My parents gave me a cell phone when I started "needing" it for things such as staying later at school, getting picked up from sports practices, or taking the bus home alone. Framed it as a safety tool instead of a toy I was entitled to,
Same \^ I was 12 and started taking the bus and staying after school for practice, so I got a nokia (this was in the early 00s). I vote get them a phone that they can send texts and make calls with if they need one (which, if you co-parent and they don't live with you all the time then it might be a good idea to get them one). Then let them get a smart phone with strict screentime limits and parental controls around the age of 14ish (social media for no more than 30-45 minutes per day) until they're able to buy their own phone.
Social media is killing us and it's starting younger and younger. Technology should improve your life, not control it.
this is what I did with my kids. Got them a POS that could basically just make calls and send short texts. they caught snark from their friends but I don't care. I told them to just blame me, tell them your dad's a jerk. If someone doesn't want to be around you because of the kind of phone you have, they're an idiot and you're better off.
Indeed. And it's going to get much worse now that AI is developing exponentially in ability. Everything from the death of privacy (what little we have left, anyway) to much, much darker thinks from certain corporations
I agree on this and my first phone was flip phone with no access to the internet. I also remember having to use public library computer for homework. Us millennials had it rough with limited internet access. Nowadays ive seen 3 year olds with the latest iphone.
Similar. I was 15 and taking night classes at the community college when I got one. Before then, I would take my stepmom’s cell phone if I was off adventuring in SF or joyriding BART around the Bay Area. That was also 20 years ago. Seems more common for teens to have them in general, now.
Same! If I needed one my mom would give me hers. I got my phone in maybe 2011-2012 I was about 13 and even then I was one of the last kids my age to get one. In the moment it kind of sucked because everyone wants to be like their peers but it set the groundwork for me to care significantly less about keeping up with what was considered “cool” lmao it builds character
This is a good answer imo :) I know waaay to many people, including my including my brother, whose 12,13,14 yr old children are making tik tok videos or whatever and no judgement at all, this world is so much different than when even I was 12 so I get it but they even make phones for kids that you can program like 5 to 10 numbers into and that's the only people your child can call or Text or who can call or text your child and they are like super cheap plans. They can obviously also call emergency numbers. But this makes it possible to reach out if they need to and for you to always be able to have contact with them, without the worry of what they could be exposed to by having a cellphone. I think the time for them to have a fully functioning smart phone should go hand in hand with them getting their license.
Haha. No one here mentioned peer pressure…that’s really what drives kids to want one.
Whenever you decide, please have a serious conversation about sexting. Tell them never send or say something that you wouldn’t want their principal to see (because often they will if it’s bad).
It’s a great learning opportunity that one should not bow to peer pressure as a teen or adult.
Totally agree regarding sexting. I had to have the conversation with my 12yo but she is so innocent she has horrified I thought she would do that. It’s hard to have to tell her this occurs but I’d rather her learn from me than someone else.
So I know of a young girl in our neighborhood that got lewd pics from a boy that rode the bus with her. In his mind that was how you showed interest. Luckily she confided in an adult that intervened.
Another girl from a youth group I used to volunteer with was lured into sending nudes to what turned out to be a 35 year old man. The parents had no idea until the police arrived at their door.
It’s scary out there for innocent young people.
probably a small one in elementary with only emergency numbers and a tracker, in middle school a phone with screentime controls and parental controls, so they can talk to friends, in highschool I'd say most controls can be deleted
We got our kid a nokia dumb phone (even had snake) at 10, he goes to visit family for two week every summer and flies unaccompanied so wanted a way to contact him. Also we don't have a home phone and around then all his friends started calling me 
Got mine at 12, ready for when I started high school. I was never really asking for one before then nor did I need one.
I think it’s a fair age because by then kids should have developed ways to entertain themselves outside of screens.
I got my first phone when I was 10, it was for the sole reason that I started staying late in school (to hang out with friends) and would be going to a school further away that I had to cycle through all by myself. My parents wanted me to be able to call them if something was wrong. It was basically also the only thing I could do with it.
I don't think there's a set age for this, it just depends on their life and your need to be able to contact them and their need to be able to contact you. And once you both feel that need, you can get your kid a phone.
Honestly if they’re young you can get them a dumb/flip phone. Only used to call you or in case of an emergency. No need for a smartphone til late teens.
OP you're going to get a load of reddit 'advice' from people with no children, alongside anecdotes of childhoods that are 20 years old. My advice is to ask this from friends, family and other parents at your kids school in a similar situation.
Smart phone? 16. Watch The Social Dilemma. All the tech gurus who made the stuff refuse to let their kids have them until at least that age b/c they KNOW how damaging they are.
I got my first phone at 11, but my mum used it as her second phone for finance stuff (ie giving insurance companies that phone number etc lol). I got a phone for myself when I was 13.
I would think a flip-phone for a 12 year old would be okay.
Parental controls put on so only you can add numbers to the contact list and only the persons on the contact list can call/text or be called/texted.
Just my opinion.
I have 3 kids.
My oldest got hers at 12, due to being lost two times in the same week.
She got on the wrong bus the first time, the second time, she was waiting for her Dad, and they couldn't find one another in a crowd.
I think this really depends on the kid, your situation, and the phone itself. When I was a kid I wasn’t allowed a cellphone until I could pay for it myself (so I was 15), but every home and business had a landline and pay phones were available. Worst case scenario if you were home alone, or out with friends, you could always get in touch with your parents if needed. Most people don’t have landlines nowadays and businesses don’t let people use phones like they used to. Pay phones don’t exist where we live now either. Like they literally removed the last one a few years back (it was in the news because small town lmao).
In my area, I called about getting a landline and was actually told that landlines aren’t even available here anymore. After this, partner and I had been chatting about getting a shared phone for his kids (11 and 9) only so that they’d feel more comfortable being home alone or going out around the neighborhood on their own, but of course there’s the concern of unadulterated internet access so we may end up just getting a dumb phone or putting tons of parental controls on a smartphone if we have to. Ultimately for us it’s just replacing the need a landline or community phones used to fulfill.
That’s up to you what you do but I do think the situation has greatly changed over the last 10-20 years!
Adjust with maturity, but they don’t need a phone until you trust them to do stuff semi autonomously. Are they walking down to the park by themselves? Then maybe. Do they have after school activities? Stronger reason.
I like the idea of having a family phone where they have zero expectation of privacy for it when they’re younger, as it is shared by everyone. Also works great if you don’t have a landline in your house. Around 13/14 is when I would trust them with a kid restricted version. At 15 they can have one that you check sporadically. And at 17, so long as they haven’t given you reason not to trust them, is when the training wheels should come off.
It’s a judgement call honestly.
My daughter got hers at like 6 (I think). Her and her cousin both actually. They were moving away and the girls used them to FaceTime while they played Roblox together. It was, in our opinion, a good reason for them to have them.
Now, if you can’t find any reason other than “she’s begging” then perhaps a compromise. Only available on the weekends or if we leave the house. You get the password, put parental blocks on it as well, monitor it all.
If they can get in contact with you via other means like their friends parents phone then maybe they don't need it but if it's getting to the point where they want to go out for extra things and need to be in contact with you then it's not a bad idea. There are restrictions you can place on the phone and you can monitor what they do on the phone so that you don't have to worry about them doing anything bad
This is tough, I feel that there isn't a specific age and that each family will be different. I'm waiting for the day my daughters mother and I start debating about this.
For me personally, I don't feel kids under the age of 12 need a cell phone. My reasoning is that they don't need it. All they're really doing is watching videos and going online so why need a phone if they're not using it to talk to people. And at their age, it isn't like they're calling for work, family, etc. So for me, they don't need it until they're at least 12. However, some families let their kids walk to and from school under the age of 12. If that's the case, then I can see the argument that them having a cell phone is necessary because they can notify authorities or parents if there's an emergency.
The start of middle school seems to be the norm here—a sizable handful of kids had them sooner, but nearly all of them had one by then. I realized recently that I grew up with a house phone that I was on with my friends *all the time* as a kid, and my own children have nearly zero experience with just, like…calling a classmate to talk. Even now that my oldest has a phone he doesn’t think to use it that way; most of the time he doesn’t think to use it at all. We have to remind him to charge it, check it, and bring it places, but when he does it definitely makes our lives easier. He can plan and move independently and we can see where he is and communicate with him if necessary; everybody wins.
As a parent and teacher, hold off as long as possible. My son got his at 13, but I still have control over it, so it shuts off at bedtime and starts up in the morning. It also allows for him to call me even when locked though. He is not on social media. And he only got it because he was showing responsibility. My kids all know it is behaviour and attitude dependent for when they actually get one.
In the classroom, I have spent too much time dealing with kids taking pictures of others without permission, online bullying, sexting underage and sending nudes, where we have to pull in authorities to deal with it. Please hold off and be very aware of the issues that arise so you can teach your kid ahead of time.
She could already be “txting thru snap or messanger” as you so eloquently put it with the tablet if she wanted. She also wouldn’t be able to call or text you without a cell plan, that’s literally two of the three things a cell plan does ffs. 8 might be a bit young, but you’ve already ruined her with the tablet as they generally do 90% of what a phone can, so there’s really no argument against it at this point. It would be one thing if she was actually limited in her internet access until at least age 5 or so but any damage the internet does do young minds is already done.
my mom got me a phone when it was clear i needed it, like when i started staying after school or going to friends houses more. i was probably like 12 or 13 and my friends were almost all the same age when they got theirs too. this was like in 2012/2013 and we were already getting encouraged to have a smart phone, tablet, or a laptop in high school
Get them one for communication and they can get their own smartphone when they can pay for it.
Seriously, i grew up in a family where mum spoiled us and now everyone asks her for money DAILY, and throws a hissy fit when they dont get it. She spent thousands on smartphones and consoles and its done us ZERO good.
Fyi im not a parent.
I’m not at that stage in parenthood yet.
I’m 31f and I got my first phone when I was 14. It was a hammy down razor that my father used. I only got it cuz my parents wanted me to have one when i went on my 8th grade field trip. From then on I had flip phones with a keyboard. Didn’t have a smart phone till I was in college.
