When would you let your child own a phone?

[SBKS]

Hi parents,


I would like to hear your views on how old would it be suitable for your child to own a phone or bring to school.

Would there be a case where they argued that they can do good with the phone rather than just social networking and playing games?

[Happy Mama]

My DD has been carrying her own phone at the age of 5.

Just a simple phone for her to call and SMS me though.
Nothing fanciful and nothing from the FRUIT family aka Apple & Berry. :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[Nebbermind]

we only allow phone to school when there’s after-school activities.

[UncleLim]

Simple features (dumb phone) with no surfing capabilities. Top-up card. Mobile phones are almost as essential as electricity these days.

[cherrygal]

DS’ pri school does not allow mobile phones. So there’s no need for us to buy him one. I just put 10cent coins in his pencil case. Guess I will only buy when he reaches upper pri or secondary school.

[Ksbird]

Gotten my girl (10) this year… cos my mom gotten a stroke, and we needed her to fetch her brother just in case we are late running around (hospital, work…etc)


We wrote to the class teacher explaining the situation, and my girl understand that she can only turn on her phone after school, outside school compound to check her sms if we are late to fetch her brother.

Thus, it’s on the need reason.

[Ksbird]

yes, disable her 3G, and only allow sms and phone with quota (50sms and 80min call time) Cheapest deal. Also, warn her if she max her quota and she will need to pay her extra and if continue to overshot twice in a row, will suspend her phone and terminate the contract.

[SBKS]

I see…thanks all for the replies. so its based on need basis.


what about peer influences or peer pressure? when their friends have better phones or phones with games and 3G while theirs are dumb phones and not smart phones.

do they come back telling you that they want to change their phone or upgrade their phone? how you reject them? or if they said there are some features on the smartphone that can benefit them, will you change the phone?

[lim]

thanks for the inputs. my girl is going pri 4 next year. she has been asking for a phone. I seriously dunno when i shd give her a phone. Was thinking to pass her my iphone3. guess it is a bad idea. need to look for a dummy phone n top up card… but still deciding if i shd give it to her at all.

[smurfymum]

i think maybe it’s more of what age to start exposing them to all these gadgets.


it feels like even if they do not own their own gadgets nowadays, they are already over exposed to it that they have to have it.

like my kids’ classmate, keeps asking for "iphone" during the class which is very disruptive and distracting to my kids and other classmates.

if he does not get it he starts wailing and if he has it he plays with it and ignores whatever is being taught.

i guess corrective education towards gadget obsession should start from our level of strictness in the level of exposure we allow them.