S/O What age did/will your kid get their first phone?

[MamaBelle4]

My eldest is 8, so I have no experience with this yet. DH & I agreed long ago that we will buy them their first phone when they get their learner's permit, so 16 is our plan. Otherwise, the kids can use ours to talk to their friends or whatever.

No flames, here, please. Just a nice friendly discussion. So what age were or are your kids going to be when they get their first phone?

 

[soccerdad72]

Older son was 13, I think.
Younger son got a basic phone at 10 and a smart phone a year later at 11.

 

[Klayfish]

They were 10, 7, 7 respectively. They all got them for Christmas a few years ago.

 

[Hikergirl]

It varied, I got them phones when I felt they needed them. My oldest got hers around 9, my middle child got his around 12 and my youngest was 9 or 10.

 

[design_mom]

My kids were 12-13. My son was in 6th grade. That's when he started getting dropped off more for events and sports practices. If something happened or changed, I wanted him to be able to get ahold of us. Lots of his friends had phones, but I didn't want him to always have to borrow.

I had held off longer than most of his peers, but I finally made the decision on the day that I forgot *my* phone and needed to call my husband. I could not find a pay phone ANYWHERE. I asked at the hockey rink, where my son was having practice, if I could use their phone and they said no. They had a policy against it. I checked several local fast food restaurants and the vestibule of the Walmart store -- no pay phones anywhere! When I was young, if you had a dime (then a quarter) you could pretty much count on being able to call home from somewhere... but I think pay phones are largely a thing of the past. Now they expect everyone to have a phone with them.

My daughter got hers this year (she's in 7th grade). She could probably live without it because she doesn't go as many places without us yet, but she really wanted one for Christmas and she was the last of her friends to get one by far. It is nice to be able to get in touch with her if she's at a friend's house, etc.

 

[mjkacmom]

Around here, almost all kids have a smartphone in 7th. Times change, my oldest was 14 and there were no smart phones. Ds19 didn't get a smartphone until 10th grade (not responsible), he was definitely one of the last in his grade. I think you should decide parenting decisions years in advance, I remember thinking I wouldn't get my oldest hr own landline until 6th grade! Lol!

I know starting in middle school, kids are using their phones to keep up in class (remind app, etc.). It's also how kids keep in touch with each other and make plans. Not having a phone would be like not having a landline back in my day.

 

[hereyago]

I can't recall exactly, but dd was in elementary. Maybe 4th or 5th? her dad got her a very basic Net 10, no internet phone.

 

[superme80]

My kids do not have them yet. My oldest is only 8. I got my first phone when I was 20. DH was 35. If my oldest decides to be involved in more activities in the next 4 or 5 years, then around the age of 13 we will get him one.

 

[Magpie]

We had a prepaid "family cell" that the kids would borrow, as young as age nine (when my son started delivering papers on his own). He and his sister would take it, if they were going out for any length of time (ie, down to play in the park, off to the library, swimming with friends, etc). They got their own phones when they started high school, but again, they were pre-loaded. So, if the kids used up all their data, that was it for the month (no risk of emptying our account).

These days I tutor 8 to 12 year olds. Most have phones.

For me, it really comes down to how often you intend to allow your child out by themselves. If they are walking or biking to lessons by themselves, then it's a really good idea to give them a cell phone. I can't tell you how often I've had a student stare at me blankly when I ask if their parent is picking them up after class. At least the ones who have cells can text and ask. Otherwise, I don't know if the parent is running late or if I should send the child off by themselves.

I don't really see a phone as a big milestone or privilege. Just something that allows the kids to check in if their plans change, and which allows me to contact them if - for any reason - I'm not going to be where they expect me to be.

Does anyone else remember looking for a payphone to let your parent know you missed your bus? Or to ask if you can visit a friend? Changing my plans was a big deal, since I couldn't even go out without giving my mom an itinerary and contact numbers for the places I'd be. I remember having to ask in random shops and even bars, if I could use their phone. I also remember how upset and angry my mother would get, if she was trying to find me and couldn't, sitting at the phone, calling every one of my friends. I was so, SO grateful for cellphones, when my kids were young.