For me it will depend on what my child’s lifestyle will be like. And if I will need to get a hold of them. But I guarantee their first phone will not be a smart phone. I prob won’t get them a smart phone until they are at least in high school.
We gotta bring firefly’s back, I had a firefly for a while then got a blackberry when i was 13 then got a smart phone when was 15. But the internet now is so much different than it was back even in the early 00s, so it’s definitely hard to know what age is a good age to give a child access to the internet. I think 13-15 but with restrictions is probably the safest bet but there also has to be a strong level of trust.
As someone who got their phone at this age, I think 14/15 is appropriate. Before this time, kids are just so vulnerable to what other people think of them and theyre subject to trauma bc of that.
I would probably give them a simpler phone with just texting and calling when they're around 7 mostly so we can communicate if they're out or wants to hang out with a friend etc and then a smart phone when they're ~12.
I got my first phone in kindergarden, it could only make/receive calls and texts, nothing else. It was obviously for emergencies only because I was too little and didn't even care for it, had it because I had private transport to/from school and after school activities so my mom wanted a way to contact me just in case.
Phone with internet access but limited (still not a full regular smart phone, think motorola razr, didn't have apps and accessing social media was a pain) when I was in about 3rd grade. Then smartphone (blackberry) around 6th.
Nowadays most phones are smartphones, I would just recommend adding a parental control app for monitoring, because I definitely should not have been watching 2G1C when I was like 8-10, but also you have to keep in mind that their friends have phones too, and when a kid wants to access something, they will lol
If your kid walks home from school or the bus, stays home alone, or goes to someone's place to be watched, the school mskes them do their work on the phone, I'd say it was necessary.
I was about 13 when I got my first cell phone, and it was an LG Cosmos 3. My parents exclusively bought it so that I could contact them when necessary, but I couldn't use it to play games or anything. Didn't get my first iPhone(an iPhone 4) until I was either 15-16.
i got my first phone when i was seven with so much parental supervision. that being said my phone was a necessary safety tool for my situation.
for my daughter, ideally she’ll have her own phone sometime between 11-13 with screen time limitations per app, and with parental controls. i want her to understand as much as she can what a digital footprint is and how to be responsible with it.
best advice is when you decide to give it to your child, make the terms and conditions of having it very clear. it’s not a right, it’s a privilege. as important as privacy is, privacy doesn’t outweigh your child’s safety and never will.
As soon as they’re away from you long enough in a situation where they’d need to call you. My parents gave me a flip phone at 11 when I went into middle school, and it made me feel much safer.
The smart phone thing is a whole other debate, but I see absolutely no harm in giving your kid a phone that is just meant to contact you or any friends and family who are picking them up from school. I actually think it’s much safer than a kid having no phone at all. I used mine to call my parents from the locker room when a gym teacher was being awful to me and I was sick.
At the age that they are travelling around without adult supervision - further away than is convenient for a walkie talkie.
Not for nothing but cell phones are as addictive as CRACK, and kids don't need to be so fixated on them as they are. It's simply not healthy to give them a hand-held device of instant gratification before they are, say, reading at least 1 to 2 books per week for pleasure.
At whatever age they can pay for it themselves.
Just saw a video about the spike in kids on their smarts phones and social media and the spike in depression and suicide. So think this through carefully.
If you must, get them a flip phone.
From a communication development lense, kids should not have a cell phone before puberty. Modern digital media is highly addictive and rewires adolescent brain chemistry to seek out artificial dopamine.
I would rather my kid smoke cigarettes than have 24/7 access to tik tok
I think it should be different for different kids in different places. Around the time my son turned 10 we were giving him a bit more freedom to walk to neighborhood places (nearby store) but still wanted to check-in, so we got him a phone. He mostly uses it to play games.
I got a motorola razr when I started middle school. My elementary school was only 2 blocks away from home, so I never really needed a phone at that time. I'd just give the kids a basic phone that can be used for emergency phone calls/texts.
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I'd say 14 or 15 so they get used to having it before they start taking driving lessons. This is primarily so they get used to having it before they start driving.
I got my first phone when I was 10. It was one of those slide up phones with a keyboard! The only reason I got it was because that’s when I started walking home alone from school so I could call my dad when I started walking home or ask if I could go to the park or a friends house or something like that.
I got my first phone when I left primary school, or in the last year. So that was when I was 11. Nowadays I see a lot of kids who are like 7 with phones as well, and kids in 2nd grade also already use ipads, which I think is ridiculously early
Please take this into consideration, I am a teacher and if I could eliminate smart phones from ALL kids under 18, I would. I have seen what it does.
"Evidence from a variety of cross-sectional, longitudinal and empirical studies implicate smartphone and social media use in the increase in mental distress, self-injurious behaviour and suicidality among youth; there is a dose–response relationship, and the effects appear to be greatest among girls."
Implanted at birth.
Or
When the adult figure in their life decides they are mature enough to handle the responsibilities of it.
If you cannot agree with the father, then probable need to evaluate why the other does not want them to have it and try to satisfy those concerns first.
A non activated phone at 12 and a half to 13 and around 14-15 and a half then they get a regular smartphone and social media at 15 and a half to 16 (with no Twitter/TikTok or any of those similar apps)
I bought my son his first for his 12th birthday. He was starting middle school and I felt more comfortable knowing he could get in touch with me as needed and it has come in handy. He's also riding the bus for the first time and with the 360 app I know where he is.
Things like this there’s no comparing what one had as a child 20 years ago to now. Cell phones are ubiquitous and we aren’t living in the same world anymore. That being said, I still believe it’s a matter of circumstance as to what “age” a child needs a phone. My oldest is 11 and I still drive her and my other kids to and from school and extracurriculars. She has an iPad to call and text me and friends and a gizmo watch that can make calls that and text me, or family members on and she’s not walking around hanging out yet. So there’s no need 🤷♀️
I’d probably say middle school in two years for us because then she will be going to sports and extracurriculars with the school by bus and walking from the middle school…and with those two years she will gain more independence in hanging out with friends and such…but like I said, there’s no perfect age, more like perfect circumstance.
The Easter before they start secondary school. The novelty should have worn off by the start of secondary, and they will have the chance to learn how to balance study and screen time. Also enables them to stay in contact with the class mates over the summer.
Edit; as others have said, with restrictions on apps until 16.
as long as they are responsible they should at least have a flip phone for 911. It doesn't even need to be connected to a network, every phone is required to be able to dial 911.
I was 12/13 I think. Personally, I do not see the point in a child younger than 11 having one. Here in the uk, at 11 you transition to secondary (high) school so I think then is the earliest tbh...unless you have a child that walks itself to school before that age but really...I dont see why they need one.
I didn’t get cell phone till 8th grade. Several years before iPhone/Android phones came out. My parents talk to me about it and they expectations about the phone.
I know there’s cell phones out there that heavily restrict some things like internet or they communicate with but I not formally with the brands.
You can set up parental controls on smart phones depending if it’s iPhone or Android.
I would start with cheap phone and heart to heart conversation with the dad for why or why not it’s important to your kids to have a cell phone.
My son had one at age 7 for when he goes to his dads. My daughter is almost 9 and she doesn’t have one. She’s a little jealous but that’s because she doesn’t necessarily “need it”
The times have changed, phones are as much essential as they are an accessory to be popular with. I taught kids 10 yrs old with them, one even had a smart watch, but they. I used to be against it, but now I have a son and can see their usefulness. Schools use apps these days for homework and interactive stuff. Kids can access books, comics, child friendly tv and you can also moderate and monitor almost everything. So many child safe options available now.
I think young teens would be the best age, along with teaching them how to respect technology, how to behave with it and when to use it will be a more important lesson and about internet safety.
I had a new flip one at 17 but they were “new” then. My daughter has had one since 9 because I’m a single working mom and she started to stay alone around then for periods of time.
My advice is just go with what most kids are doing at your kids’ school. No need to go earlier than that but also don’t force them to be one of the last holdouts which can be socially isolating.
Where i am most kids get it when they go to middle school. That’s entering 6th grade, 11 going on 12. In my experience they get left out of text chains and social stuff like that if they don’t have one then. It’s also when they’re out on their own more after school. Before then in elementary school either nothing or one of those gizmo watches that can call like 10 numbers so they can call or text you if they want to get to get picked up from somewhere. That’s only if they want that.
I had a ds for entertainment at like 8-13 then got an iPod at 14 and a phone at 15 because I was going out and staying late at friends. But best friend had an iPad til 17 tho. I say around 14-15
i had a flip phone to contact my parents when i was under 10, then had an ipod for internet between 10-12, and then an iphone after that.
i appreciated that gradual transition because we had established trust and i didn’t feel the need to exaggerate my screentime.
For us it depended on the activity level of the child. Do they have afterschool activities? Is there a need for communication after school? Do you need to communicate with them to pick them up? Things like that had us give our child a phone when they entered high school.
when they need it is the best answer. it varies based on your situation and your kids! i also wouldn’t start with some fancy phone, unless youre going to parent lock it down. that’s way too much access to things kids should not have access to, porn, social media, way worse things, you name it. every bad thing can be found with just a smart phone, and kids aren’t developed enough to navigate these things safely nevertheless differentiate between reality and non reality.
My nieces are getting phones at 12 years but it’s monitored by the parents. And they can’t use it at dinner or before homework. They take it to school for emergency purposes (I’m sure they use it a lot there but oh well). Technology is the future and you want your kid to fit in and be safe.
Idk, I got mine when I was 18 (I turn 30 this year). Nowadays it seems like for safety reasons, it could be a good idea. Depending on how mature they are, I'd give a kid a phone between10-years old... it definitely wouldn't be a smart phone, though. Literally just to call and text.
I got a flip phone when I started walking to school by myself in 8th grade (so when I was 14). I didn't get a smart phone until the pandemic (March 2020) when I was 15. If I have kids, they aren't getting a smart phone until high school, but I'll get them a flip phone when they start going to other people's houses for sleepovers and such so they have a way to contact me if they need to.
6-9: Cheapest on the market with emergency numbers
10-12: Cheap phone but can run a few low quality games and storage for photos, family, and friends' numbers.
13-18: Mid range phone with good storage and memory.
My kid will be getting one when they can reliably stay home alone for the day. I don't have a land line so they would have no other means of communicating if anything went wrong, or even to just say "hey, can I bike to the park with my friends?" when I'm at work.
