Off Topic Question not pertaining to gymnastics but for the parents

[GYM0M]

I gave my oldest daughter an iphone for her 9th birthday. While it's technically 'her' phone, the phone travels with whatever kid is going out of town. My youngest DD, 8 now, needs one as she will be traveling with her coaches much more often now.

 

[Kiwi]

My girls are 12 and 11 and neither has a phone, they have absolutely no need for one.

 

[flips123]

I wasn't supposed to get a phone until age 16 (so when I was driving I could use it in emergencies) but I ended up getting one at age 14 because I switched to a gym 30 minutes away from home rather than 10 minutes away like my previous gym was. My parents felt it was necessary after I was "forgotten" at the gym a few too many times... Also, I had to pay for at least some of my bill until I was 16 when I was actually supposed to get one.

 

[kandkfunk]

The one feature I do like on my kid's phones is the tracking app. We can see where they are quickly and pretty accurately. They aren't able to tell me they are one place and but actually be someplace else. My kids think it's creepy that I can track them, but that is part of the price they pay to have it, along with weekly chores. They are 14 and 15 so they are out and about with friends much more than they were when they were younger. It's not something they absolutely "need" but it gives me peace of mind, especially since we don't have house phone any longer.

 

[mariposa]

My kids don't have a phone, but each have an ipod touch. My 11 year old is almost the only one in optionals without one, one other girl doesn't have one either. Many of the younger gymnasts have them and her teammates have had them since 8 or 9. Many have fancier phones than ME! It baffles me.
There is a phone at the gym she can use to call me. She usually isn't allowed to bring the ipod touch to gym.

Sure, my kid wants one, but she doesn't need one. I already told them from young they wouldn't get phones till at least 14.

 

[dani4]

I could see getting my kids a phone when they start driving, so they could call if there was some kind of emergency. But other than that I don't really anticipate getting them a cell phone. Certainly not a smart phone.

I just got my first smart phone this year- because my workplace gave it to me and requires me to use it. It helps me get my work done better but honestly I think it's an unnecessary expense for personal use.

And then there's that whole brain cancer issue... no kid under 18 should be talking on a cell phone on a regular basis.

 

[2gymnastand1soccerplayer]

Only my oldest two kids have phones. My oldest dd because she is 16 and goes a lot more places on her own . ( took the bus home from gym the other day when I couldn't pick her up because I had to pick my husband up at the airport)She does have an iPhone but it doesn't have internet at all unless she is using wifi, and my son who is 14 because he often car pools with friends for soccer and I want him to be able to let me know when he if he is going to be late or not,Both only got a phones in November, and we're not planning on getting our youngest dd a phone for a while, although she keeps asking

 

[gothgymmom]

Thanks for all your replies. Makes me feel better im not the only "horrible" parent for telling their young DD or DS that they dont need a phone. Again, no offense to those that have given their children a phone (even if its not a smart phone) at a younger age. Again, my DD does not go anywhere by herself where she would need a phone, and anytime she is out while im at work, she is with my sister who has a phone or my husband who also has a phone if there is any need for one. She just doesnt understand the dangers of one yet, and she doesnt get it that she doesnt "need" it and she only "wants" it because other children her age have one. Im sorry, but a phone is not a good enough babysitter like some parents like them to be (not accusing anyone here, considering most of the kids here are gymnasts and are very active lol).

 

[gymnastbeth]

I didn't get a phone until high school, and even then it was just a "tracphone", AND I had to pay for the phone and the minutes for it. Junior year I got a job coaching at my gym and I bought a refurbished iphone with the money, and since then I've paid the bill on it every month. Honestly I don't think I needed a phone before I got my license, because I always had access to a phone through adults or other students around me. I don't think there's anything wrong with getting a younger kid a phone, (I begged my parents for one), but it really was unnecessary for me.

 

[emorymom]

I have a used flip phone $10 a month on my Verizon account that I give the kids (9 & 10) if they are doing something where I might want to call them.
They've not shown that they know where it is all the time. Sometimes I have to call up and switch the service to another old flip phone until the other turns up and then repeat. I keep extras around. My son lost a nice feature phone in the woods for a few weeks once. Rain, you know.
I've said when they're older and not likely to lose them they could get one of these Link Removed with their own money and I could pay $10/month on that, which gives them voice only when out of wifi.
Facebook has a wifi calling feature now that works well. We've used talkatone before but are not currently.

 

[tooootsie]

My odd 7 has a phone. She keeps it with her all the time. Iove her calls in summer while at camp

 

[BachFlyer]

I felt the same way for the longest time, but now dds 12 and 13 both have an iphone4. we got them last year (99 cents with the service plan!) The main reason for having them is because we dont have a home phone anymore; since they stay home alone for a few hours here and there now, i needed to be able to check in on them or know they can call 911 if there is an emergency. Older DD is at the gym 5 days, and so its nice when im running late and want to let her know, and when she travels with the team w/out me i like her to have it in case of an emergency. They play (too many) games, and text their friends, and they have internet. i check it here and there and have passwords, but so far i trust them as they havent given me a reason to have to over-monitor it. And they know if they lose it, i cant afford to replace it.

