Mobile Phones - When is it too young to have one?

Biggins

Was collecting two of my kids from cresh a while ago and a parent was informing me that she knew another parent who gave their child aged 6, a new mobile phone to keep and use.
To be honest I was shocked. I though that 6 was way too young to be even contemplating giving a child such a thing at that age.

Am I right in being shocked, am I just out of date (not "with it") or right in any way in thinking the parents should have waited a few more years before just handing over a phone to their child?

I'm in two minds as to what's right or wrong!

kfallon

Maybe at 15-16 I'd think about letting them have one

Chuchoter

Its handy for picking kids up from school. Its probably one of them Firefly things.

Maybe at 15-16 I'd think about letting them have one

Didn't know the amish were allowed Internet.

Banned Account

crayolastereo wrote: »

Its handy for picking kids up from school.

My parole officer would have something to say about that:(

maybe if it was one of those restricted children's ones... but still...

MIRMIR82

Biggins wrote: »

Was collecting two of my kids from cresh a while ago and a parent was informing me that she knew another parent who gave their child aged 6, a new mobile phone to keep and use.
To be honest I was shocked. I though that 6 was way too young to be even contemplating giving a child such a thing at that age.

Am I right in being shocked, am I just out of date (not "with it") or right in any way in thinking the parents should have waited a few more years before just handing over a phone to their child?

I'm in two minds as to what's right or wrong!

Your dead right Biggins- 6 years of age is way too young to have a phone. My sister-in-law bought her young lad(9) a phone for christmas-he rang us all on x-mas day to tell us he had a phone and now it just lies on the bedroom floor!!
Its just people with too much money and time on their hand.:( grrrrrrr

Mint Sauce

when thier a teenager or when their going out with their mates, no reall need for one before that

or like one of those firefly things as pointed out, think they only accept calls from 2 or 4 preprogramed numbers and can only call 2 or 3 numbers as well.

storm2811

I'd give them one of those Firefly phones where than just ring their mum or dad,would be handy but at that age I'd say it's be more of a toy to them.

Got my first phone when I was 12.

WindSock

I'd say give them a Firefly until they are in Secondry school.

MIRMIR82

storm2811 wrote: »

I'd give them one of those Firefly phones where than just ring their mum or dad,would be handy but at that age I'd say it's be more of a toy to them.

Got my first phone when I was 12.

Well if you got your 1st phone when you were 12 - you are obviously too young to worry about whether kids should have them or not!!!

Sykk

Why lag behind with modern day technology. If a 6 year old has a phone and knows how to use it, what's the problem?

It adds some safety when they're out playing with daddy on speed dial when the latest law protected parole walking paedophile comes by for a chat. Or in any other, less drastic case.

Cookie_Monster

whenever they have enough money to buy and put credit on it them selves

Dravokivich

bloody hell when i was 6 my dad wouldn't even let me have a walkman for fear I'd break the blooming thing...

I dont see the point in kids having them at all... Adolescents / teens from about 15 / 16 up... so you can keep tabs on them when you're letting them go out that little bit later...

Anyone who lets a kid younger then that have a phone "for peace of mind" so the kid can keep in contact with them is a fúcking moron. Kids that young shouldn't be further from you then you can shout at them...

mikemac

Not until secondary school realy.
And even then, they are supposed to be switched off in school hours or it'll be confiscated and given back at the end of the day.

BluesBerry

Its good children having mobiles and ring when you need them back home or for collecting them from school to let them know your running 5 mins late and to just wait

10 year old went missing recently in a shopping center she rang me to say where she was and she didnt panic because she knew she had her mobile and felt safe, also the same child was walking home from school and there was 5 boys walking behind her messing with her calling her names she got very scared and texted me and I came down to collect her

I personally think all children should own a phone and know how to use them for safety reasons

Biggins

Dravokivich wrote: »

Kids that young shouldn't be further from you then you can shout at them...

To be honest that the way my mind was swaying.