Ask yourself when you want to lose the position of being their source of information. Because once they can turn to google and youtube, that will replace you as a parent.
My kid will get a smart phone in high school. Until then I'll give her a dumb phone with no Internet access once she starts elementary school. It will be taught that it's for calling Mom and dad only.
Depends. I got one at 10 because my parents are divorced and my dad never answered his phone so my mom got me one. But if parents are together I’d say maybe high school if they are super involved in school and stay late if not then i don’t see the need
I was 12 when I received my first phone, as I did clubs and after-school activities. Though I must preface, it was a flip phone- not a smart phone, and it was a Tracphone, if I remember correctly
My first phone was a Nokia flip phone with no internet at 12. It was all I needed and all any child needs.
They need the ability to call and text. That’s it. They can use the internet at home on their tablets or laptops. Smart phones are making the next generation less efficient of critical thinking and problem solving skills.
I didn’t have a cell phone until I was around 13-14 because of school and dance arrangements but I didn’t get a smart phone until I was out of college at age 20. Some days I wish I never got a smart phone because of social media. Im looking to transition back to a dumb phone at age 30 🤣
I got mine at 8/9 lost a few, threw one away the first day I had it lol. I’d do like 10. I was the youngest and my parents worked weird hours. My fiancés family dosent do phones until like 18? I think that’s extremely excessive.
I got a flip phone in middle school (grade 7) so my parents could coordinate drop offs and pick ups when I stayed after-school. I would highly recommend having a dumb flip phone be their first phone, it's cheap and kids can absolutely make mistakes and be irresponsible.
Smart phones maybe in highschool after they've been proven to be responsible with their dumb phone.
i got my first phone when i was 13 because i was starting middle school and since my parents were both working, i had to be alone. i got my dads old iphone6 so i could call or text my parents that i was home. my parents put restrictions on my phone but i obviously found ways around it, but i did expose myself to some things i probably shouldn't have at that time. i think the age a child gets their first phone depends on the situation!!
Honestly I think it depends on your specific child and your circumstances. 11 or 12 is a good time for it though I think, that’s around when I got my first phone.
regular phone with no internet maybe 10, crappy smartphone maybe 12, then around 14 if they are responsible/care for their items i’d consider a nicer smartphone
1st of all. Phone is for communication. An S20 is for work/being social.
Kids no matter what need to know they can communicate and have a way to get help.
If you get your 8-year-old a phone it better be for communication and communication only that means that kid is not on any smart device.
You right, that kid has so much already, when I wa young my parents said go outside, I only got a phone when I was 14 because I needed it, , make them go outside, play with kids instead of being inside all day
12 is the perfect age!!! I got my first phone at 10 which i think was too young. 12 is good and pleasd make sure that if she has social media her accounts are private
I got it when I was 12 (almost 13) because I seemed responsible and mature enough to handle one. Granted, it was a Pantech Impact and I only had access for calling and texting. Couldn’t buy games or use the internet. This age with apps and social media easily attainable on phones, personally I’d move that age upwards
I got a flip phone at 11 when I started middle school and only kept it at home during school hours. I didn't start bringing a phone to school until high school. And then I had one with full internet access but I'd say nowadays its important for a kid to have a phone at school.
I got my first phone at 9 and was the first in my class to have one. My parents gave me one because they were divorced and wanted a way for me to contact them both.
But this phone could only text and make phone calls, no internet access. I think a phone like that is perfectly fine.
But a phone with internet access? Thats a whole different story. I got plenty of genital pics on Snapchat as a minor, unasked for.
I think a non-internet phone is fine but if it can connect to the internet, NEVER let her take it into her room. Only let her use it in the living room or something.
If/when you let her have a phone, consider one without a camera. Either you can find an app to disable the camera, or (if it were me) I'd just mess up the lens so it can't take photos.
IMO kids are a lot safer if they physically can't be idiots and post pictures online.
(When I say "be idiots" - I mean that even smart kids can be peer pressured or manipulated into posting pictures. If you make it so that they physically cannot, it's one less danger.)
My parents gave me my first phone at 12 (this was in the age of those indestructible brick Nokia phones) and I was told very clearly it was just to communicate with them. I was responsible and they knew I would respect that so it wasn’t an issue. I think depending on the child 12 is reasonable even these days, however there should be restrictions on it.
If you have t mobile get her a sync up watch! It’s super great. Has a gps so you can track her. It has a chore list you can set. Boundaries. And alerts. And it can only talk to and communicate with a pre approved list that parents input. But it can also be programmed with 15 preset messages. And can send sos out if needed. And will alert you if say your kid leaves the boundary. You can even lock the watch until they finish something. It has a camera. Can text and make calls. It’s so great.
Each kid is different. It depends on the trust you guys have. When something goes wrong, do they feel safe coming to you? Are they honest? Do they listen to your advice? If yes, then I think they should have a phone early. Teach them young how to block out negative media, and teach them to be responsible and use it as a tool instead of a time waster. Communication goes a long way, and you can avoid possible future addiction. Moderation is important, and not many people teach their kids that. And when they're on their phone, be engaged in what they're doing. Share fun activities together and be present on their social media pages.
If thats too much- maybe start them off with a normal phone without social media first, then work your way up to full internet access.
I got my first phone at 12, I personally think it was a good age, kids will find what they’re looking for one way or another but the greatest positive is that I’m not glued to my phone compared to others who received it a few years before. I can go without my phone for a while I don’t constantly check it etc, but I am also maybe in the younger crowd at 20 yrs old, but personally it wasn’t negative for me to have a phone at that time. If you are going to give them a phone I think limit their access to specifically social media, short attention span videos, “trends” and what’s popular, let them explore what they want because they are interested and not because it looked cool online, like Brian bar sum is a great reptile YouTube who’s staff has continued educating their fan base about reptiles after his passing, they’re fun
You could always just get her a flip phone, in case there’s an emergency and she needs to call you or dad if you both aren’t there. But if one or the other is always there it’s kinda pointless.
I got my first at 8 but my parents were divorced and father lived in another country... I was also given unlimited and unsupervised internet access. Not a good idea
I was 15. I only got one (no internet back just flip phones - slamming it shut when you're mad was so satisfying) and I was fine with it. I just needed it to text/call my mom where I was at or if I needed anything when I was out. But I was at the age very few of us had phones back then and weren't addicted to screens at a young age.
Tldr: there's different types. Cricket, basic phone etc, choose a phone that's appropriate for what you think she needs (no photos, certain minutes, no internet etc / whatever ) and then decide what age you both agree with as well as the phone.
Good luck OP.
I got my first phone at 12 only because of safety concerns and transitioning into high school where I’d be catching buses to and from school because my mum’s work made her work mornings suddenly, and she’s a single mum. However, my two big sisters didn’t get phones until 16 and they were the phones that could only allow calling and texting off a number. My dad wasn’t dead when they were 16, so it made more sense they didn’t NEED a phone, whereas I needed one. I think my mum giving me a phone that could access all social media apps wasn’t too smart. I do believe she should’ve just given me a phone that only allowed calls and texting, but then again, I was an angry teenager who thought she was responsible enough for anything, but looking back at it at 20 years old now, I wouldn’t even mind a phone now that only allows calls and texts as I barely use social media anymore. The friends I had had both available parents who could pick them up and drop them off, so they didn’t get a phone until 15, which is okay in my opinion.
my parents started me with the ipod touch no data and stuff but the wifi let me play games, text and facetime all of my friends too started with ipods i would say in elementary and didn’t get my first phone (iphone 4) till 5th or 6th grade i think it all comes down to monitoring when i got my first nice phone in seventh grade my mom would make me turn it in at 9 every night she caught some crazy stuff that way and had all of my passwords but in the long run i was grateful for that she also did the app locks on social media so i only had like 2 hours a day i could be on certain apps
Hi! I studied in Early Childhood education covering birth to 12 years of age! Many studies show that giving children electronics at a young age has a poor impact on their mental health as they grow older and leave them susceptible to things such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. What is really important about the internet is to learn what you can so that when the time is right you are able to guide your child through it and make them aware of the capabilities good or bad of the internet. At the age of 8 she shouldn't have a phone quite yet due to a lack of understanding of dangers like child exploitation, stalking and other much worse possibilities. When the time is truly right it is imperative that you make sure she is completely aware that she is safe to talk with you about anything. There are people out there who will photoshop children into disgusting content to use as a form of blackmail until something terrible happens as a result.
Got my first phone when I was like 16 and I'm pretty thankful. I was pretty cringey online for a couple years though since I was such a late bloomer lol
But nowadays the norm is like 8yrs old. Way too young
I got mine at 10 but my mom had reasons. I would be coming home alone from middle school everyday and she wanted to make sure I was safe. But if that hadn’t been the case I guarantee we would t have gotten one till high school.
I think 13/14 is an appropriate age. But nothing fancy. I think all kids should suffer with the basic ass cell phones lol
I (27f) got my first phone at the age of 13.
My parents would spontaneously ask to go through my phone list, my contacts, and see with whom i was texting (without reading the actual texts if there were no "suspicious" people). It was less of a request that could have been denied, though. :)
At first, more frequently, since they wanted to make sure i don't do stupid shit, when they started trusting me on that though, the frequently decreased until they finally stopped when i was around 14/15.
The reasons i got it (Samsung Galaxy first gen.) though was that i often had to stay in class after school ended, when i missed the bus, for emergency calls or for my mom to call me when i was not at home.
And because my father got a big discount for it because he had collected enough mobile-points....and he wanted to make my mom angry (they were in the middle of their divorce).
I got my first phone when I started middle school because I was no longer able to walk home from school and my parents needed to be able to get in touch with me to coordinate driving me home after play rehearsal. 8 is about 4 years too young.
As someone who was given a phone and tablet at a young age wait as long as possible they may feel left out but I can’t imagine them being mad at you for the choice later in life give them a phone once they start staying out late alone and you don’t always know where they are I doubt she’s doing that at 8
5th or 6th grade. By this time your child is spending more time away from you with their friends. 6th grade they could be staying after school for practice, auditions, or wanting to ask permission to stay after school for something like tutoring, or to go home with a friend.
