Iphones

My 10 year old has one, so yes, I would. :)

For the record, though, she has the iPhone 4 that we got for $0.99 at AT&T, not the iPhone 5 that costs a fortune! The 4 has plenty of technology for a kid that age, we have found.

No. My daughter got a no-frills phone for her 15th birthday - talk, text, and camera. She got an iPhone when she could afford her own plan.

I have, but not a smartphone. We went with the coolest looking phone with a keyboard, music and the ability to take decent pictures. Also, unlimited talk and text. Have a son and a daughter with a phone and they probably wish that they had smartphones but we didn't feel like we wanted the high cost and web in their hands all of the time. We have high speed internet at home and that is enough. Most kids her age want to text...badly. They also like to take pictures (81 pics of our Great Dane on our daughter's phone). They don't "need" 24/7 internet though and tweens and teens are too immature to manage their internet time this way. You can tell if a kid has a smartphone because they can't seem to be without it, ever.

No. My son will get a respectable phone when he is of an age level that it is appropriate, basically when I feel that it would benefit the family that he had one, not just him. In addition, he would not be getting an iPhone unless he paid for it and the monthly service fees. Or if Grandma choses to pay for it (she is currently doing such a thing for another grandchild), but it will only be done if I agree he is able to handle such an item. Personally I do not know many 13yr olds that are able to handle such an item. The grandchild that Grandma is paying for is the only one I have met (I work with teens of all ages - I've met plenty) and if I were her mother I would probably still said no and asked Grandma to hold off.

I would. My 13 year old has one. He got the 4 for Christmas last year. He is very responsible and really takes care of his phone. We do have a couple of rules in place. He got the Otter Box with his phone and HAS to keep it on at all times. I have his passcode and am able - and I do - check his phone at random times. The other things is we use Virgin Mobile (pre paid plans) so we only pay $35 a month for unlimited text, data, and 300 minutes. He very seldom talks on it so it covers the texting and web. We did have to pay for the phone up front but as a Christmas gift we were ok with it.

I don't think most kids have a sense of the cost of these phones, and I think they tend to be irresponsible - they lose them, leave them in their pockets (in clothes that go into the laundry), they drop them and crack the glass.

You need some boundaries - they WILL access websites they shouldn't, they WILL text endlessly to people who are sitting 4 feet from them, the WILL take photos and send them around. They will NOT use them to check in with mom and dad. They WILL run up your data plan bill and exceed the minutes, and parents will be blown away when this happens. They WILL load so much music on it (much of it downloaded illegally) that they will tell you they have insufficient memory and need an upgrade. They WILL promise the right things and then be so taken with the bells and whistles that they forget everything they promised.

I'd start with a lower cost phone with some of the features, and I'd be very on top of the minutes used. Don't wait for the monthly bill - monitor it on line and let her know that she's already used up 100% of her minutes in 1 week. I'd also check her phone constantly - make sure you have passwords, look and see who she's talking to and about what. Make sure you are completely up to date on all the text language and abbreviations. Let her know under what circumstances she will forfeit that phone, and stick to it.

And get an insurance policy to cover loss and damage.

Maybe your daughter will be perfectly fine with this but remember she will be getting lots of ideas and lessons from her friends. Don't underestimate the power of this!

No, basic phones at this age.

Yep - my 10-year old has one. We are a very "Apple" family and she has had an iPod touch for a couple years. We wanted to get her a phone and really don't mind her having a smart phone. Many of her friends have them too. She is very responsible and knows I can get on it any time I want to check it.

I do not see why a 13 year old needs a phone? But I am old school!

My daughter had a prepaid talk/text phone since she was about 10. She participates in extracurricular activities that include a lot of travel and carpooling - sometimes even out of state - so it was super helpful for us to be able to communicate when she was on the road with another family. She was very responsible with this phone and proved she could handle the responsibility of using it appropriately and not losing it, so we did upgrade her to an iPhone when she turned 13 earlier this year. I have found that having an iPhone really helps keep her 'in the loop', even with far away friends and relatives, connecting via Instagram and SnapChat. It's also been helpful for her to have her own phone line since we dropped our land line a few years ago.

Smiley:

Welcome to mamapedia!!

