https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:50:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-330409 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 15:01:40 +0000 Crisark 330409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 9 and 5 year old daughters and both have Nintendo DS's. My youngest got her last Christmas when she was just shy of 5years old. They also both have Leapsters. A tv in their room at both my house and their dads. Dvd players and CD players. In my opinion it's not about taking it all away it's about allowing things in moderation. Technology is part of the world and I don't intend on having my children unaware of the world around them.<br /> We are looking at possible cell phones for my oldest soon. When she shows she is responsible enough for one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-330361 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:22:15 +0000 Bookish 330361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, my DH and I disagree about this... I grew up no TV in room, cell phone in high school, all computers/game systems in common areas. He had the opposite. Since my DH and I are gamers, our LO will have access to our gaming systems and computers from a young age, with supervision. When it comes to cell phones &amp; their own tv/computer...I just don't know! My nephew got a cell phone in 4th grade, which I think is completely unnecessary... but I'm not sure what age I *will* be comfortable with. I think it will just be one of those things that depends on my kid's maturity level. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-330337 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:06:40 +0000 sarac 330337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No tv in the room, ever. Cell phone, when we need it to get in contact with her, and only a cheap one. She can buy a nicer one as a teenager if she'd like. Computer is tough - her father and I each have our own, and we won't want to share. We'll likely have a kids computer at some point.</p> <p>Video games are a different story, though. Her father loves to game in his spare time. We met playing a video game. He's very eager to share that with her. I imagine she'll start playing age appropriate games as soon as she can, with him. But she'll learn that's they're a fun thing to do in addition to all the active and imaginative things we also do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329658 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 08:11:28 +0000 MrsTiz 329658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 4 year old neice has an iPad. I don't even have an iPad lol</p> <p>I think things like that and cellphones are inappropriate until like, 9th grade. My kid won't have a tablet, a leapfrog, any of that. It blows my mind that parents (in my life) rely on these things to teach their children. I want my children to play, and learn outside and not on Xbox or iPads.</p> <p>Short version:<br /> Cell phone: 13ish<br /> Computer/Laptop: Highschool<br /> Personal iPad/tablet: When they can buy themselves one<br /> Leapfrog, etc: Kindergarten. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329573 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 05:46:48 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 329573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: If we want to limit electronics in our house, that's going to be a major issue for us. We personally love technology - I'm glued to my iPhone, iPad and computer, DH is a big gamer, etc. - I guess it's just about setting appropriate limits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329552 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 04:10:09 +0000 SugarplumsMom 329552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No one had a cell phone when I was growing up, we used landlines on long, curly cords! In grade school, I don't think there was call waiting, we had to "emergency breakthrough" (aka call the operator and make-up a lame excuse to interrupt the call). I had a pager in early college with everyone else (when it was free to customize your no. with your name). Haha! I got my first cell phone during college.</p> <p>But I had video games for as long as I remember: an Atari in the 1st grade, to play Pac-Man and Dongkey Kong, but I barely used it. I had my first computer in the 3rd grade, a Commodore 64, I only used it to play a bumble bee game. I had every computer and modem, the old timers know what I'm talking about. I don't think I ever took electronics for granted because of it. Instead it was just a part of life, and something to take care of. I was fixing my own computer by high school.</p> <p>I'll do the same for my DD. DH and I are nerds, so for us, it's a part of life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329535 Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:59:28 +0000 808love 329535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I'm pretty much the same as you, except LO uses the Ipad a lot and she's 20 months. It's officially mine though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329529 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:32:03 +0000 looch 329529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, things were different when I was growing up...we didn't have cell phones and while we did have a computer, I was already in high school by that point. I did have a gaming system when I was about 7, it was Colecovision, so I am really showing my age.</p> <p>Having said that, my approach is teaching responsible use. I don't see the harm in having a wide range of things to play with, technology related items included. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329528 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:31:38 +0000 HLK208 329528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS plays with my old iPhone (his toddler aged games still work on it) but other than that, I don't plan to buy him gaming systems or tv's for their rooms. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329526 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:26:17 +0000 brownie 329526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He got a hand me down iPhone as a touch before he was born. He will have a cell phone to take when he isn't with me by 9 years old. He will have his own phone when he can prove he is responsible for it and can help pay for it. He will get a leapster or other toy by the time he's 5. Daddy is a major gamer and it will be excuses for them to play together. We are also a very techie family and will get electronics because they are cool.</p> <p>Silly boy at 17 months old can unlock my iPhone and turn on apps. I'm not sure saying no will be very effective. He loves the airplane game on the wii sports resort and knows how to use the A button to play again. We already bought him just dance kids for the wii. We bought him his own mouse to use with abcmouse on the computer.