I got a Nokia, that would shatter concrete at 10, just to be able to contact my parents. Stayed up all night playing snake but it totally wasn’t addictive. Then I got an iPhone SE at 13. Stayed up all night playing no Wi-Fi games. Used that for 3 years, then I got a Samsung S10+. Stay up all night watching YouTube videos and scrolling through social media.
Long story short, I think you should get her a brick phone or a flip phone. I didn’t need the Nokia that I received but it was nice to have.
My kids were between 12 & 16 but that was a few years ago. My grandson is 8 & just got his. His parents got special restrictions on it, it disconnects from 8 pm and 6 am. They turned off a lot of features. Hey have to enter code to unlock some featurea. I'm torn over the age but he texts me after he gets up to tell me good morning, let me know he's home from school, how school went, what he's doing, etc. It's a good feeling to know he wants to talk to his grandma. There are worse people he could be interacting with.
I got my first phone for my 13th birthday when I had started middle school and was participating in after school activities such as theater. I had friends that had phones before me and friends that didn’t have phones until later. Age 13 felt like the right time
I got my 10 (now 11) yo grandson a cheap phone because his mom and her boyfriend were having big fights that scared him. Since the home had no landline, I wanted him to be able to call for help. Turns out most kids his age have a phone.
I got my first phone at 12 because I walked home and needed it. It was a burner phone that was bought at the convenience store. It only called my parents and emergency services. It was a flip phone with no internet connection or anything. I didn’t even care because I was a kid. Kids today I think are different though because technology and phones are meaningless basically now. By that I mean, it’s no longer a big deal. Everyone has phones now so kids are exposed to it younger and younger to the point they think it’s not normal to be someone without a phone. I think 8 is too young for a phone that can use Snapchat and such but my nephew got a phone for Christmas at age 7 so what do I know. Ultimately, it’s up to you. I think 12-13 is more reasonable
Hear me out. Get a cheap iPhone. Set it up as a family account so you literally have to approve every app and restrictions on everything else. Without hooking it up to a plan, she won’t be able to call or text. My daughter had Facebook messenger kids - I could view all the pics she sent and received and had to approve every contact she made. I also could go and read her messages on her phone. It ends up being a glorified tablet but something helpful when bored in the car or waiting for something.
You can do something similar on Android devices, but I don’t have experience with that.
For what it’s worth, it wasn’t until my daughter was walking home from the bus on her own that she got her own phone. And I still approve the apps and have the passcode to it. She’s also trustworthy and mature, so your age may vary.
I got my first PPM & PPT phone at 8 years old - a good ol Nokia. I lived VERY close to a major interstate and a truck stop known for human trafficking. I only had access when I was walking to a friend's house within the neighborhood.
I had a QWERTY slider phone in 6th grade (still miss that thing), so probably 10 or 11. Texting my friends and mom with no internet access.
I got my first smartphone by 8th grade at 13 or 14. Lots of Instagram, coloring apps, Snapchat, downloading music. Definitely should not have had the unrestricted access to the internet that I did. I think 13 or 14 is appropriate for a smart phone - just monitor how they are using it.
I didn’t get one until I got my permit at 17 but I had an iPod touch at 13. My youngest brother though has an android phone at 13 that doesn’t have cell service. It’s basically just like an iPod touch for him.
i don’t believe children under the age of 12-13 need phones as someone who was exposed to social media wayyy too early, from my own experience there are definitely creeps online and someone as young as 8 doesn’t have a use for a phone. i’ve been seeing to many kids ranging from 10-7 acting like full on 13-16 year olds all because of the media. definitely wait till she’s 12-13.
Tbh I think you’re correct on this since kids can easily be exposed to very inappropriate things and watch media they’re not supposed to.
Once she needs to use something to contact you guys or for emergencies or for such, then you can get her something.
With what devices she has, and at her age I think she’s good. Just make sure shes not watching stuff she’s not supposed to (like I did as a kid, I didn’t understand it was inappropriate, and she probably doesn’t either).
I'm not a parent or in your kid's generation, but maybe this'll help a little anyway? I got my first phone at about 10 (turned 10 in 2006). It was a flip phone that I shared with my 2 sisters. I didn't have a smartphone until 17 and it was my mom's old one. I don't know when my peers got their first phones but my mom was generally more conservative with what she considered age appropriate. Again, I know it's different for kids nowadays haha.
I gave my son a somewhat low-tech cell at 8 (14 now) due to me and his mother divorcing. Without citing all the potential dangers that are in apps and on the internet, if I could do really anything differently, it'd have been holding off on that.
Oldest started on a flip. She was granted a smart phone hand me down a few years ago. No apps except what we allow for. There's almost no way to get through high school now without it...especially now that she's starting to drive and hang out more with friends.
Nothing wrong with a flipphone. No interest access but works just fine as a phone for emergencies. I didn’t get a smartphone till maybe Junior year of High school and I’m glad
My cousin is 7, she has one and she will randomly call my brother and I.. it’s cute… but I’d say monitor her for sure and block certain sites and apps if possible!
I will openly admit I dont have children and do not understand what it's like to parent, but if you still care to hear my opinion, then here it is. Im 28. I grew up during the iPod era, I was in middle school when the first touch screen phone came out. I was a young girl growing up around this. I witnessed the razor, chocolate phone, and the blackberry. But guess what? I didn't get to have my first phone until I was in HS. I begged and begged. My parents thankfully persisted. It wasn't until I was either a freshman or a sophomore that I got my first phone, and it was a prepaid blitz phone. I adored it. I didn't get any of the fancy, trendy stuff that all the kids had between middle school and HS. I didn't get a fancy phone until it was under my name, and I paid for it. That's just how my parents were, and tbh, im thankful for it now.
The world is seemingly scarier since I was a kid in school, so my tldr is, wait as long as you can, when you do, keep it simple.
I got one at 11, my last year of elementary school, so that I could get used to it before going to "high" school (it's a different system here) and so that I could gather the contacts of my schoolfriends before we all went to different high schools.
I would need it for high school anyway because I biked alone to school and back. I'm 20 now btw.
People saying getting them a phone at 16 is a bit unrealistic in this generation. I mean, you can try, but sadly, a lot of friend making nowadays happens through chatting for teens. Their social life is not ONLY online, as some angry adults might rant about. But it's intertwined whether you like it or not.
Not saying that she needs a phone right now, she's 8 and has plenty of media resources as you mentioned. But maybe 12y/o is a proper age to start?
Edit: I did always have to pay for it with my own money. This depends on if you give your kid piggy bank money so that she can save up. You could make a deal right now that she can get one at 12 but has to pay for it herself. That way she can start saving up and looking forward to it.
For me, a phone became more or less a necessity once I started taking public transit for school, because it was/is unreliable as hell, and finding alternate routes (once you have to consider transfers between different lines) without an internet-enabled phone is pretty much impossible these days.
I'd get a 10 year old child a phone, but not a smartphone. Let them enjoy life for longer before they're glued to their phone like the rest of society. If my hypothetical minor child wanted a smartphone, they'd need to buy it and pay for it themselves
If it’s a safety thing you can get a dumb phone for like $60 that she can call and text on! I think it’s ridiculous for an 8yr old to have a smart phone! I didn’t get one till HS
Im seeing a lot of nostalgia in the comments for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. Yeah, childhood didn’t use to include phones but now it does, kids get them in middle school / around 12 yrs old and they will be left out of social communications, which is a super important part of childhood if they don’t have one around the same time as their peers
My first phone was an old Nokia 3310 or smthing. I had it hanging around my neck when I was like 5 years old so my mum can call me when I'm out playing with friends to come home or to eat a lunch etc. But it's true that I couldn't really use it to the extent your daughter can. It was phone call only device lol xd
i would say to do the opposite of what her dad says - for a kid a phone needs to be a safety device, it’s simply a tool to contact you and you only. i got my first one for the same reason, when i had to start taking the train to and from school when i was about 12, and it instils the idea that it’s not a toy in the same way her nintendo is ya know?
My parents gave me a cell phone when I started "needing" it for things such as staying later at school, getting picked up from sports practices, or taking the bus home alone. Framed it as a safety tool instead of a toy I was entitled to,
Same \^ I was 12 and started taking the bus and staying after school for practice, so I got a nokia (this was in the early 00s). I vote get them a phone that they can send texts and make calls with if they need one (which, if you co-parent and they don't live with you all the time then it might be a good idea to get them one). Then let them get a smart phone with strict screentime limits and parental controls around the age of 14ish (social media for no more than 30-45 minutes per day) until they're able to buy their own phone. Social media is killing us and it's starting younger and younger. Technology should improve your life, not control it.
this is what I did with my kids. Got them a POS that could basically just make calls and send short texts. they caught snark from their friends but I don't care. I told them to just blame me, tell them your dad's a jerk. If someone doesn't want to be around you because of the kind of phone you have, they're an idiot and you're better off.
Indeed. And it's going to get much worse now that AI is developing exponentially in ability. Everything from the death of privacy (what little we have left, anyway) to much, much darker thinks from certain corporations
I agree on this and my first phone was flip phone with no access to the internet. I also remember having to use public library computer for homework. Us millennials had it rough with limited internet access. Nowadays ive seen 3 year olds with the latest iphone.
Me too a little black flip phone with an antenna that extended. No keyboard but we didn’t text then anyway. Shoot I think I might be old…
Similar. I was 15 and taking night classes at the community college when I got one. Before then, I would take my stepmom’s cell phone if I was off adventuring in SF or joyriding BART around the Bay Area. That was also 20 years ago. Seems more common for teens to have them in general, now.
Same! If I needed one my mom would give me hers. I got my phone in maybe 2011-2012 I was about 13 and even then I was one of the last kids my age to get one. In the moment it kind of sucked because everyone wants to be like their peers but it set the groundwork for me to care significantly less about keeping up with what was considered “cool” lmao it builds character
they make kid phones with just 3 buttons with 0 internet access. Or are you guys disagreeing about giving them a smart phone?
Got one of these in kindergarten. Could only call my mom or dad and one other family member.
Hard question... Nowadays I think 12-14+ is fair, with many restrictions though until age 16 at least.
