have, or is he pretty accepting that his phone is mainly for communication?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 14:58

Mabiscuit · 05/11/2025 15:14

No phone in the bedroom or at meal times. We have a screen limit of 2 hours although this is quite hard to stick to and causes some mild trantrums.

When they kick off about it, @Mabiscuit do you generally stick to your guns regardless, or are there times you let it slide a bit for an easier life? (Have been guilty of taking path of least resistance a few times).

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 15:53

runrabbitrunrabbitrun · 05/11/2025 15:20

No phones at the table when we are eating. Phone can be checked by parents. Obviously this changes as they get older.

Hi @runrabbitrunrabbitrun v impressed by your solid house rules! Do you see yourself loosening them gradually as they get older, or will things like no phones at meals always be non-negotiable in your house?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 11/11/2025 15:54

littlecottonbud · 05/11/2025 18:24

They use it safely, and keep it in their school bag or with teacher at school.
They need to come to me if there is anything they are not sure about, and I have to be asked about any apps they want to download.
Phones used correctly can be very useful, and your child can contact you if they need to - BUT the internet and some apps can be a place where I don't want my DS to go.

You sound really open, @littlecottonbud, which must help a lot. Do they actually come to you if they are unsure or see something odd, or do you find you still have to start those conversations?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 02/12/2025 11:32

benjaminjamesandgraham · 11/11/2025 13:28

No phones in the bedroom, and if they have a group chat for a friendship group that they allow me to look at it, not sure about facebook or instagram - I want them to have their friendship groups connected with fun instagram pictures - but need to know about security settings for this.

@benjaminjamesandgraham Totally hear you on bedrooms and group chats. If you do try Instagram, you can keep it private, limit who can tag or message, and switch off suggested mentions. Would it help to start with a private account you both manage together so you can teach settings as you go?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 02/12/2025 11:39

Hoolahoophop · 11/11/2025 13:28

Just starting to think about it as we would like our child to have a phone for the transition to secondary, more freedom, and walking to and from school alone. In all honesty, we would like a nationwide ban on smart phones in school forcing all Children down the brick phone rout. We would choose a brick phone, but the social pressure for a smart phone is huge. It has to be all. The evidence is huge that smart phones are bad for kids. Just ban them.

Hey @Hoolahoophop you're not alone on wishing for brick phones only. If the school brought in a firm rule, would that take the pressure off enough for you to go basic for the first year, then review once the friendship groups settle?

MNHQ

LibbyMumsnet · 02/12/2025 13:20

Thanks so much to everyone who joined the discussion and shared your thoughts!

Huge congratulations to @lovemyflipflops, who has won the prize draw and will be receiving The Other Phone. 🎉

If you’re interested in getting one yourself, you can find it here.

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 03/12/2025 12:23

Fancyquickthinker · 11/11/2025 15:12

They will get one when they go to secondary school, as it will be a long way away, and for emergencies. They will have certain rules - no phones at the table, no phones in the bedroom, and certain apps will be out of bounds.
The penalty would be giving them by old samsung basic phone - so they can ring but no smart capabilities until they can show they can be responsible.

Love the natural consequence of swapping to the basic phone. That feels fair. Do you think you will write the rules down together before term starts so there is no confusion when you need to enforce them?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 03/12/2025 12:23

SE13Mummy · 11/11/2025 17:47

When DCs were first given phones, I locked them down so there was no internet access at all, only saved contacts could call/message them and downloads had to be approved. As they've got older and demonstrated they could be discerning about what to engage with/not, they have had freer reign e.g. Snapchat wasn't allowed until closer to 15 because of the disappearing posts but they had Instagram sooner than that, along with chats about algorithms and how clicking on #whatever may send them down a rabbit hole they'd rather not explore.

One of the main rules was no access overnight. Even aged 16 and doing GCSEs, phones were off and out of the bedrooms mainly so they had a bit of headspace. For DC1 in particular that was useful (albeit not appreciated at the time) and they simply told friends they switched off their phone to sleep/work at 9pm. I wish I'd not relaxed that rule post GCSE because being available all night is something that has put pressure on DC1 and they're out of the habit of switching off their phone at night. DC2 won't be having that rule relaxed after GCSEs! The rule DC1 hated most was no phones in rooms from midnight if there was a sleepover. Everyone's phones went on the landing to charge. It meant they could access their phone if they needed to (it was less than 1m from DC1's door to the plug) but that they could all sleep without the risk of someone thinking it would be funny to secretly film them or similar. I know they could have got their phones to do it if they'd really wanted to but they never did. I felt strongly that when people are asleep, they are vulnerable and so need to be able to trust the others they are sharing a room with. Having a bunch of phones present and in use just felt risky. None of DC1's friends minded the rule (and yes, their parents were aware of it in advance).

Youngest DC is a teen and has screentime limits on but we're flexible about them and they are changed during holidays etc.

This is such a thoughtful progression. Interesting about not relaxing the overnight rule after GCSEs. If you could rewind, would you keep phones out of bedrooms right through sixth form for both DCs?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 03/12/2025 12:25

Theimpossiblegirl · 11/11/2025 21:23

We live in a rural area and children get the bus from age 9 (year 5) so that's the age a lot of them get their first phones, my two dds included.

The school is very strict on phone use at school but it's good to know they are contactable when the buses go wrong.

My main rule is phones stay in the kitchen at night for charging. Fire safety but also I know they can't be on them.

Same here on buses going wrong. Do your two mind the kitchen rule or has it just become part of the bedtime routine now?

MNHQ

BeckyAMumsnet · 03/12/2025 12:26

Minimalist UI just means a very simple, uncluttered screen with fewer icons and options - less to tap by accident. You can get pretty close on an iPhone with Screen Time, app limits and a tidy home screen. Is there anything you feel you cannot lock down?

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