 

[cbifoja]

I don't want to start a big debate but just out of curiosity....I keep hearing that kids don't "need" a phone at such and such age. Of course that's true. However, do some of you feel that there is harm or danger in giving a kid a phone? Mine has had one for years and all I've ever heard is "she's too young". I honestly do not understand this sentiment. Is she too young to use a phone???? If we had a land line, would someone tell me I shouldn't let her talk on the phone because she doesn't "need" to talk on the phone?

I just feel with today's society, having a cell phone isn't much different than using a land line. Mine doesn't even know how to use a land line as we haven't had one for almost a decade now. She has a basic smart phone with a cheap plan and I have full access and control all apps, messaging, etc. I guess I feel like if she's old enough to know how to work it, why wouldn't she be old enough to have a cell phone.

I'm trying to understand those who feel differently from me.

 

[EverywhereWeGo]

It just depends on your needs as a family. I once swore my kids would never have cell phones. Well, we moved towns when DS was going to be in junior high and started walking to school. He got a cell phone because I was worried about him walking. He is in high school now and still has a flip phone. Then my DD got one at age 10 -- for no reason except we were offered a cheap phone and the additional cost was marginal, and it saved me grief when we were late to pick her up from gym.

I recently bought a tablet because I thought it would keep the kids busy at meets... WORST decision I ever made...

 

[Iwannabemargo]

hmmm, in trying to answer your question I looked deep into my own personal philosophy.

I am against young children having phones and I am trying to think why ?

I think its to do with the all access, lack of control and rudeness of phones. My niece and nephew have had phones since 11(ish) they are perminately connected to them and text constantly, whether we are having a conversation or not. That I find extremely rude.

I also have a problem with the sum total of information that teens share over the interweb, hence mine do not have faceache, twoddle or instagroan accounts.

When Big Boy leaves school his brother may get the phone, just to let us kn ow where he is, he will be 13 at that point.

 

[raenndrops]

When YG's stepmom got her a phone a couple months ago, everyone else (Dad, Mom, sisters, me, grandparents) all thought it was a big mistake. I still think that way. Mom and dad are going through custody issues and she does one week on/ one week off. I see her every week. If she doesn't want to go to gymnastics, she will text me. Depending on her reasons, she may or may not still have to go... sick = no go. Mom week and mom day off (once a week, she can play this card) = no go. Everything else, she goes.
If she gets mad, she will text (depending on the week) dad and/ or stepmom OR mom to say she doesn't want to go. She will blow up their phones about it and about how mean I am, lol.
Both YG now and OG back when she got her phone had issues with respect. OG left some not nice texts on a friend's phone because the friend didn't have her phone on her and didn't reply to the first 10 texts she had sent AND she didn't answer when OG called. She got her phone taken away for that, but if she didn't have a phone in the first place...

YG hasn't had her phone since Sunday evening (not in trouble, just hasn't taken possession of it since she came back from "Mom's week" and handed off all of her stuff. It has been so much more peaceful this way. IF she doesn't ask for it back before then, I will make sure she has it when she goes back to her mom's.

 

[myliljunebugs]

DS (11 years) has one that he got for his bday. It's an old HTC, not a big deal really. He is limited on data usage, and times of day he is allowed to use it. It is partly because he is getting more independent so is left home alone at times and goes off in the store alone occasionally. I feel better if he has a way of contacting me and a way that I can contact him. Adding him to our plan was pretty low cost so it made it a lot easier to say yes.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

My oldest dd got a phone at 13 because she was participating in track at school, and the return times varied tremendously. It was an old phone that had very little capability. It was more for our convenience than for hers. We could actually shut the phone down to only send/receive calls from 3 pre-determined numbers. (mine, dad's and g-ma's) Still, I know first- hand the bad things that come from smart phones in young hands.

Younger dd, now 9yo, has begun carrying a phone to gym practice. We carpool a lot, and it makes us both feel more secure knowing we can text or call to "touch base". It's my old phone, and only cost an extra $10/mo on our plan. She also uses it to VERY occasionally call or text her friends from gym on non-gym days. She is very responsible for her age, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, totally not interested in boys at this point. She spends very little time on the phone, and I monitor everything. (no Facebook, Snapchat, etc.). I actually worry less about her use of the phone than I did with my older dd. Also, dh works from home and is frequently on our house phone. Dd and ds use this phone if they need to reach me after school.

I don't think a phone is necessary for young kids, but, they can be convenient when needed and harmless when properly monitored. I would definitely not give in just because "a lot of her friends have one". (And I fall into the camp of believing too much technology is shaping the future of our society in a very negative way.)

 

[Haismom]

My 9 year lid will be getting a trac phone this summer, with all the gym time, activities etc it's just easier for me... Plus it will save me hours of frustration locating her.

 

[Copelscope]

We have a "kid phone"... Basic flip phone, $10/mo on our plan, that gymmie takes to practice so she can call if she gets hurt, feels sick, or released early. When it's not in her gym bag, it's charging on our kitchen counter . 2 of her brothers are both possibly playing club level soccer this year, so if they do we will likely get another "kid phone" to keep in the older ones bag when I'm not staying at practice (older one is 8) with the younger boys.