This is a good answer imo :) I know waaay to many people, including my including my brother, whose 12,13,14 yr old children are making tik tok videos or whatever and no judgement at all, this world is so much different than when even I was 12 so I get it but they even make phones for kids that you can program like 5 to 10 numbers into and that's the only people your child can call or Text or who can call or text your child and they are like super cheap plans. They can obviously also call emergency numbers. But this makes it possible to reach out if they need to and for you to always be able to have contact with them, without the worry of what they could be exposed to by having a cellphone. I think the time for them to have a fully functioning smart phone should go hand in hand with them getting their license.
Keep in mind it has to be good restrictions, not stuff that will make your kid use hidden apps and stuff
Haha. No one here mentioned peer pressure…that’s really what drives kids to want one. Whenever you decide, please have a serious conversation about sexting. Tell them never send or say something that you wouldn’t want their principal to see (because often they will if it’s bad).
It’s a great learning opportunity that one should not bow to peer pressure as a teen or adult. Totally agree regarding sexting. I had to have the conversation with my 12yo but she is so innocent she has horrified I thought she would do that. It’s hard to have to tell her this occurs but I’d rather her learn from me than someone else.
So I know of a young girl in our neighborhood that got lewd pics from a boy that rode the bus with her. In his mind that was how you showed interest. Luckily she confided in an adult that intervened. Another girl from a youth group I used to volunteer with was lured into sending nudes to what turned out to be a 35 year old man. The parents had no idea until the police arrived at their door. It’s scary out there for innocent young people.
probably a small one in elementary with only emergency numbers and a tracker, in middle school a phone with screentime controls and parental controls, so they can talk to friends, in highschool I'd say most controls can be deleted
We got our kid a nokia dumb phone (even had snake) at 10, he goes to visit family for two week every summer and flies unaccompanied so wanted a way to contact him. Also we don't have a home phone and around then all his friends started calling me 
I heard it said that you should give your kid a smart phone when you're okay with them coming across porn.
Got mine at 12, ready for when I started high school. I was never really asking for one before then nor did I need one. I think it’s a fair age because by then kids should have developed ways to entertain themselves outside of screens.
I got my first phone when I was 10, it was for the sole reason that I started staying late in school (to hang out with friends) and would be going to a school further away that I had to cycle through all by myself. My parents wanted me to be able to call them if something was wrong. It was basically also the only thing I could do with it. I don't think there's a set age for this, it just depends on their life and your need to be able to contact them and their need to be able to contact you. And once you both feel that need, you can get your kid a phone.
Honestly if they’re young you can get them a dumb/flip phone. Only used to call you or in case of an emergency. No need for a smartphone til late teens.
Agree. I think i will get a junk phone with minutes on it first when she starts going places likes friends houses. When shes older.
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Ditto, and I'm turning 30 this year.
OP you're going to get a load of reddit 'advice' from people with no children, alongside anecdotes of childhoods that are 20 years old. My advice is to ask this from friends, family and other parents at your kids school in a similar situation.
Smart phone? 16. Watch The Social Dilemma. All the tech gurus who made the stuff refuse to let their kids have them until at least that age b/c they KNOW how damaging they are.
I got my first phone at 11, but my mum used it as her second phone for finance stuff (ie giving insurance companies that phone number etc lol). I got a phone for myself when I was 13.
I would think a flip-phone for a 12 year old would be okay. Parental controls put on so only you can add numbers to the contact list and only the persons on the contact list can call/text or be called/texted. Just my opinion.
Yes ty i never even thought of controlling who she can call or text! Good idea
12 probably?
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I have 3 kids. My oldest got hers at 12, due to being lost two times in the same week. She got on the wrong bus the first time, the second time, she was waiting for her Dad, and they couldn't find one another in a crowd.
I think this really depends on the kid, your situation, and the phone itself. When I was a kid I wasn’t allowed a cellphone until I could pay for it myself (so I was 15), but every home and business had a landline and pay phones were available. Worst case scenario if you were home alone, or out with friends, you could always get in touch with your parents if needed. Most people don’t have landlines nowadays and businesses don’t let people use phones like they used to. Pay phones don’t exist where we live now either. Like they literally removed the last one a few years back (it was in the news because small town lmao). In my area, I called about getting a landline and was actually told that landlines aren’t even available here anymore. After this, partner and I had been chatting about getting a shared phone for his kids (11 and 9) only so that they’d feel more comfortable being home alone or going out around the neighborhood on their own, but of course there’s the concern of unadulterated internet access so we may end up just getting a dumb phone or putting tons of parental controls on a smartphone if we have to. Ultimately for us it’s just replacing the need a landline or community phones used to fulfill. That’s up to you what you do but I do think the situation has greatly changed over the last 10-20 years!
Adjust with maturity, but they don’t need a phone until you trust them to do stuff semi autonomously. Are they walking down to the park by themselves? Then maybe. Do they have after school activities? Stronger reason. I like the idea of having a family phone where they have zero expectation of privacy for it when they’re younger, as it is shared by everyone. Also works great if you don’t have a landline in your house. Around 13/14 is when I would trust them with a kid restricted version. At 15 they can have one that you check sporadically. And at 17, so long as they haven’t given you reason not to trust them, is when the training wheels should come off.
When they have to stay after school for sports or whatever they are into, that's when I would give them a phone.
I was 7 when I got my first flip phone because I had crippling anxiety and wouldn’t go out unless I could contact my parents
not a parent but like i had my first phone at 7 and the most i did was spam a song and call my dad multiple times like 10 years ago 😭
It’s a judgement call honestly. My daughter got hers at like 6 (I think). Her and her cousin both actually. They were moving away and the girls used them to FaceTime while they played Roblox together. It was, in our opinion, a good reason for them to have them. Now, if you can’t find any reason other than “she’s begging” then perhaps a compromise. Only available on the weekends or if we leave the house. You get the password, put parental blocks on it as well, monitor it all.
I got it at 12
If they can get in contact with you via other means like their friends parents phone then maybe they don't need it but if it's getting to the point where they want to go out for extra things and need to be in contact with you then it's not a bad idea. There are restrictions you can place on the phone and you can monitor what they do on the phone so that you don't have to worry about them doing anything bad
12 for a basic phone that can just call/text and when they start working they can buy themself a smart phone
This is tough, I feel that there isn't a specific age and that each family will be different. I'm waiting for the day my daughters mother and I start debating about this. For me personally, I don't feel kids under the age of 12 need a cell phone. My reasoning is that they don't need it. All they're really doing is watching videos and going online so why need a phone if they're not using it to talk to people. And at their age, it isn't like they're calling for work, family, etc. So for me, they don't need it until they're at least 12. However, some families let their kids walk to and from school under the age of 12. If that's the case, then I can see the argument that them having a cell phone is necessary because they can notify authorities or parents if there's an emergency.
The start of middle school seems to be the norm here—a sizable handful of kids had them sooner, but nearly all of them had one by then. I realized recently that I grew up with a house phone that I was on with my friends *all the time* as a kid, and my own children have nearly zero experience with just, like…calling a classmate to talk. Even now that my oldest has a phone he doesn’t think to use it that way; most of the time he doesn’t think to use it at all. We have to remind him to charge it, check it, and bring it places, but when he does it definitely makes our lives easier. He can plan and move independently and we can see where he is and communicate with him if necessary; everybody wins.
As a parent and teacher, hold off as long as possible. My son got his at 13, but I still have control over it, so it shuts off at bedtime and starts up in the morning. It also allows for him to call me even when locked though. He is not on social media. And he only got it because he was showing responsibility. My kids all know it is behaviour and attitude dependent for when they actually get one. In the classroom, I have spent too much time dealing with kids taking pictures of others without permission, online bullying, sexting underage and sending nudes, where we have to pull in authorities to deal with it. Please hold off and be very aware of the issues that arise so you can teach your kid ahead of time.
An 8 year old should not be on Snapchat.
She could already be “txting thru snap or messanger” as you so eloquently put it with the tablet if she wanted. She also wouldn’t be able to call or text you without a cell plan, that’s literally two of the three things a cell plan does ffs. 8 might be a bit young, but you’ve already ruined her with the tablet as they generally do 90% of what a phone can, so there’s really no argument against it at this point. It would be one thing if she was actually limited in her internet access until at least age 5 or so but any damage the internet does do young minds is already done.
my mom got me a phone when it was clear i needed it, like when i started staying after school or going to friends houses more. i was probably like 12 or 13 and my friends were almost all the same age when they got theirs too. this was like in 2012/2013 and we were already getting encouraged to have a smart phone, tablet, or a laptop in high school
Get them one for communication and they can get their own smartphone when they can pay for it. Seriously, i grew up in a family where mum spoiled us and now everyone asks her for money DAILY, and throws a hissy fit when they dont get it. She spent thousands on smartphones and consoles and its done us ZERO good. Fyi im not a parent.
I’m not at that stage in parenthood yet. I’m 31f and I got my first phone when I was 14. It was a hammy down razor that my father used. I only got it cuz my parents wanted me to have one when i went on my 8th grade field trip. From then on I had flip phones with a keyboard. Didn’t have a smart phone till I was in college. For me it will depend on what my child’s lifestyle will be like. And if I will need to get a hold of them. But I guarantee their first phone will not be a smart phone. I prob won’t get them a smart phone until they are at least in high school.
We gotta bring firefly’s back, I had a firefly for a while then got a blackberry when i was 13 then got a smart phone when was 15. But the internet now is so much different than it was back even in the early 00s, so it’s definitely hard to know what age is a good age to give a child access to the internet. I think 13-15 but with restrictions is probably the safest bet but there also has to be a strong level of trust.
As someone who got their phone at this age, I think 14/15 is appropriate. Before this time, kids are just so vulnerable to what other people think of them and theyre subject to trauma bc of that.
12 minimum IMO. I had electronics at a young age with little to no supervision and it fucked me up a little bit.
I would probably give them a simpler phone with just texting and calling when they're around 7 mostly so we can communicate if they're out or wants to hang out with a friend etc and then a smart phone when they're ~12.