 

[blana]

We plan to get DS one before he goes to middle school next year. So, just before he turns 12, or maybe for his 12th birthday in September.

 

[tcufrog]

We have a situational rule not an age rule. Our kids get their first phone when we are regularly dropping them off for activities and/or appointments somewhere where they don't have easy access to a phone to call if there's an emergency and/or we aren't able to easily wreach them by phone.

My older son is 10 and that happened this year. We now drop him off twice a week for swimming and we don't have the ability to call the swim school if there's a problem so we got him a flip phone. It's 25 cents a minute since our family plan is full so it's only for emergencies.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

My eldest is 8, so I have no experience with this yet. DH & I agreed long ago that we will buy them their first phone when they get their learner's permit, so 16 is our plan. Otherwise, the kids can use ours to talk to their friends or whatever.

No flames, here, please. Just a nice friendly discussion. So what age were or are your kids going to be when they get their first phone?

Thirty

 

[hereyago]

I recall my first cell phone, it was in a bag sometime mid 90's, I was about 24 or so. Man, I thought I was it carrying around my bag on my shoulder at the mall, lol. But I was like, don't call me unless you need, the minutes cost me.

 

[kimblebee]

My daughter was 11. I got it for her because she was starting to go out more and I wanted her to have a phone for an emergency. Plus, we don't have a landline and I didn't want her hogging my phone.

I switched to a smartphone when she was 12 and she got one too.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I recall my first cell phone, it was in a bag sometime mid 90's, I was about 24 or so. Man, I thought I was it carrying around my bag on my shoulder at the mall, lol. But I was like, don't call me unless you need, the minutes cost me.

Ahhh the days when they charged for cell minutes on the phone. And they charged you for incoming calls as well as out going. Now they just charge you an arm and a leg up front and you don't have to pay for minutes. And if you sign over your first born, they'll give you unlimited data too!!! My first cell phone was a huge monstrosity. It wasn't convenient to carry at all. It needed a back pack it was so big. But at least I could work the buttons. Now they're so small I can't even work the virtual buttons or type a message. And if I could auto correct would just change it to something else. I try to type to my wife "I love you. I'm going to the store." and it ends up, "I'll shove you, you're such a bore."

 

[tzolkin]

My oldest did not get a cell phone until she was in HS and didn't get an iphone (which she pays for herself) until right before she left for college.

The younger two (7th and 5th grade) do not have phones and I'm not planning on buying them soon.

That said, I don't know anyone else in 7th grade who does not have a phone. DD has not mentioned it or complained, just from my own observations of her friends and volunteering at the school. Most of parents I speak to can't believe my kids do not have phones.

My kids do wander the neighborhood alone and there have been a few times when it would be convenient if they had a phone, but for me that hasn't outweighed what I believe are the negatives of being tethered to a cell phone (specifically a smart phone).

 

[CdnCarrie]

12. They start taking public transit and I wanted them to be able to communicate if they were locked out. Plus it made it awesome at WDW where we could separate from them as they did the big rides and texted us when they were done (ages 9 and 12 at the time).

For those that don't give their kid a cell phone until age 16 do you have a landline? Or what happens if they are home alone and there is an emergency?

 

[gotomu212]

8- there are so many drop off practices, after school activities, etc that most of the kids in his 3rd grade class had phones. Our school doesn't have a school bus either so there were a lot of last minute carpool calls that get made to kids.

I was also REALLY surprised but it's been hard for him to talk to the kids who don't have them since so much of their planning is done by group chat and a lot of these kids don't have landlines either. The technology changes are so fast anymore.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

DS was 11. It was a smart phone but I forget which one. I believe it was some kind of Samsung phone. At 13 I got him an iPhone 5C for Christmas. He's 17 now and they regularly use their cell phones in class to look up information and to Google things.

DD was 10. She started walking to and from the bus stop for school.

They both have iPhones and I love that I can track their whereabouts.

 

[MrJT]

When my son was 11 and started 6th grade, he became a latchkey kid, so we got him his phone.