At what age would you allow your child to have a cell phone?

Think very carefully before giving her a smartphone at that age. My daughter is 15 and still only has a simple phone to call and text. That is fine for her purposes and she doesn't really want anything more because she doesn't like social media.

Probably around that age.

I used to say older but I'm realising it'd be cruel to isolate a child like that when so many around them are now living in a different technical world. That being said I'd limit it's use until they're at least 13 which doesn't seem like a huge gap but it is developmentally

I got my son one when he was 9. He's had it a few years, been very responsible with it and rarely uses it except for when we need to communicate. I don't think the age matters, I think it depends on the kid and the parent monitoring usage.

Prolly not so much 'what age' but 'what awareness'.

Our daughter got to borrow mine when she went out at roughly that age.

She screwed up with it a few times....or allowed her friends to.
This resulted in talks and consequences.....from which she learnt.

A year or so later she was given an ipad. She loved it ...but also fucked up online a few times.
She also got an old basic phone of mine.

Each time was a chance to talk about stuff, safety, security, wisdom.... consequences....choices.

She was maybe 13?...14? When we gave her her own smart phone.

There were teething problems with that..... teaching her self control....probelm solving ...and to not be a sheep. About realizing its a tool she controls, not the other way round.

And that it can be truned off.
(I admitted was suprised that we had to teach that concept).

So it was a learning thing for me too. It also taught both of us what we considered privacy.
(At some point one has to fully let go the reigns)

Age doesn't define maturity, even though maturity can come with age.

Id say ....talk to her about it.


Also ....make it worth something. Buy her a basic phone to start with.(These days its a security device as well).
Let her enjoy the bonuses it comes with.....and let her make a few mistakes while you are around to have her back and help guide fix them.
- it's the best way we learn

You can tell and tell and TELL people not what to do.... they'll still do it.

Just keep up communication and dont freak out when shit happens.

Teenagehood is made for taking risks. Only by risk taking do we learn how to negotiate future risky situations.

Its an essential life skill.

Phones are a kinda stepping stone to real life. Better to learn what bad choices can do before they find themself in one in real life.


Just my experience and opinion on this 🤷‍♀

Not saying this is optimal. More.....what we went thru.

I dont feel that kids learn by being held back or deprived of....(Generally speaking. And of course there are definite limits)...lifes experiences. They have so little time to grow up and be prepared.

They will live in a tech driven world.
They need to learn to cope with ....and manipulate it.

Better to do it under your supervision yeah?

looking back, we gave ours phones way too young...I think 14. It fostered an addiction in my opinion.

How we "old timers" managed to survive without them and with paper maps is a mystery to them. Of course there were public phones around back then and not so much now.

Glad I never had to deal with this since mine were older when it became such a "requirement". I would definitely get them one once they were going out on their own, not just at a friends house.

In middle school (6th grade) when our kids started taking a bus to school we gave them flip phones. I'm not sure what age they got smart phones, but it was after a few flip phones had been broken or accidentally taken swimming or other careless acts.

Mine were 16 and limited in use. Lots of dangers today for young girls.

We made our kid wait until he started high school (14ish) and even then it was pretty locked down. It worked out well.

Util they are 12 grade I would not give them anything more than a flip phone as all they should be using it for is communication when it is necessary. And even when they get to be seniors they would have to buy their own and pay for their own plan.

Don't think it's about age but about maturity & responsible

Ok if you have tight restrictions on what she can see. Limit the amount of time she has access to it too.

Whatever age you feel she is responsible enough to use it for communicating with you and not getting into trouble with friends. But still put limits on what she can do

A cell phone (not a smart phone) once they are in secondary school. You need to be able to locate them and they need a way to contact you. Anything more is a privilege to be earned.😷

Always a hard one to know the right age.

😲 I have a child? 😳

They can have a cell phone since first day of school but it’ll be a flip phone ( if those still exist). Now a smartphone probably from age 12 and on.

It’s totally up to you. 10 seems reasonable IMO

Mhm kids are open to online bullying and all sorts. Get a Nokia from the 90s 😁

11 seems to be the most common age for a first cellphone. They should be at least 12 before they get their first burner phone and BMW to start their drug dealing career and no tattoos until they're at least 13 😤

No way jose id wait till 13 thats when i gota phone

Probably until they got a job 🌚

12-13 years old condition will apply

We need to take yours away from you. 😬

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