Children and mobile phones

[lis351]

Mr11 was telling me today how another student in his class (grade 5/6) was in trouble for receiving a text message in class. In truth, she was probably more in trouble for having her phone on and volume on, rather than receiving the actual message.

But I was wondering, how many 10/11 year olds are carrying mobile phones these days?? And what age would you think it appropriate??

I had not thought to give my kids a phone at this stage, even though they walk to and from school and take bikes/scooters to local parks without my immediate supervision.

[kyliecrv]

Both of mine got them for the Xmas before they started high school.

The baby (19months) is a pro with my iPhone and has her own Aps etc!
The other day she called her daddy from her carseat as I was driving!

[cherry*135]

When my youngest was 12 yo (about 10 years ago) a lot of kids that age had mobile phones then (no internet/data capability then).

I can't remember exactly how old my 2 were when they got one, but they were at high school.

A lot of schools insist the students leave their phones in their school bags while at school... so they would be in trouble if they are fiddling with it in the classroom.

[i-need-a-martini]

My son got one 3 years ago at the start of hight school. 

My 11 year old daughter wants one. Most of the girls in her class do have them but unless they are travelling to school on theire own they just don't need it.

[chinchuckchick]

Our kids have the use of my old 4S when they go on sleepovers, walk up to the shops etc, they are nearly 9 and 13.

I didn't have a mobile until my early 20's and managed to survive so I'm sure they can last a few more years.

[**meep**]

My daughter got her first mobile when she started high school (even though some of her friends already had them)  Started off with a really cheap phone on a pre-paid plan.  She looked after it very well, couple of yrs down the track she now has an Iphone (does anyone buy anything anything other than smartphones these days?)

Phones are not allowed during classes.  They are locked away in their lockers.  I do believe in the 2 final years of HS, smartphones will be used during lessons but I'm not exactly sure for what purpose.

[*crikey*mate*]

mine got them in 2010 when I took them on a trip - in case I lost them

nah, not really, the boys were in a 4 day choir comp and they were all over the hotel at various times of the day, so it made it easier for Little Crikey and I to go out and about and the boys could just ring me when they weren't in rehearsals etc so we could go back to the hotel.

so 14, 12 and 10

but then took them off them unless we went out somewhere like a shopping centre etc

Then they started walking to school the year after that, so I gave them back to them full time.

They get bought the minimum package of $30 credit each to last 12 months to get the phone active (calls to me and each other are free) if they use that up, they pay for their own. They are not allowed to leave the house without a working phone with credit.

They were all bought the cheap phones - $20 or $30 I think? Middle Crikey has since bought his own iPhone.

Big Crikey has washed his or lost his a few times, so he's replaced the original several times.

[cosmosgrove]

They are not allowed to leave the house without a working phone with credit.

Really, why?

[**meep**]

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@cosmosgrove wrote:

They are not allowed to leave the house without a working phone with credit.

Really, why?

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I feel the same way.  In case of emergency, that was the reason for getting it in the first place.

[lis351]

Hmmm, pretty much what I thought.

Like I said, they don't go far at this stage, but we have an old Samsung for them to use when they do.

I guess I was just surprised (shouldn't have been, in this techno age LOL) that a kid had a phone and was receiving texts in the middle of Math class. LOL.