Mobile phones, too young?

wexhun

My daughter is 8 and wants a mobile phone, I have a old one and would just have to get a sim card for it at just €10, so its not the money but somehow I feel a bit funny about giving it to her, is she too young? Whats your opinion?

Debracd

Alot of kids even younger than 8 have mobile phones these days! I have an 8yr old and there's no way I'd give her a Mobile. For one I can't imagine any situation where she'd need a mobile. If she's not with me she's with another responsible adult who would have a mobile incase she needed to contact me. And with all the oddballs out there and text bullying etc, I just wouldn't fancy her having her own 'private line' at 8.

That is just my opinion though! I've seen pleanty of kids with them.

Deb

steveland?

If I had a kid no way would I be giving them a phone at 8.

Imagine them watching TV and seeing the Jamster ad? You could be forking out a tenner credit every day or two because she's getting charged €2 a day or so for a ringtone... Kids are impressionable... just look at Crazy Frog

super_furry

I don't think any kid younger than 13 should have their own mobile phone.

Lorri_L

Mobiles are a touchy subject and people have different opinions on them. My personal opinion is that they should definitely not be given to a child of 8. I think around 12 is the write age, when they start going out themselves for long periods of time, and they start staying out later.

Mobiles are always handy when kids get more independent!

Cutie18Ireland

i got my first one at 13 and always looked after them... but my younger sisters got them when they were 10 and 8 i think... which i think is mad the 10yr old well now 13 goes through phones quicker than anyone she drops them and basically has no value for her mobile. even when she bought her own one.
where as the 8yr well now 10 only got one because we all had them and it was a novelty to her as my mam is always in and out of hospital so she could get right to her if she wanted to, she looks after her phone but doesnt use it all that much.
And the credit thing my mam gets them 20e in one go a month and thats all.

All of my young cousins have them as well from age 6 upwards i think it was purely a novelty of a pink flip phone but when the novelty wears off they aren't really interested in them.

deisemum

I always thought I wouldn't get my boys a mobile phone until their confirmation at the earliest. However the eldest lad got a phone when he was 10 and it was my decision to get it as he hadn't been pestering me for one. He got it for practical reasons.

He's involved in a lot of sport and it has proven very handy in letting me know when he's finished training or on his way back from an away match. It's cut out the waiting at the club for ages wondering when he'll be back. He is very responsible with it. He got a phone for Christmas with €100 credit, €10 per month and he still has most of it.

The younger lad aged 8 was given his granny's old mobile and I got a sim card for €15, €5 per month, he's very responsible with it but rarely uses it, hasn't got a need for it tbh as he's always with an adult. However I use it. Most of his classmates have a mobile and got them when they made their first communion

RandomOne

super_furry wrote:

I don't think any kid younger than 13 should have their own mobile phone.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Add to that, a child needs to show they can handle and understand money before getting one too. There's nothing worse than a teen with a mobile phone forever moaning they have no credit. This frustrates them, annoys you and comes up far more frequently than the moans about all their friends having: mobile phone, more money, latest CD, latest fashion item.... and all the other things they don't think you ever tried on with your folks at that age.

Kildrought

Handiest option I would say is to make a present on starting secondary school (or finishing primary - whatever suits).

layke

It's a fashion accessory, like a handbag.You can't be Paris Hilton unless you have a mobile.

Besides, where the hell do kids get money for credit?

Nevyn

Pocket money, cadburies infact have noted the drop in money being spent on chocolate bars as kids are buying phone credit instead.

scrattletrap

My eldest will be nine next month and there is no way he is getting a mobile phone anytime soon, I cannot see who at eight he would want to be ringing. I know when I was eight (not that long ago) that there was no one I wanted or needed to ring and even if I did I would be laughed out of it by my parents.

No way. Wouldn't even consider it for a kid under 12. Primary school kids have no business with mobiles but now everyone's got one I suppose it's hard to stop them rabbiting on about wanting one.

newwifey

Constantly having this argument with 11 year old son who is the only one in his class without a mobile. So to compromise I got a good set of walkie talkie things with a 5km range just to keep tabs on him when he is out for the summer evenings. I think the desire for a mobile is fading a bit as he is fed up of me doing the... "rubber ducky come in rubber ducky where are you" every half hour.