Well, August is just one week away....so why shouldn't she be talking about her birthday!! She's going to be a TEENAGER!!! (oh joy!!!)

Cell phones are NOT allowed in our middle school during class times. The ONLY time they are permitted is before and after school. They don't like them out at lunch either.

Why does your want an iPhone? What would she do with it? Does she participate in after school activities?

If she participates in after school activities, then she can get a regular cell phone - she does NOT need an iPhone. Show her the monthly costs of the iPhone...is it in the family budget? If not. Tell her that. iPhones need a data plan to work. That can lead to trouble as well.....

If you buy her a cell phone - you better have hard and fast rules about its usage and stay on top of it. My son is NOT allowed to text or call after 9PM unless it is an emergency. An emergency is defined as "death, accident (and not spilling milk/juice as an accident), fire - anything life threatening". If he texts after 9PM - he loses his phone for 24 hours.

If he was responsible, yes.
You know your child best.
Only you can make this decision.
Good luck!

My daughter had one. In middle and high school (our high school is grades 9-10) . They were not allowed in class in middle school. Different story in high school, however, some teachers were very picky and would gladly keep them.

During senior high (grades 11-12) They were allowed everywhere except specific testing. Many of the IPhones were used for some research in class.

I recall one math class....it was suggested to get a special calculator which was $120. The kids with IPhones just bought the APP for the same calculator for $5 and used the phone. That was allowed.

It just depends on your views, budget and your kid. Expect to replace it at least once because it will either get wet, broken screen or stolen. I have a very responsible 18 yr old......she had one stolen in high school.

You don't have to have the 5 version... the 4 and 4s are just fine for that age group.

Once again, in answer to this same question-- give her a prepaid cell plan if you think she needs a phone just for calling home. When she is working and can afford the larger data plan, then she can choose to have a iPhone.

Please believe me, I work in my son's K-8 school with the middle schoolers and phones are the worst distractions around. Every class which will require technology to do the schoolwork will also ensure that there is access for all the kids to the computer lab or other resources. Your daughter does not need an expensive toy/phone/computer at this age.

And don't you *want* to see what she's looking at online? Isn't that why parents put the family computer in the kitchen or living room? I can tell you that the kids I see at the school have way too much privacy with their phones and tablets.

Well.. let's say my kid turned 10 and asked for one. Let's say my kid turned 14 and asked for one. Let's say that those previous two statements are not hypothetical, because my kids are now 12 and 15. They don't have iphones. No need. Refer back to a previous question on this same subject matter from yesterday...

I guess it depends upon what she's had in the past and how responsible she is with her things.

My boys are 10 and 12 and have had the iPod Touch for 2 years. When they are "phone age" I'll probably get them an iPhone, but it'll be an older generation model. I'll likely upgrade and give them my older generation iPhone, which is always kept in an Otterbox and is in perfect, like new condition.

I would absolutely not give them a brand new, current generation iPhone.

Depends on the kid.
Is she responsible?
Does she constantly misplace her stuff?
Does she understand how money works, therefore would understand it costs money to go over plan minutes?
Does she understand that if she loses the phone during her contract period, it would cost her a few hundred dollars to replace?

If she passes all these tests, AND you can afford it (not just the phone, but also the data plan which is the bigger expense), then you could think about an older model iPhone that you get for free when you sign up for a plan.

Can she afford one? Half of the phone cost and the monthly bill? I don't even have an iphone yet. I have a very responsible 11 year old so this will be on the horizon for me. I don't think an iphone is necessary. If she really wants a phone, get a more basic one. If she does well with it, she can save up for an iphone. If she is invested in it, she'll take VERY good care of it, especially if she knows you have no intention of replacing it.

I would think they'd already have a smart phone by that age. But I wouldn't pay that much money just for the name. We use Android phones.

I would. If the data plan wasn't so much my 10 year old would have one now. Shoot, so would my 8 and 6 year olds. I trust them and know what they are doing when they are online. They all have their own computers (my husbnd fixes them so the old ones work well) and ipod Touches, with internet on wi-fi.

So yes...I trust my kid and it's part of growing up in the technology world we are in. I know I'm in the minority here, but if it wasn't so expensive, my kids would have them.