If they are that young, they are either with you or with someone you should absolutely trust.
Having a standard phone at age 6 to me is a bit overboard.
Never out of reach long enough anyway to warrant a phone because of distance to the nearest guardian.
(It was standard phone the child mentioned in the first post, had. Not the Firefly type)

storm2811

MIRMIR82 wrote: »

Well if you got your 1st phone when you were 12 - you are obviously too young to worry about whether kids should have them or not!!!

Why?:pac:
I know a lot about kids,I used to babysit fulltime and help out in the local creche.
I know two 8 year olds who got phones for christmas and all they did was ring their relatives for a few months and play games,it was soon forgotten about,like any other childrens toy.

Mint Sauce

Sitec wrote: »

I think when they start secoundry school its ok for them to get a phone. Might make them a bit easier to make friends socially.

can also be used as a bullying tool

although its a bit sad that we are now that dependednt on mobiles, that they are being used as a social requirment.

Mint Sauce

storm2811 wrote: »

Why?:pac:
I know a lot about kids,I used to babysit fulltime and help out in the local creche.
I know two 8 year olds who got phones for christmas and all they did was ring their relatives for a few months and play games,it was soon forgotten about,like any other childrens toy.

+1

all one of my little cousins did was play snake, and soon got board of that

Dravokivich

Biggins wrote: »

To be honest that the way my mind was swaying.

If they are that young, they are either with you or with someone you should absolutely trust.
Having a standard phone at age 6 to me is a bit overboard.
Never out of reach long enough anyway to warrant a phone because of distance to the nearest guardian.
(It was standard phone the child mentioned in the first post, had. Not the Firefly type)

Yeap... was the same thing for me as a kid and when I get round to having kids, will be taking the same approach.

syklops

Sitec wrote: »

I think when they start secoundry school its ok for them to get a phone. Might make them a bit easier to make friends socially.

Never before in human history has it been easier to make friends socially, why would it be easier if they have mobiles?

It adds some safety when they're out playing with daddy on speed dial when the latest law protected parole walking paedophile comes by for a chat. Or in any other, less drastic case.

A 6 year old should not be playing anywhere where it is faster to take out a mobile phone, dial daddy, and wait for him to answer, than to run into the house and find him.

Also, it makes kids a target by both adults and older kids to have the mobile stolen off them, and it opens another route by which they can be bullied.

The age at which you let the child in town on their own, is the age they should be ready for a phone.

Biggins

syklops wrote: »

A 6 year old should not be playing anywhere where it is faster to take out a mobile phone, dial daddy, and wait for him to answer, than to run into the house and find him.

Also, it makes kids a target by both adults and older kids to have the mobile stolen off them, and it opens another route by which they can be bullied.

The age at which you let the child in town on their own, is the age they should be ready for a phone.

Some very good points there. Cheers.

beccabeccabecca

I don't see the need in giving a child a proper mobile phone until the start of secondary school. However, I wouldn't be opposed to a child over ten getting one of the Firefly phones purely because at that age they are starting to travel further or even have overnight stays with the extracurricular activities they're involved with so it would be handy to have some way of contacting them if anything goes wrong during these, more for peace of mind than anything else.

I got my first phone when I was ten. It was my uncle's old one and all I did was learn how to play Snake and then left it there. Didn't use it again until I was twelve and all of my other friends had phones too.

deman

My kids all got their first mobile phone when they were 8. At this age, (as the law says here), they are old enough to walk/cycle to school if they live within 2kms of the school. The mobile adds an extra sense of security to both parent and child. The phones they got were bottom-of-the-range cheap phones costing no more than 30 euros. We also had the network operator put restrictions on who could phone them, and who they could phone. It also teaches them to be responsible with things. Don't underestimate kids please. They have a massive learning ability and take to being able to use phones much faster than older people.

Dravokivich

deman wrote: »

My kids all got their first mobile phone when they were 8. At this age, (as the law says here), they are old enough to walk/cycle to school if they live within 2kms of the school.