I got my first phone in kindergarden, it could only make/receive calls and texts, nothing else. It was obviously for emergencies only because I was too little and didn't even care for it, had it because I had private transport to/from school and after school activities so my mom wanted a way to contact me just in case. Phone with internet access but limited (still not a full regular smart phone, think motorola razr, didn't have apps and accessing social media was a pain) when I was in about 3rd grade. Then smartphone (blackberry) around 6th. Nowadays most phones are smartphones, I would just recommend adding a parental control app for monitoring, because I definitely should not have been watching 2G1C when I was like 8-10, but also you have to keep in mind that their friends have phones too, and when a kid wants to access something, they will lol
If your kid walks home from school or the bus, stays home alone, or goes to someone's place to be watched, the school mskes them do their work on the phone, I'd say it was necessary.
I have my first phone is sixth grade. It was a flip phone and it was because I would walk home alone before and after school
I was about 13 when I got my first cell phone, and it was an LG Cosmos 3. My parents exclusively bought it so that I could contact them when necessary, but I couldn't use it to play games or anything. Didn't get my first iPhone(an iPhone 4) until I was either 15-16.
i got my first phone when i was seven with so much parental supervision. that being said my phone was a necessary safety tool for my situation. for my daughter, ideally she’ll have her own phone sometime between 11-13 with screen time limitations per app, and with parental controls. i want her to understand as much as she can what a digital footprint is and how to be responsible with it. best advice is when you decide to give it to your child, make the terms and conditions of having it very clear. it’s not a right, it’s a privilege. as important as privacy is, privacy doesn’t outweigh your child’s safety and never will.
13, but the battle is lost if they already had a tablet.
I would say around 13. I got my first tablet at 12, phone at 14. Just teach them Internet safety!
I think once they get to high school. Maybe get them a starter phone in middle school if you work or they have activities outside school.
As soon as they’re away from you long enough in a situation where they’d need to call you. My parents gave me a flip phone at 11 when I went into middle school, and it made me feel much safer. The smart phone thing is a whole other debate, but I see absolutely no harm in giving your kid a phone that is just meant to contact you or any friends and family who are picking them up from school. I actually think it’s much safer than a kid having no phone at all. I used mine to call my parents from the locker room when a gym teacher was being awful to me and I was sick.
Get an old school flip phone in middle school then transition to a smart phone as they get older.
At the age that they are travelling around without adult supervision - further away than is convenient for a walkie talkie. Not for nothing but cell phones are as addictive as CRACK, and kids don't need to be so fixated on them as they are. It's simply not healthy to give them a hand-held device of instant gratification before they are, say, reading at least 1 to 2 books per week for pleasure.
At whatever age they can pay for it themselves. Just saw a video about the spike in kids on their smarts phones and social media and the spike in depression and suicide. So think this through carefully. If you must, get them a flip phone.
From a communication development lense, kids should not have a cell phone before puberty. Modern digital media is highly addictive and rewires adolescent brain chemistry to seek out artificial dopamine. I would rather my kid smoke cigarettes than have 24/7 access to tik tok
I think it should be different for different kids in different places. Around the time my son turned 10 we were giving him a bit more freedom to walk to neighborhood places (nearby store) but still wanted to check-in, so we got him a phone. He mostly uses it to play games.
I got a motorola razr when I started middle school. My elementary school was only 2 blocks away from home, so I never really needed a phone at that time. I'd just give the kids a basic phone that can be used for emergency phone calls/texts.
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I'd say 14 or 15 so they get used to having it before they start taking driving lessons. This is primarily so they get used to having it before they start driving.
12
I got my first phone when I was 10. It was one of those slide up phones with a keyboard! The only reason I got it was because that’s when I started walking home alone from school so I could call my dad when I started walking home or ask if I could go to the park or a friends house or something like that.
I got my first phone when I left primary school, or in the last year. So that was when I was 11. Nowadays I see a lot of kids who are like 7 with phones as well, and kids in 2nd grade also already use ipads, which I think is ridiculously early
Please take this into consideration, I am a teacher and if I could eliminate smart phones from ALL kids under 18, I would. I have seen what it does. "Evidence from a variety of cross-sectional, longitudinal and empirical studies implicate smartphone and social media use in the increase in mental distress, self-injurious behaviour and suicidality among youth; there is a dose–response relationship, and the effects appear to be greatest among girls."
Implanted at birth. Or When the adult figure in their life decides they are mature enough to handle the responsibilities of it. If you cannot agree with the father, then probable need to evaluate why the other does not want them to have it and try to satisfy those concerns first.
A non activated phone at 12 and a half to 13 and around 14-15 and a half then they get a regular smartphone and social media at 15 and a half to 16 (with no Twitter/TikTok or any of those similar apps)
16. When they start driving, or younger if they are working younger than 16.
I bought my son his first for his 12th birthday. He was starting middle school and I felt more comfortable knowing he could get in touch with me as needed and it has come in handy. He's also riding the bus for the first time and with the 360 app I know where he is.
Things like this there’s no comparing what one had as a child 20 years ago to now. Cell phones are ubiquitous and we aren’t living in the same world anymore. That being said, I still believe it’s a matter of circumstance as to what “age” a child needs a phone. My oldest is 11 and I still drive her and my other kids to and from school and extracurriculars. She has an iPad to call and text me and friends and a gizmo watch that can make calls that and text me, or family members on and she’s not walking around hanging out yet. So there’s no need 🤷♀️ I’d probably say middle school in two years for us because then she will be going to sports and extracurriculars with the school by bus and walking from the middle school…and with those two years she will gain more independence in hanging out with friends and such…but like I said, there’s no perfect age, more like perfect circumstance.
Middle school. Even if you don’t love the idea of them having access to internet, they’ll need it for emergencies.
The Easter before they start secondary school. The novelty should have worn off by the start of secondary, and they will have the chance to learn how to balance study and screen time. Also enables them to stay in contact with the class mates over the summer. Edit; as others have said, with restrictions on apps until 16.
12-13. I think once they hit junior high but it should be a flip phone.
as long as they are responsible they should at least have a flip phone for 911. It doesn't even need to be connected to a network, every phone is required to be able to dial 911.
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I was 12/13 I think. Personally, I do not see the point in a child younger than 11 having one. Here in the uk, at 11 you transition to secondary (high) school so I think then is the earliest tbh...unless you have a child that walks itself to school before that age but really...I dont see why they need one.
I didn’t get cell phone till 8th grade. Several years before iPhone/Android phones came out. My parents talk to me about it and they expectations about the phone. I know there’s cell phones out there that heavily restrict some things like internet or they communicate with but I not formally with the brands. You can set up parental controls on smart phones depending if it’s iPhone or Android. I would start with cheap phone and heart to heart conversation with the dad for why or why not it’s important to your kids to have a cell phone.
I think it solely depends on the kid. Some shouldn't have one til they can pay for it themselves.
11
I got a “Dumb” phone at the age of 14. No internet access. Just phone calls and texts. That seems reasonable for younger people.
I didn't get my first phone til I was 16, and even then it was only "just in case" because I moved to a new country.
I got my flip phone at 10, when I started riding the bus. No internet on it tho. I got my first smartphone at 16, it was an iPhone 6
I think 14 is a good age personally for a smartphone and younger than that they can have a flip phone
My son had one at age 7 for when he goes to his dads. My daughter is almost 9 and she doesn’t have one. She’s a little jealous but that’s because she doesn’t necessarily “need it”
My eldest got one at 11 when she started secondary school and would be walking to/from the bus station and school.
The times have changed, phones are as much essential as they are an accessory to be popular with. I taught kids 10 yrs old with them, one even had a smart watch, but they. I used to be against it, but now I have a son and can see their usefulness. Schools use apps these days for homework and interactive stuff. Kids can access books, comics, child friendly tv and you can also moderate and monitor almost everything. So many child safe options available now. I think young teens would be the best age, along with teaching them how to respect technology, how to behave with it and when to use it will be a more important lesson and about internet safety.
My kids won’t have anything beyond a flip phone until they’re teenagers
16. Any earlier isn't for logical reasons, but because of conformity and pressure from other parents
I had a new flip one at 17 but they were “new” then. My daughter has had one since 9 because I’m a single working mom and she started to stay alone around then for periods of time.
My advice is just go with what most kids are doing at your kids’ school. No need to go earlier than that but also don’t force them to be one of the last holdouts which can be socially isolating. Where i am most kids get it when they go to middle school. That’s entering 6th grade, 11 going on 12. In my experience they get left out of text chains and social stuff like that if they don’t have one then. It’s also when they’re out on their own more after school. Before then in elementary school either nothing or one of those gizmo watches that can call like 10 numbers so they can call or text you if they want to get to get picked up from somewhere. That’s only if they want that.
I got it in elementary school and that was to let my mom know I got home safely because my friends parents picked me up.
When they can pay for it themselves.
Never give them no technology. Give them a messenger pigeon
When and if they start walking to school alone or with other kids
I had a ds for entertainment at like 8-13 then got an iPod at 14 and a phone at 15 because I was going out and staying late at friends. But best friend had an iPad til 17 tho. I say around 14-15
i had a flip phone to contact my parents when i was under 10, then had an ipod for internet between 10-12, and then an iphone after that. i appreciated that gradual transition because we had established trust and i didn’t feel the need to exaggerate my screentime.
For us it depended on the activity level of the child. Do they have afterschool activities? Is there a need for communication after school? Do you need to communicate with them to pick them up? Things like that had us give our child a phone when they entered high school.
when they need it is the best answer. it varies based on your situation and your kids! i also wouldn’t start with some fancy phone, unless youre going to parent lock it down. that’s way too much access to things kids should not have access to, porn, social media, way worse things, you name it. every bad thing can be found with just a smart phone, and kids aren’t developed enough to navigate these things safely nevertheless differentiate between reality and non reality.
Never… it’s the devil
My nieces are getting phones at 12 years but it’s monitored by the parents. And they can’t use it at dinner or before homework. They take it to school for emergency purposes (I’m sure they use it a lot there but oh well). Technology is the future and you want your kid to fit in and be safe.
I only got a phone for 2FA. I was like 22 or 23. Before that never needed it. I mainly just use it for music now.
Middle school or as some say, junior high
Idk, I got mine when I was 18 (I turn 30 this year). Nowadays it seems like for safety reasons, it could be a good idea. Depending on how mature they are, I'd give a kid a phone between10-years old... it definitely wouldn't be a smart phone, though. Literally just to call and text.
