Hellobee Boards

Hmm, maybe around 10? I guess whenever the majority of her peers have one and she starts begging for one too

Probably 4th or 5th grade.

Maybe middle school? No smart phone for the first phone.
Middle school because that's when they'll be going on the school bus.

DD is 6 and I've been telling her that I will buy her a cell phone at 16 years old. I think that may be wishful thinking though... Kids seem to have them so young now!!

@Bao: I'm not sure I think it's just going to be something we play by ear. My stepdaughter is in 5th grade and recently got an iPhone and she was basically the last of her friends to have one. They allllll have Instagram. It's a lot different than it was for me!

@Bao: honestly, will we even have basic phones then?? i feel like they're gonna be a thing of the past really soon ...

I can't even imagine. I didn't have my 1st cell phone until I was 18, but my youngest brother was 12. My niece is 4 and she got an iPod touch for Christmas last year. I thought it was crazy at the time, but she loves all her apps and things.

Middle school? At least that's how it's looking for our kids. As far as I know, the elementary school kids don't have phones and if they do they certainly aren't allowed at school. Middle school (grades 7 - 9), I could see being more of a possibility.

I also think it depends on the kid. Our eldest? I'm not so sure he's responsible enough, yet. Our middle child? He's looking about as responsible as our eldest, so maybe when he's 11 he will be ready for it? It's something I think we're just going to have to play by ear. I probably won't like the outcome either way. lol

I don't think DD will be on the school bus at all (all schools are pretty close), so if I have to decide today, I'd say basic phone or limited access to things on a smart phone in middle school.

My step daughter has had one since she was 10 I believe... not a smart phone. We don't have a home-phone so this way she can talk to her mom at any time, and has a phone for sport practices, etc. ($10 extra/month on our plan)
I don't know that we will get her a smart phone, she as an ipod that does all of that so doesn't need one. I imagine we'll have her pay her portion of the bill when it comes to that, just like I paid for my cell phone at 16.

I'm not sure. LO is only 3, so we have a few more years to figure it out. For now, I think it'll be based on her activities and our lifestyle. For instance, is she's into the local scouts where they wander around the forest, then she'll have a phone. If she's into activities that require us to be with her 100% of the time, then she'll likely not have a cell until she's older.

My step-son got one at 8, because he was starting to stay home a bit alone and his mom wanted him to be able to call her. Super simple phone, limited use, only allowed to have family members numbers. My kiddo will probably get one around 9 or 10, I felt 8 was a bit young.

I think times have definitely changed in regards to phones. I didn't have one until 17. My younger brother got one at 13 and at the time my other brother and I felt it was too young.

I think we'll get one for her whenever we feel she's ready to be on her own for short periods of time. We don't have a landline phone, so she'd need one in case of emergencies.

@Mamaof2: LOL that is awesome. I never knew anyone with a bag phone!

This hasn't even crossed my mind! My son is 9 and none of his friends (ranging in age from 8-13) have phones!

@yoursilverlining: This thread made me google all kind of iphone parental controls haha!

@lawbee11: wow! DH didn't get a cell phone until college. i got one when i was 16ish but i barely brought it with me anywhere. i still had a pager too! i only used my cell phone to call my parents mostly.

When she is old enough to be out and about without supervision.

@pinkcupcake: I think we will. There are phones are there designed for the middle-school demographic that allow parental controls and I think that parents appreciate that and will continue to invest in that. It's only ten years away, or even less, and there are still basic flip phones even now.

I would allow him to get a basic calls only phone around the age he starts spending more time at friends' homes, social events, school stuff - so 10-12. But with limitations/restrictions for sure.

If he wants a smartphone, he has to pay for it himself. I didn't get a smartphone until I was a parent haha!

Prob older elementary school age if they walk to school.

when they can help pay for it, and if they can afford it, they can choose whatever phone they want.