What age to give your kids mobile phones?

[buksida]

Ours still don't have them as I wouldn't consider giving an 8 year old a mobile for obvious reasons. However there is the security/safety aspect of it if he needs to make an emergency call or we need to get in touch when he is at a friends house.

Most of the kids in his class have phones and fancy tablets but I'm pretty sure that's just the parents spoiling them or trying to show off - we're not in that category.

So ... what age would you give your child a mobile phone, if at all?

[VincentD]

Buksi
the eldest was given one when in ม.3, so he would have been about 15 then. The younger was given one when in ม.1, so about 13. Note that this was way back when mobile phones were just that; no fancy gadgets. The reason being they had to be using public transport in Bangkok and were required to phone in to get us to pick them up when they got back. They also understood what it was to be used for; if you wanted to chat with your friends you could jolly well do that when at school.
These days, with phones being so cheap, I'd fork out a little more for a GPS-enabled one that can be tracked for peace of mind, and give it to them once they need to be on their own for any length of time outside of your(not their.. ) comfort zone.
Note that these days even the 10-year olds know how to use a smart phone...

My two cents worth...

[MrPlum]

Gave our youngster one for 11th birthday. She sometimes helps her teacher after school so calls us when she's ready, rather than have us sat waiting outside. Also useful for letting her go off with friends in Market Village and tracking her down after movies, meals, etc.. We have strict limitations on use and only charge the phone with a minimal amount.

[Takiap]

I guess it all depends on the child and of course on the parents. Our oldest daughter (7) has mentioned it on a few occasions, but she hasn't pressed the issue. Once she does, I'll probably give her a cheap phone. Saying that, she'll probably want a fancy touch screen one, unlike her Dad that only needs something capable of making and receiving calls. The little nipper isn't even interested in my netbook anymore since Mom started allowing her to play around with her iPad. She ain't touching my iPad though. Where I come from, kids don't have to have $300 toys. How things have changed. What happened to homemade go-carts, tree houses and etc?

[GLCQuantum]

Where I come from, kids don't have to have $300 toys. How things have changed. What happened to homemade go-carts, tree houses and etc?

I was quite amused the other day to see my Grade 5's playing with the old plastic cups and string telephone thing. They'd made it in a Science lesson obviously, but given that every one of the little buggers has either an I-Phone or a Galaxy (in a school with spoilt rich kids me), I found it nice to see they could still be interested in the 'Stone Age' stuff. Had them enjoying that stick with a hoop game too a while back!

I personally think around 10 is a good age for a kid to have a phone. Nothing fancy like these monsters have - just a phone.

[charlesh]

Aren't Thais born with a mobile phone - especially females?

Not in favour of handing phones to kids permanently - try a little bit of parental responsibility !

PS the plastic cups and string doesn't work all that well. metal cans are better.

[PeteC]

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22645


She's 7 1/2 Buks and so far using it very res[onsibly, makes her feel like a big shot as well

....and no Pleng, I haven't checked out the SIM change alert yet, sorry...will get around to it. Pete

[STEVE G]

I think my step-son had one when he was around 10, a very basic and cheap Nokia, mainly for organising transport to and from school and that sort of thing.

[J.J.B.]

It depended on need/convenience instead of age, I think around 10 and it was so she could call us and let us know when to collect her from some after school clubs. It was a pretty basic Nokia from Tesco's, now she's a 'screenager' and it would require a good surgeon to separate her from her (my old) iPhone 3G. It can be a bonus on long journeys, though, so she can play games & watch films.

[migrant]

When mine were young the cell phones didn't have all the extras of the iphones/androids. We gave them to the kids at around 12 for the reasons stated above, communications.

As they got older and texting came in we got a family plan with limited texting and they knew not to go over the amounts.

[kendo]

My stepsons now 20, and 17, have had more phones than you could shake a fishing rod with always loosing them when fishing "splash their go's another one" lets get a new one from the money tree in the UK, i can't say no as that how they communicate with mum that over here! bit of a long winded topic in my household.

Kendo.

[Takiap]

. Also useful for letting her go off with friends in Market Village and tracking her down after movies, meals

Yes, you would have thought that by now parents could have their kids chipped so they can be tracked via GPS.

[Dr Mike]

In the newborn nursery!

[buksida]

Thanks for the replies, as I figured they're too young for one at the moment!

[margaretcarnes]

Gave our youngster one for 11th birthday. She sometimes helps her teacher after school so calls us when she's ready, rather than have us sat waiting outside. Also useful for letting her go off with friends in Market Village and tracking her down after movies, meals, etc.. We have strict limitations on use and only charge the phone with a minimal amount.

Sign of the times isn't it. Gone are the days when we could easily walk home from school - and safely. It's kind of sad that kids need to keep in touch constantly with parents, and can't be free to roam all day like we used to.
But at the same time I do think kids should be programmed to return home at meal times regardless, even if it is to touch base for a while. They shouldn't need to be tracked down if definite arrangements are made beforehand - and if they have a watch.
Is this a chicken and egg situation now? Have mobile therefore can make last minute changes of plan and sod the adults because we can tell them where we are? It shouldn't be the adults having to chase around and change their plans IMO.