What is a good age for kids to get a cell phone?

Parenting
1

At what age is roughly a good age for child to get a cell phone? He’s not in sports and lives in the country and rides bus to and from school.

3 Likes
2

When they can afford thier own

1 Like
3

When they can help pay for it.

4

I did 12 but it’s prepaid with parental controls and all apps have to be approved by me and I can also see what she looks at

5

My 10 year old, almost 11 has one but no service on it. She does have a kids messenger she can contact certain people with.

6

10-12 depending on maturity

1 Like
7

Got mine a prepaid in case he lost or broke it. So I wasn’t in a contract

8

I got my son and daughter theirs when they were 11

9

I got my 8 year old one for Christmas. But he is really mature & responsible & he moved to a bigger city with all new people.

10

Just got my son one for his 11th bday.

11

My grandkids get theirs at 12

12

My daughter is 11 she has a flip phone for emergency’s only. I told her when she gets a little older and more mature I will get here a better phone.

13

We’ve talked about it for my almost 13 year old; we live in the country and don’t have a landline, he also rides his bike up and down the road to hang out with friends and people that drive backroads make me nervous. I think it heavily comes back to: how mature is the kid? Can they handle the responsibility of having said phone and not using it during school, or using it in ways they shouldn’t, can they handle the responsibility of 1. not losing it and 2. not breaking it. Pre-paid is the way to go anymore and there’s so many options for them. I would double check your coverage with anyone you go through, would be a waste to get the phone and him not get service in your home (we have this problem with several providers). But, I think coming up on the teens in this day, it’s almost needed. The majority of homes don’t have a landline anymore and kids should have a phone available if they’re left home alone for emergencies if nothing else.

14

We got our son one when he turned 14. However, with both of our kids, we agreed they are getting flip phones until they are 18. My son does have access partially to the Internet but he does not have any kind of social media and we plan on keeping it that way.