</p> <p>He wants to do what we do. I am not sure we can give up our toys do we can't expect him to not have them either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329409 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 19:16:16 +0000 pastemoo 329409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: :) But you see--without LO, I would never have bought the iPad/iTouch/whichever I get. So... I am getting *for* him but... gosh I don't know!<br /> I feel like my opinions will change as he ages. I initially thought he could get a phone as soon as he gets a job to pay for all texts and any minutes above whatever basic plan we give him. So earliest is 14 when he can get a work permit? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329389 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 18:20:28 +0000 loveisstrange 329389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pastemoo: thats totally different. I have an iPad and one of the big reasons we bought it was because i thought it would be useful entertaining C on long flights and such. Thats not you buying a 2 year old their very own iPod. Thats more what i was talking about. I dont intend to shelter C from technology, DH is very into computers so that would be next to impossible, but I do intend for her to have the privilege of using our electronic devices rather than own her own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329375 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 18:09:34 +0000 pastemoo 329375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never got any video games and got a phone midway through college.</p> <p>And DH and I want to wait until LO can earn at least a little money of his own before he gets a phone.... BUT</p> <p>I saw my friend's little girl (19 months!) take videos of herself and then play them for herself (and us) on her mom's iPhone. I am thinking of getting DS an iTouch or something like that when he is less than 2 years old.</p> <p>Just like taking computer classes in elementary school really helped me learn some essential skills in technology (and I am still not as tech savvy as I would like), I think that DS lives in a generation that will be full of electronics and I want him to thrive in it--or at least get by better than I do.</p> <p>ETA: I fully intend for the iTouch to be "mine" but an educational tool for him. We don't have a lot of toys or baby gear but this one seems to be useful to me. And I think if it is mine he will be more interested in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329370 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:49:52 +0000 Arden 329370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No TV's in the house, at all. No game systems at all. </p> <p>Desktop computer for the whole family to use for school only, not gaming. </p> <p>Laptops at 16. </p> <p>Cell phones, not until they actually need them for safety. I would consider buying those ones that will only call 911 and home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329367 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:44:07 +0000 pelikila 329367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The first gaming system we got I was in high school and my mom got it for her (to play Tetris), not for my sister and me. I didn't get a cell phone until I was a junior in college. Neither my sister nor I were allowed to have a television in our bedrooms ever. We had one family computer and that was it. The longer I can keep my son from getting into electronics the better. But even when he does start using them at friends houses and such, I'll not allow them to be the center of his life the way it appears so many kids do these days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329350 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:18:31 +0000 mrstilly 329350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When he can buy his own. Those are definitely not necessities, so I want DS to work to earn those things. Or at least to pay half. That way he understands how hard it is to work for things and doesn't grow up without a realistic view of how much things cost. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329344 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:08:51 +0000 hilsy85 329344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got my nephew a DS for the holidays last year...he was 8. I think around 8-10 is appropriate for electronics like that...like something they can use to play games. Cell phones, computers, and televisions are definitely things that we plan to wait on til our kids' tween/early teen years, if not longer (I don't think I had my own television til I went to college! And we still only have one in our home). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329342 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:06:37 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 329342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, we're the same way. We were never allowed to have TVs in our rooms, and I don't imagine our children will be allowed to either. I did have a computer in my room, but it wasn't until I was 16 or 17. My brother got a GameBoy when he was 10 or 12, but that was mostly for car trips. </p> <p>We were trying to decide at breakfast this morning when our kid would get a cell phone -- we decided that we'd do a super basic one that called Mom, Dad and 911 when they started doing after school activities. No texting, Internet, etc until they're well into high school. </p> <p>Ha, we say these things now -- will we be this firm when we actually have teenagers? :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329341 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:06:27 +0000 anonysquire 329341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got a game boy at 5-6 and I thought that was fine, but I didn't play it much. We never had game systems for the tv growing up. We all got cell phones at 16 when we got our cars. I like that age for cell phones but I'll probably be the latest one around for that. My friends daughter is 8 and has an iPhone... What? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-will-your-kids-get-their-own-electronics#post-329331 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:00:43 +0000 loveisstrange 329331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some friends were talking today about getting their kids DS systems and such. A lot of them got their kids these big present at around 5 years old. Am I weird that I think that is WAY too young? I didnt get my first electronic that was solely mine until I was in high school. I purchased my first game system on my own. My first cell phone was a christmas gift when I was 17. I didnt get a TV in my room until high school either. I purchased my first computer my sophomore year of college, before then I shared our family one with my parents. I never took these things for granted because they were a privilege. </p> <p>I have no plans to allow C to have these kinds of things until at least 12-13. I dont want her to take them for granted and Id rather her get plenty of time to play outside and with dress up clothes and use her imagination rather than be glued to a DS or something. </p> <p>I cant be the only one who thinks like this. </p>