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.

[daydream**believer]

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@azureline** wrote:

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@daydream**believer wrote:

how has it changed?

I used to go bike riding with my friends all weekend from age 8 up. None of us had phones and we survived.

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do you allow yours to do this? and if not, why don't you?

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i would but they are to lazy. In saying that though, when Mr 10 got his new scooter he and Miss 12 went riding together at the local high school

[azureline**]

I am a bit surprised you would do that, lol.

My children had very little freedom of that nature but probably more than I would allow today.

[kitty-kat1234]

Thanks crikey,we are all with telstra & we can do that already,dont know why i didnt say that.

DDB growing up we lived along way outta town,i grew up in the wheat belt in country W.A.

We rode motorbikes/horses everywhere even to the next town,visiting friends on farms etc...... never had any trouble thankfully.

Of course times have changed,you could never tell between the good,the bad or the ugly & still cant,theres just more of the badies around.

Just watch the news.

In saying that i do not wrap my kiddies in cotton wool but i do tell them the to be careful,have told them if anything ever happens you dont be QUIET,you kick,bite,scream etc whatever you have to do.

Also being a mainly single parent it helps that they do look out for eachother.........well when they are not fighting!!

Kiddies have to be alot more aware these days sadly.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Are there actually more baddies around or are we just more aware when bad things happen?

[daydream**believer]

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@*elizabeths-mum* wrote:

Are there actually more baddies around or are we just more aware when bad things happen?

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There were just as many "baddies" around back when i was a kid as there is now.

[kitty-kat1234]

I think its to do with the growth in population = more badies.

Plus we have had to be more aware.Hopefully the goodies stay on top!

[lis351]

make sure you have prepaid...I found out the hard way after a huge bill

LOL DSK, I wasnt planning on learning that one the hard way. Is it too much to hope that boys dont use as much phone than girls?? LOL.

Ive heard all sorts of stories from friends about large app store bills etc.

Are there actually more baddies around or are we just more aware when bad things happen?

I think, or hope anyway, that the latter is true.

Like I said, I let my kids out on bikes/scooters, they could be gone for a couple of hours. They have a watch so they know when to come home and a water bottle. Sometimes they go round the corner for some Chicken Treat for lunch or to the shop. Im more terrified of raising children unable to cope with the real world than I am 'baddies'.

[kyliecrv]

I buy both teens a $29 vodka recharge per month and they need to make it last! That gets them $150 general credit (most calls, texts etc), plus $350 credit to other voda phones, 500mb data for 30 days!
The 3 of us are voda so can always be in contact.

Son uses trains & busses daily for school, and also both will regularly have extra class or something to do after school that they let me know by text or a quick phone call.
Son phoned me from school with a teacher on hand so I could give verbal consent to her for my sons soccer coach to pick him up from a sporting event instead of him going back to school.
If used responsibly they are really good, but each parent/child situation is different.

At my daughters senior HSchool they are allowed to have phone/iPod during class and listen to music with headphones while they work as long as they pay attention when teacher is speaking. (Just asked her about it)

[**meep**]

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@daydream**believer wrote:

how has it changed?

I used to go bike riding with my friends all weekend from age 8 up. None of us had phones and we survived.

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Why would you not want to offer your kids extra security using the technology that is available now ????

[kitty-kat1234]

Baddies are part of the real world but we cant make kiddies too scared to take independent steps,theres not a baddi around every corner & i think  teaching them that there could be would make them into a nervous person unable to cope,JMO.

Lis how would you find/contact your kiddies in an emergency (i gather they are in their teens) if they have been gone for 2hrs,i'm not trying to have a go because i believe each to their own......we all do the best we can.