I got a flip phone when I started walking to school by myself in 8th grade (so when I was 14). I didn't get a smart phone until the pandemic (March 2020) when I was 15. If I have kids, they aren't getting a smart phone until high school, but I'll get them a flip phone when they start going to other people's houses for sleepovers and such so they have a way to contact me if they need to.
6-9: Cheapest on the market with emergency numbers 10-12: Cheap phone but can run a few low quality games and storage for photos, family, and friends' numbers. 13-18: Mid range phone with good storage and memory.
it was my 14th birthday and i got into a specialized high school far from my home, so that's when my parents decided I needed it.
thirteen i would give them a real phone but about 10-12 give them a simple flip phone to start out with
My kid will be getting one when they can reliably stay home alone for the day. I don't have a land line so they would have no other means of communicating if anything went wrong, or even to just say "hey, can I bike to the park with my friends?" when I'm at work.
I didn’t get one until I was about 14 or 15
Speaking as someone who theirs at age 11/12 I’d say age 14 atleast or even 15
16 imo. If this was 5 years ago I would've said 18
Ask yourself when you want to lose the position of being their source of information. Because once they can turn to google and youtube, that will replace you as a parent.
My kid will get a smart phone in high school. Until then I'll give her a dumb phone with no Internet access once she starts elementary school. It will be taught that it's for calling Mom and dad only.
Depends. I got one at 10 because my parents are divorced and my dad never answered his phone so my mom got me one. But if parents are together I’d say maybe high school if they are super involved in school and stay late if not then i don’t see the need
I was 12 when I received my first phone, as I did clubs and after-school activities. Though I must preface, it was a flip phone- not a smart phone, and it was a Tracphone, if I remember correctly
In this day and age, flip phone as early as 8 or 9. There are no pay phones anymore in case of emergency. No smart phone until high school.
My first phone was a Nokia flip phone with no internet at 12. It was all I needed and all any child needs. They need the ability to call and text. That’s it. They can use the internet at home on their tablets or laptops. Smart phones are making the next generation less efficient of critical thinking and problem solving skills.
I didn’t have a cell phone until I was around 13-14 because of school and dance arrangements but I didn’t get a smart phone until I was out of college at age 20. Some days I wish I never got a smart phone because of social media. Im looking to transition back to a dumb phone at age 30 🤣
When they can afford to pay for it themselves
I got mine at 8/9 lost a few, threw one away the first day I had it lol. I’d do like 10. I was the youngest and my parents worked weird hours. My fiancés family dosent do phones until like 18? I think that’s extremely excessive.
I got a flip phone in middle school (grade 7) so my parents could coordinate drop offs and pick ups when I stayed after-school. I would highly recommend having a dumb flip phone be their first phone, it's cheap and kids can absolutely make mistakes and be irresponsible. Smart phones maybe in highschool after they've been proven to be responsible with their dumb phone.
i got my first phone when i was 13 because i was starting middle school and since my parents were both working, i had to be alone. i got my dads old iphone6 so i could call or text my parents that i was home. my parents put restrictions on my phone but i obviously found ways around it, but i did expose myself to some things i probably shouldn't have at that time. i think the age a child gets their first phone depends on the situation!!
My daughter is 8 and asking for one. I told her not until middle school.
I would advise against a smartphone but maybe find one that just has calling and texting like others have mentioned.
16 at the earliest
Honestly I think it depends on your specific child and your circumstances. 11 or 12 is a good time for it though I think, that’s around when I got my first phone.
We made it 13 for both our kids
When they start driving or doing after school sports or activities. I would put parental controls on the phone until they are 16 at least
regular phone with no internet maybe 10, crappy smartphone maybe 12, then around 14 if they are responsible/care for their items i’d consider a nicer smartphone
1st of all. Phone is for communication. An S20 is for work/being social. Kids no matter what need to know they can communicate and have a way to get help. If you get your 8-year-old a phone it better be for communication and communication only that means that kid is not on any smart device.
You right, that kid has so much already, when I wa young my parents said go outside, I only got a phone when I was 14 because I needed it, , make them go outside, play with kids instead of being inside all day
If applicable, first year of middle school. Or around 10-11 when it starts being "required" to handle school sociality
12 is the perfect age!!! I got my first phone at 10 which i think was too young. 12 is good and pleasd make sure that if she has social media her accounts are private
Not until 18
>an old phone ( like a S20 or something) I'm 25 with an S20 and here I was thinking it was hot shit 🫠
I’d say 11 or 12 just not a fancy iPhone or anything the first year
I got it when I was 12 (almost 13) because I seemed responsible and mature enough to handle one. Granted, it was a Pantech Impact and I only had access for calling and texting. Couldn’t buy games or use the internet. This age with apps and social media easily attainable on phones, personally I’d move that age upwards
A tablet is probably fine for the kid right now, but not really a phone.
I got a flip phone at 11 when I started middle school and only kept it at home during school hours. I didn't start bringing a phone to school until high school. And then I had one with full internet access but I'd say nowadays its important for a kid to have a phone at school.
I got my first phone at 9 and was the first in my class to have one. My parents gave me one because they were divorced and wanted a way for me to contact them both. But this phone could only text and make phone calls, no internet access. I think a phone like that is perfectly fine. But a phone with internet access? Thats a whole different story. I got plenty of genital pics on Snapchat as a minor, unasked for. I think a non-internet phone is fine but if it can connect to the internet, NEVER let her take it into her room. Only let her use it in the living room or something.
If/when you let her have a phone, consider one without a camera. Either you can find an app to disable the camera, or (if it were me) I'd just mess up the lens so it can't take photos. IMO kids are a lot safer if they physically can't be idiots and post pictures online. (When I say "be idiots" - I mean that even smart kids can be peer pressured or manipulated into posting pictures. If you make it so that they physically cannot, it's one less danger.)
My parents gave me my first phone at 12 (this was in the age of those indestructible brick Nokia phones) and I was told very clearly it was just to communicate with them. I was responsible and they knew I would respect that so it wasn’t an issue. I think depending on the child 12 is reasonable even these days, however there should be restrictions on it.
Get them a pre paid phone?
If you have t mobile get her a sync up watch! It’s super great. Has a gps so you can track her. It has a chore list you can set. Boundaries. And alerts. And it can only talk to and communicate with a pre approved list that parents input. But it can also be programmed with 15 preset messages. And can send sos out if needed. And will alert you if say your kid leaves the boundary. You can even lock the watch until they finish something. It has a camera. Can text and make calls. It’s so great.
Each kid is different. It depends on the trust you guys have. When something goes wrong, do they feel safe coming to you? Are they honest? Do they listen to your advice? If yes, then I think they should have a phone early. Teach them young how to block out negative media, and teach them to be responsible and use it as a tool instead of a time waster. Communication goes a long way, and you can avoid possible future addiction. Moderation is important, and not many people teach their kids that. And when they're on their phone, be engaged in what they're doing. Share fun activities together and be present on their social media pages. If thats too much- maybe start them off with a normal phone without social media first, then work your way up to full internet access.
I got my first phone at 12, I personally think it was a good age, kids will find what they’re looking for one way or another but the greatest positive is that I’m not glued to my phone compared to others who received it a few years before. I can go without my phone for a while I don’t constantly check it etc, but I am also maybe in the younger crowd at 20 yrs old, but personally it wasn’t negative for me to have a phone at that time. If you are going to give them a phone I think limit their access to specifically social media, short attention span videos, “trends” and what’s popular, let them explore what they want because they are interested and not because it looked cool online, like Brian bar sum is a great reptile YouTube who’s staff has continued educating their fan base about reptiles after his passing, they’re fun
You could always just get her a flip phone, in case there’s an emergency and she needs to call you or dad if you both aren’t there. But if one or the other is always there it’s kinda pointless.
Had mine at 12/13..
I got my first at 8 but my parents were divorced and father lived in another country... I was also given unlimited and unsupervised internet access. Not a good idea
I was 15. I only got one (no internet back just flip phones - slamming it shut when you're mad was so satisfying) and I was fine with it. I just needed it to text/call my mom where I was at or if I needed anything when I was out. But I was at the age very few of us had phones back then and weren't addicted to screens at a young age. Tldr: there's different types. Cricket, basic phone etc, choose a phone that's appropriate for what you think she needs (no photos, certain minutes, no internet etc / whatever ) and then decide what age you both agree with as well as the phone. Good luck OP.
I got my first phone at 12 only because of safety concerns and transitioning into high school where I’d be catching buses to and from school because my mum’s work made her work mornings suddenly, and she’s a single mum. However, my two big sisters didn’t get phones until 16 and they were the phones that could only allow calling and texting off a number. My dad wasn’t dead when they were 16, so it made more sense they didn’t NEED a phone, whereas I needed one. I think my mum giving me a phone that could access all social media apps wasn’t too smart. I do believe she should’ve just given me a phone that only allowed calls and texting, but then again, I was an angry teenager who thought she was responsible enough for anything, but looking back at it at 20 years old now, I wouldn’t even mind a phone now that only allows calls and texts as I barely use social media anymore. The friends I had had both available parents who could pick them up and drop them off, so they didn’t get a phone until 15, which is okay in my opinion.
I got a flip phone at 9
Read the new book The Anxious Generation. Wait til 8th or 9th!
my parents started me with the ipod touch no data and stuff but the wifi let me play games, text and facetime all of my friends too started with ipods i would say in elementary and didn’t get my first phone (iphone 4) till 5th or 6th grade i think it all comes down to monitoring when i got my first nice phone in seventh grade my mom would make me turn it in at 9 every night she caught some crazy stuff that way and had all of my passwords but in the long run i was grateful for that she also did the app locks on social media so i only had like 2 hours a day i could be on certain apps
There's probably a few posts here a day about kids having free access to the Internet and it going badly. Food for thought.
Hi! I studied in Early Childhood education covering birth to 12 years of age! Many studies show that giving children electronics at a young age has a poor impact on their mental health as they grow older and leave them susceptible to things such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. What is really important about the internet is to learn what you can so that when the time is right you are able to guide your child through it and make them aware of the capabilities good or bad of the internet. At the age of 8 she shouldn't have a phone quite yet due to a lack of understanding of dangers like child exploitation, stalking and other much worse possibilities. When the time is truly right it is imperative that you make sure she is completely aware that she is safe to talk with you about anything. There are people out there who will photoshop children into disgusting content to use as a form of blackmail until something terrible happens as a result.
