What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?

i have a son who will be 9 in January.

Is this too young to get him a mobile phone?What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?I gave my son a mobile phone for his 9th birthday. It was more of a safety thing for me though as we agreed he could start going out to call for his friends when he reached 9 ( we live in a small quiet village and he is only allowed a few doors down) so at least if he needs me he can phone me . he has to help around the house to earn top-up too.What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?
With phones being so cheap i reckon 8-14 is a good age but only as long as the parent signs up with legit companies to have the child locater service. A 10 quid phone 5 quid credit and 100 quid (maybe) to the legit firm to locate the child via the phone should the child be lost or out of phone power. No amount of money can equal peace of mind. The only reason kids under 16 years of age should have a mobile phone is so you can keep tabs on them and thats it. The cops can locate the child and anyone else for that matter via a mobile as long as the person is reported missing, 48 hours for an adult 4 hours for a child (as far as i know) but if you sign up with a private service to do the location for you, you would know where your child was at all times.What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?I'm torn on this issue. I didn't get my first cell phone until I was 18 and was able to pay for it by myself. I don't think that any child under the age of 16 should have a phone. They aren't able to pay for it and some kids aren't responsible enough to stay within the allowed minutes. BUT, at the same time, I think it's much safer for the child to have one. If they need a ride from school or from some kind of event, then it's ok. But if the child just wants it to talk or text friends, then I'm sorry, they can wait. What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?
Not if you start out with limits, I think.

They're excellent for emergency purposes, but I know tons of kids who are glued to their cells constantly, and they're FAR too young.



Research the best plans that don't offer a lot of texting, or get a family plan and monitor the activity on your child's phone. But if he/she is at dance or soccer practice one day and they have no way of contacting you to let you know their ride never showed up, you'll wish that they had one.



:)What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?9 is way too young, he won't have any responsibility and won't take good care of his phone. Having phones at an early age might cause problems because they might take things for granted and just keep using the phone even when you tell them to stop because they are too addicted.



I think 11 years old is the right age to give your son a phone. He would have more sense of responsibility by them
Yes.



He does not need it.

My Son is also 8 In January and this is a distraction He does not need, or for that matter will have.

He has asked me already for one and why, because his friends have one.



I gave a simple cell phone to my 10 year old Daughter and with strict instructions to call from School when needed.

She does this without problems.



Do kids need this tech at 8, 9 and so on.

I doubt it.

It is getting silly and I for one was a culprit.

I much prefer to give them a laptop at aged 11 and help with School work.

Texting friends all day long is the norm here in the Philippines and at times the friend is inches away.

It has gone beyond a must have to a social status.

Hey, I have a cell phone.

Am I an old fuddy duddy, I hope not but think a line needs to be drawn.

How can kids learn the social skills without getting in a group and talking directly.

What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?
Ignore all these people who say 'oh thats too young', its up to you. My daughter got her mums old phone when she was 8.

Its all about saftey, if your kid is out with his pals and something bad happens, would you rather he had a phone to let you know whats happened? yeah I guess you would, My daughter knows that me and her mum are only a phone call away, so dont feel that he's too young. It's better to have a phone and not need it, than need a phone and not have it.
I think 9 is fine, personally I would either get one of those phones where it limited his calling (not sure if these still exist: firefly by I think cingular) or a prepaid phone ( I have net10 phones for the boys, I paid $30 for them and they came w/$30 dollars in minutes, I replenish monthly at $15, and, the best part, if I miss the replenish date, all the minutes are saved until I put more air time on).What age is ok to give your child a mobile phone?
I'm 17, lookin under parenting to see what the problems are.



Cell phones, i got mine when i went into 7th grade (13) that's when i started needing it too. Maybe i wanted to stay after and go wath the football game, or volleyball game. Maybe i needed to stay at school for tutoring.Or i didn't have a ride home. 7th grade for me is the middle of jr. high. i never lost my phone, and it wasn't a nice phone, very standard, calling and texting only. about 60$ i'd say. and when i was 16 i got a nicer one.



It worked for me, and that's when alot of my friends got theirs too. your decision, i'm no parent, i just have good ones.
i just gave my daughter one for her ninth birthday - it was an old one of mine and we just bought her an o2 sim which had 拢10 of credit on it as well and 300 free texts - it only cost us 拢10 so if she loses it its only 拢10 lost - she does not use it much or take it to school but she does know how to contact her family and could call in an emergency. It really is to start her off being responsible and a bit grown up....I would not think it would be a good idea to show it off too much as older kids could try and take it - tell yr son to be discreet.good luck
I think 9 is a little young. Maybe wait until he is a bit older and going out with friends or by himself. Once he is about 11 or 12 maybe, but even then I think it should only be for emergencies.
i got my first phone when i was like 9.



im 13 now and i have my 4th phone.



maybe give him just an old one that belonged to a parent, older sibling, etc.
Sure why not in this day and age especially if he plays outside with his friends or goes to clubs, it's a great way to keep in Communication with your son.
not at all , i got my first one at 9



personally i never even asked for one , i just got it but i personally would give a child one even younger
my daughter is 9 and takes a mobile phone with her when she goes anywhere on her own friends houses,park etc its more of a safety thing especially during the autumn and winter months when it gets dark early.
Does he NEED a mobile phone. If he doesn't go far from home then I don't think he does. I gave my 10 year old a simple talk %26amp; text phone when he stsrted going a bit further a field with his friends.
it depends duz he go out on his own to the park etc ? if so i would let him have a mobile so that he can keep in touch with u and u know he is ok
no, when i have kids, they will be 8 or 9 when they get a phone.
no not at all i brought my son one for hes 9th birthday and he was ok with it only took him a couple of weeks to learn that the credit gos down quick when u phone everyone lol
well he should be around 16 to have a mobile


When they are old enough to pay the bill
I think no younger than 13.
16.
12
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think i was 12 when i got my first mobile. had about 10 since then
i think when they start secondary school is best
my daughter got her 1st when she was 8/9 only because she was playing at the park etc and i wanted to be able to contact her and vice versa


i think kids are growing up too early!

i think about 14-15 years old.

i got my 1st one for my 14th birthday!
My brother got his when he was nine, so I guess it's okay.
Way too young.



A child shouldn't have a cell phone till their atleast 16 years old with a job.



A 9 year old is not responsible enough to take care of a cell phone.