I wouldn't let a kid that young walk up by themselves, they'd have to be with a big bunch of other kids from my area, or with a group of parents taking it in turns to go up and down.

deman wrote: »

Don't underestimate kids please. They have a massive learning ability and take to being able to use phones much faster than older people.

Its not the ability to use phones, the issue is how it can become a scapegoat for responsiblitly.

alwaysadub

I know loads of kids under 10 with a mobile. Personally, i wouldn't think of giving a phone to a child until they were 12 at the least.

deman

Dravokivich wrote: »

I wouldn't let a kid that young walk up by themselves, they'd have to be with a big bunch of other kids from my area, or with a group of parents taking it in turns to go up and down.

To tell you the truth, if I lived back in Ireland again, I wouldn't either.

The kids don't walk alone. They walk and cycle in groups. And it's only in autumn and spring. Winters, they take a taxi (free until they reach 13).

Everybody here, over the age of nine, has a mobile. It's nothing new or strange.

Dravokivich

deman wrote: »

Winters, they take a taxi (free until they reach 13).

Bloody hell ye have it made!

starbelgrade

I think they should have Bluetooth installed on their heads as soon as they are born.. that way you can go out to the pub without the expense of a baby sitter. If anything is wrong, sure they can give you a buzz.

seamus

syklops wrote: »

The age at which you let the child in town on their own, is the age they should be ready for a phone.

Yeah, pretty much +1.

I used to think that my kids would never get a mobile until they were at least 16, but with the absolute dependence on them I've realised that secondary school is about the right age; 13/14. Even at that they'll be required to pay for their own credit out of their pocket money and they can get a new phone once a year on their birthday or christmas. No way I'm paying for 50,000 "lol" texts a year or the latest phone every 3 months.

I'll be a pain in the ass Dad though. Until they're at least 16, I'll be locking down their phones - who they ring/text, what they can access, etc. I'll even set it up so that when I ring they can't hang up or stick it on silent and it won't go to voicemail. It'll just ring and ring and ring at top volume until they pick up the phone to their Dad.

Corkfeen

I lived a kilometer from my school so walked home every day etc.... Society has become far too paranoid imho. Anyway I'd say the fairest age is when they're entering the 1st year of secondary school.

I'd say those of ye saying that teens not having a mobile till they're 15 are being highly unrealistic, the times have changed and not having one till that age would be liable to result in bullying.....

RolandIRL

i didn't get a phone until 2nd year in secondary school, and even then it was a present for my birthday. i probably wouldn't have gotten one for another 2/3 years. the startup credit (€70) done me for about a year and a half, for all the times i was ringing/texting. when i got into leaving cert, i started texting a lot more, but tbh i doubt i would have needed even then. i met all my friends everyday, and what are you going to talk about for the few hours in the evening that can't wait until the next day?
i don't think kids should have them until they're at least 14/15. i'm wondering what's going to happen to today's 6/7 year olds that have phones, because (i don't know if this is true or not) if all the radiation associated with having a phone near your head a lot of the time, it can't be healthy for a developing child.

WallyGUFC

I got my 1st one in 6th class for Xmas. Instantly got free texts for life so parents didn't have to worry about buying credit.:D I think 6th class up is okay, but any younger is crazy.

Piste

I got my first phone when I was 9, it was Christmas of 4th class. It certainly didn't do me any harm. I was never bullied because of it, never targetted by paedophiles, I was brought up to know better than to be giving my mobile number out to strangers. At the time hardly anyone my age had a mobile so I only had 4 numbers on my phone- my mum's, my dad's and two friends'.

I did a lot of extra-curricular activities so it was really handy for me to let my parents know if I was running late, or vice versa. It was also a great way to keep in touch with people I met at Irish college/various Summer camps. It really helped for organising things like going to the cinema with friends when i was in 5th/6th class (by which time everyone had the much-coveted Nokia 3310)

Honestly I would have found it pretty cringy if my parents had bought me one of those Firefly phones at that age, the basic Nokia was good enough for me. I can't see much reason for a 6 year old to have a phone, unless they do a lot of activities. I can see it being more good than harm though, for emergencies.