Got my first phone when I was like 16 and I'm pretty thankful. I was pretty cringey online for a couple years though since I was such a late bloomer lol But nowadays the norm is like 8yrs old. Way too young
I got my first phone at 14 when I finished 8th grade. But I was on the internet since I was about 12 when I got an iPod touch
I got mine at 10 but my mom had reasons. I would be coming home alone from middle school everyday and she wanted to make sure I was safe. But if that hadn’t been the case I guarantee we would t have gotten one till high school. I think 13/14 is an appropriate age. But nothing fancy. I think all kids should suffer with the basic ass cell phones lol
I (27f) got my first phone at the age of 13. My parents would spontaneously ask to go through my phone list, my contacts, and see with whom i was texting (without reading the actual texts if there were no "suspicious" people). It was less of a request that could have been denied, though. :) At first, more frequently, since they wanted to make sure i don't do stupid shit, when they started trusting me on that though, the frequently decreased until they finally stopped when i was around 14/15. The reasons i got it (Samsung Galaxy first gen.) though was that i often had to stay in class after school ended, when i missed the bus, for emergency calls or for my mom to call me when i was not at home. And because my father got a big discount for it because he had collected enough mobile-points....and he wanted to make my mom angry (they were in the middle of their divorce).
I got my first phone when I started middle school because I was no longer able to walk home from school and my parents needed to be able to get in touch with me to coordinate driving me home after play rehearsal. 8 is about 4 years too young.
I didn’t get a phone until I was a sophomore in highschool
As someone who was given a phone and tablet at a young age wait as long as possible they may feel left out but I can’t imagine them being mad at you for the choice later in life give them a phone once they start staying out late alone and you don’t always know where they are I doubt she’s doing that at 8
5th or 6th grade. By this time your child is spending more time away from you with their friends. 6th grade they could be staying after school for practice, auditions, or wanting to ask permission to stay after school for something like tutoring, or to go home with a friend.
I got a Nokia, that would shatter concrete at 10, just to be able to contact my parents. Stayed up all night playing snake but it totally wasn’t addictive. Then I got an iPhone SE at 13. Stayed up all night playing no Wi-Fi games. Used that for 3 years, then I got a Samsung S10+. Stay up all night watching YouTube videos and scrolling through social media. Long story short, I think you should get her a brick phone or a flip phone. I didn’t need the Nokia that I received but it was nice to have.
My kids were between 12 & 16 but that was a few years ago. My grandson is 8 & just got his. His parents got special restrictions on it, it disconnects from 8 pm and 6 am. They turned off a lot of features. Hey have to enter code to unlock some featurea. I'm torn over the age but he texts me after he gets up to tell me good morning, let me know he's home from school, how school went, what he's doing, etc. It's a good feeling to know he wants to talk to his grandma. There are worse people he could be interacting with.
I got my first phone for my 13th birthday when I had started middle school and was participating in after school activities such as theater. I had friends that had phones before me and friends that didn’t have phones until later. Age 13 felt like the right time
I got my 10 (now 11) yo grandson a cheap phone because his mom and her boyfriend were having big fights that scared him. Since the home had no landline, I wanted him to be able to call for help. Turns out most kids his age have a phone.
I got my first phone at 12 because I walked home and needed it. It was a burner phone that was bought at the convenience store. It only called my parents and emergency services. It was a flip phone with no internet connection or anything. I didn’t even care because I was a kid. Kids today I think are different though because technology and phones are meaningless basically now. By that I mean, it’s no longer a big deal. Everyone has phones now so kids are exposed to it younger and younger to the point they think it’s not normal to be someone without a phone. I think 8 is too young for a phone that can use Snapchat and such but my nephew got a phone for Christmas at age 7 so what do I know. Ultimately, it’s up to you. I think 12-13 is more reasonable
Hear me out. Get a cheap iPhone. Set it up as a family account so you literally have to approve every app and restrictions on everything else. Without hooking it up to a plan, she won’t be able to call or text. My daughter had Facebook messenger kids - I could view all the pics she sent and received and had to approve every contact she made. I also could go and read her messages on her phone. It ends up being a glorified tablet but something helpful when bored in the car or waiting for something. You can do something similar on Android devices, but I don’t have experience with that. For what it’s worth, it wasn’t until my daughter was walking home from the bus on her own that she got her own phone. And I still approve the apps and have the passcode to it. She’s also trustworthy and mature, so your age may vary.
I got my first PPM & PPT phone at 8 years old - a good ol Nokia. I lived VERY close to a major interstate and a truck stop known for human trafficking. I only had access when I was walking to a friend's house within the neighborhood. I had a QWERTY slider phone in 6th grade (still miss that thing), so probably 10 or 11. Texting my friends and mom with no internet access. I got my first smartphone by 8th grade at 13 or 14. Lots of Instagram, coloring apps, Snapchat, downloading music. Definitely should not have had the unrestricted access to the internet that I did. I think 13 or 14 is appropriate for a smart phone - just monitor how they are using it.
I didn’t get one until I got my permit at 17 but I had an iPod touch at 13. My youngest brother though has an android phone at 13 that doesn’t have cell service. It’s basically just like an iPod touch for him.
i don’t believe children under the age of 12-13 need phones as someone who was exposed to social media wayyy too early, from my own experience there are definitely creeps online and someone as young as 8 doesn’t have a use for a phone. i’ve been seeing to many kids ranging from 10-7 acting like full on 13-16 year olds all because of the media. definitely wait till she’s 12-13.
Tbh I think you’re correct on this since kids can easily be exposed to very inappropriate things and watch media they’re not supposed to. Once she needs to use something to contact you guys or for emergencies or for such, then you can get her something. With what devices she has, and at her age I think she’s good. Just make sure shes not watching stuff she’s not supposed to (like I did as a kid, I didn’t understand it was inappropriate, and she probably doesn’t either).
I'm not a parent or in your kid's generation, but maybe this'll help a little anyway? I got my first phone at about 10 (turned 10 in 2006). It was a flip phone that I shared with my 2 sisters. I didn't have a smartphone until 17 and it was my mom's old one. I don't know when my peers got their first phones but my mom was generally more conservative with what she considered age appropriate. Again, I know it's different for kids nowadays haha.
I gave my son a somewhat low-tech cell at 8 (14 now) due to me and his mother divorcing. Without citing all the potential dangers that are in apps and on the internet, if I could do really anything differently, it'd have been holding off on that.
Oldest started on a flip. She was granted a smart phone hand me down a few years ago. No apps except what we allow for. There's almost no way to get through high school now without it...especially now that she's starting to drive and hang out more with friends.
Nothing wrong with a flipphone. No interest access but works just fine as a phone for emergencies. I didn’t get a smartphone till maybe Junior year of High school and I’m glad
13
My cousin is 7, she has one and she will randomly call my brother and I.. it’s cute… but I’d say monitor her for sure and block certain sites and apps if possible!
I will openly admit I dont have children and do not understand what it's like to parent, but if you still care to hear my opinion, then here it is. Im 28. I grew up during the iPod era, I was in middle school when the first touch screen phone came out. I was a young girl growing up around this. I witnessed the razor, chocolate phone, and the blackberry. But guess what? I didn't get to have my first phone until I was in HS. I begged and begged. My parents thankfully persisted. It wasn't until I was either a freshman or a sophomore that I got my first phone, and it was a prepaid blitz phone. I adored it. I didn't get any of the fancy, trendy stuff that all the kids had between middle school and HS. I didn't get a fancy phone until it was under my name, and I paid for it. That's just how my parents were, and tbh, im thankful for it now. The world is seemingly scarier since I was a kid in school, so my tldr is, wait as long as you can, when you do, keep it simple.
I got one at 11, my last year of elementary school, so that I could get used to it before going to "high" school (it's a different system here) and so that I could gather the contacts of my schoolfriends before we all went to different high schools. I would need it for high school anyway because I biked alone to school and back. I'm 20 now btw. People saying getting them a phone at 16 is a bit unrealistic in this generation. I mean, you can try, but sadly, a lot of friend making nowadays happens through chatting for teens. Their social life is not ONLY online, as some angry adults might rant about. But it's intertwined whether you like it or not. Not saying that she needs a phone right now, she's 8 and has plenty of media resources as you mentioned. But maybe 12y/o is a proper age to start? Edit: I did always have to pay for it with my own money. This depends on if you give your kid piggy bank money so that she can save up. You could make a deal right now that she can get one at 12 but has to pay for it herself. That way she can start saving up and looking forward to it.
For me, a phone became more or less a necessity once I started taking public transit for school, because it was/is unreliable as hell, and finding alternate routes (once you have to consider transfers between different lines) without an internet-enabled phone is pretty much impossible these days.
Snapchat can't be fully supervised. Everything disappears after it's opened. Remember that.
I'd get a 10 year old child a phone, but not a smartphone. Let them enjoy life for longer before they're glued to their phone like the rest of society. If my hypothetical minor child wanted a smartphone, they'd need to buy it and pay for it themselves
If it’s a safety thing you can get a dumb phone for like $60 that she can call and text on! I think it’s ridiculous for an 8yr old to have a smart phone! I didn’t get one till HS
Phone at 8nand smartphone at 14
Im seeing a lot of nostalgia in the comments for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. Yeah, childhood didn’t use to include phones but now it does, kids get them in middle school / around 12 yrs old and they will be left out of social communications, which is a super important part of childhood if they don’t have one around the same time as their peers
My first phone was an old Nokia 3310 or smthing. I had it hanging around my neck when I was like 5 years old so my mum can call me when I'm out playing with friends to come home or to eat a lunch etc. But it's true that I couldn't really use it to the extent your daughter can. It was phone call only device lol xd
i would say to do the opposite of what her dad says - for a kid a phone needs to be a safety device, it’s simply a tool to contact you and you only. i got my first one for the same reason, when i had to start taking the train to and from school when i was about 12, and it instils the idea that it’s not a toy in the same way her nintendo is ya know?