When does your kid(s) get a smart phone?

[TooPatient]

I am also against personal laptops, computers, and any devices which can connect to the internet in private rooms of the home and would only allow them in public family rooms.

Ditto! If they can't do it in front of me then they shouldn't be doing it in the first place. DH is a deputy sheriff and the stuff he comes across is shocking. Teens texting/chatting/emailing stuff to each other that I would be embarrassed to say to my own husband.

I think you can block stuff at the modem so no one can access it, but I know there are programs you can install that let you monitor and block stuff on individual computers.

We have only wired internet (no wifi in the house) and disconnected the hook up to "A"s room so she can only use the internet in the living room. She also knows that we must have her user id and password to EVERYTHING and will check at random. (We usually don't check but every now and then do just to be sure she is safe.) Oh the trouble she got into when we found out she had a different e-mail she hadn't told us about! A friend mentioned that she'd send a not later to gmail and "A"s eyes just grew huge We had a chat about being open about stuff and safety (and trust) concerns. She got to keep the e-mail so long as she provided us her e-mail address and password. (I'd been planning to set her up on gmail anyway and this was the first we'd talked about e-mail specifically)

With all of the school fundraisers (not to mention reward points from her tutor and prizes in the teen group) giving away iPads, it is only a matter of time until she gets one of them. We've already talked with her and let her know that we won't be getting a data plan on anything like that and she would not get to take it to school this year.


You do the best you can, but the technology is out there.

 

[lbbaber]

My son got my old iPhone last year (at age to replace the cellphone he got when he was 6. He only really *needs* it when he visits his bio-dad twice a year. I was happy to give him the iPhone bc now I can see where he is at all times. I haven't actually used that feature yet but I love that I can. He has an iPod touch (got that first many years ago) and an ipad. He never loses ANYTHING. He's very good with his possessions. He takes better care of his things than I do to be honest. I've broken 2 phones this past year while his original is in perfect shape. Every child and family situation is different though. I completely understand why some families choose to wait but for our family this was what was best.

 

[soxfan]

When we get Iphone 5's in November, the kids will get our old 4S's. BUT ONLY to play games, read, and anything else that will keep them quiet. They won't be activated for cell use. They are 8 and 6 years old.

 

[packrat]

spoke too soon. JD's decided that London will have a cell next year when she goes up to the middle school. He's concerned b/c she'll be in a different building and they were called to the middle school more in the first two weeks of school this year (maybe even the first week) than they were the High School the entire year last year.