People are getting a bit hysterical about this, it's not crazy or irresponsible for parents to buy mobiles for younger kids. If my parents had refused to buy me a phone until I was 15 I could easily have saved and bought one for myself on the sly when I was 12 or so and hidden it from them. It saved a lot of hassle that my parents were more sensible than a lot of people on this thread.

EDude

I got my first when I was 12, it was an old nokia brick fella and i spent most of the time sending picture messages on it. Felt like superman with a mobile... until everyone else got one!

But I do know of a 7 year old girl with one and she has it kitted out in all the glittery charms etc etc. So I'm nearly certain that at that age its just a fashion accessory because who would she contact? Mam, dad and possibly aunts, uncles or grandparents.

In my opinion 12/13 is the best age to start, but its entirely up to your own opinions

Cian92

I got my first one for my Confiramtion! Seemed a good time to have one. I wouldn't have a problem with somebody in 5th Class getting on either. Its wouldn't be realistic to make a child wait untill they were 15 or 16 before getting one, you are only making them a target for bullying.

Alot of people are going on about monitoring their childs phone use... I'd be against this, put some trust in your children. They are better able to cope than you think. I probarly joined bebo at the same time I got a phone, and what I do on the internet, or my phone usage has never been monitored. I was brought up better than to do anything stupid on either.

As about Fireflys, i think any child over the age of 10 would be insulted to have one a cheap €40 one would do the job grand!

seamus

Seriously, first one at 9 years of age? When I was nine we were all mystified by my mate's Dad's car phone that was twice the size of a house phone. I didn't get a mobile till I was 17, purely because they weren't really available before then!

I feel old now...

gbee

Biggins wrote: »

Am I right in being shocked,

It is wrong and based on new cancer and tumour research we can expect to see a government bill passed on this soon.

The current 'recommendations' for a mobile phone is 12 years of age and over.

Look up a thread on children advised to text only, due to concerns of using a device that emits harmful radiation.

jester77

They are too young it they can't pay the bills themselves.

I grew up in a time before mobile phones and guess what... myself and all my friends survived :eek:

AgileMyth

MIRMIR82 wrote: »

Well if you got your 1st phone when you were 12 - you are obviously too young to worry about whether kids should have them or not!!!

Not true. I had one at 12 or 13 and I have a couple of mates with 4 or 5 year olds. Having said that they're only 20 themselves.

AAAAAAAHHH

Dravokivich wrote: »

bloody hell when i was 6 my dad wouldn't even let me have a walkman for fear I'd break the blooming thing...

I dont see the point in kids having them at all... Adolescents / teens from about 15 / 16 up... so you can keep tabs on them when you're letting them go out that little bit later...

Anyone who lets a kid younger then that have a phone "for peace of mind" so the kid can keep in contact with them is a fúcking moron. Kids that young shouldn't be further from you then you can shout at them...

14 year olds should be with their parents all day? Are you serious?

BrookieD

14/15 is about right, my son (7) asked for one because his mate had one (6)..

Saying this i was shocked when said mate knocked on my door asking to come in and play with my son.
I replied "If you ask your parent and they say its ok then fine".
He took out a mobile and started to call them! I asked what he was doing,
Kid "Calling my mum to ask if its ok to play"
Me " You live 8 houses away?"
Kid "It's easier to call home now"

Perefect for breeding the lazy adult from childhood imho

Dravokivich

AAAAAAAHHH wrote: »

14 year olds should be with their parents all day? Are you serious?

Not exactly with... but not roaming around that you'd need to call them to know where they are and have them come in...

MmmmmCheese

I think any age from 10 onwards is fine for having a mobile phone. I got one when I was 11 because I was going to Irish college.

Can't believe people here are actually saying that a child shouldn't have a phone until they are 15 or 16. You think they will be a target for bullies or paedophiles for having one? The opposite is entirely more likely.

There's a lot of people here saying that they grew up without mobile phones and so should their kids, but that was a different time. Things have changed.

Dravokivich

MmmmmCheese wrote: »

Can't believe people here are actually saying that a child shouldn't have a phone until they are 15 or 16. You think they will be a target for bullies or paedophiles for having one? The opposite is entirely more likely.

No... I just don't see the point in them having 1. IMO it's just a luxury piece of technology. It's not a toy for kids. They really have no need for'em.

partyatmygaff

Got my own first phone back when I was 12, a motorola E770 which was pretty decent at the time.

Before then my dad had given me his old phones to use starting with an ancient yellow brick of a phone that I got back when I was very young. As far as I can remember it was an old 088 analog phone with one of those massive credit card sized sim cards. Never had any need to use it though.

Then a few years later when I was eight or so my dad gave me his old Nokia 3310 which I used up until I was in secondary school. Only ever used it when I was going to be late coming home from school and stuff like that.

After four years of secondary school i've managed to get through way too many different phones
A Motorola E770v -> Motorola V3xx -> iPhone 2G (Only kept it for three days before selling it) -> Nokia N95 8GB -> Nokia N97 (1 week) -> HTC Desire

I'd have hated to have been given a Firefly or some other crippled phone, just because you're young doesn't mean you can't handle a proper phone. So i'd say anyone from ten years old and above can handle a phone.

MmmmmCheese

Well when I got one I didn't use it as a toy, I needed it to contant my parents.

It can be such a handy way of contacting parent or child, I don't see why its such a bad thing for a child to own one. For instance if a child was being collected by his/her parent from, lets say football training, and something happened which meant the parent was going to be 20 minutes late. Do you not think in that case being able to ring the child and let them know is of huge benefit?

Greyfox

Dravokivich wrote: »

No... I just don't see the point in them having 1. IMO it's just a luxury piece of technology. It's not a toy for kids. They really have no need for'em.

Completely disagree, my little sister is 12 and just got her first phone which I think is the perfect age. It's handy knowing if she somehow got lost she could just ring home. I think people need to start to move with the times

Dravokivich

Greyfox wrote: »

Completely disagree, my little sister is 12 and just got her first phone which I think is the perfect age. It's handy knowing if she somehow got lost she could just ring home. I think people need to start to move with the times

I'm not disputing anyone's reasons, I was just highlighting 1 of the reasons why I wouldn't give a kid a phone. Take note it was in response to someone who thought that all the neigh sayers were concerned about the kid being victimised as a result of having the phone.

Sure move with the times, doesn't mean we need to upgrade our starter packs with new technology that keeps coming out.

Biggins

I think the general consensus is that around 12 to 14/15 is average age we broadly agree on.
...But giving a normal mobile phone to a 6 years old - even if it is more the exception than the norm' - for myself, I think is just more daftness than anything else.

I'm genuinely open to be wrong though!

G_R

I think alot of people are being a bit ridiculous even suggesting that a child doesn't need a phone until they are 14 or 15.

My little brother is 12 now, he got his first phone when he was 10 i'd say, and I dont think that was too young. He uses his phone a lot more than I do, texting his friends all the time. I realise that the vast majority of these texts are pointless ones, like lol or haha, but when texts are free what harm is it. People need to get with the times, this is how people communicate now-a-days.

Saying i grew up without phone and so did my friends is really irrelevant tbh, you grew up in a time when they either didnt exist or were only becoming widespread, so of course you didnt have one, but times have changed.

As i said, my little brother got one when he was 10, and it was very handy for me when I was looking after him anyway. We lived in an estate, which was very close to a couple of other estates, and he had friends from school in all them, and could be in any one of say 20 friends houses, and ringing him to see where he was is much easier than going to all the houses asking if he was there.