What is a good emergency phone for a grade schooler
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I’ll never forget being at a friend’s house, my dads for the weekend, practice after school, the feeling of not having the ability to call or text my mom during any of that, with any situation…isn’t a good feeling.
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Bark phone it grows with them
I’d say android because I don’t apple… and you can download family link to help with parental controls and time limits ect
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Kids don’t need cell phones until they can work and pay for it themselves
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My kids don’t have phones for school and even if did they can’t take to school and if did they have to stay off and in bookbags. This is elementary and middle school age.and if they have emergency and have to call home emergency or not it’s use the school phone. And if caught with phone anytime of day it’s taken away from them from any kids
The office phone. Kids don’t need cell phones.
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Mine has the iPhone XR but he’s a high schooler now. Middle school was iPhone SE (2020 version) and before middle school he didn’t have one I don’t think or remember but he could’ve.
I recommend one where it’s just text and call. Don’t get one of those fancy smartphones that they can access the internet cause these kids/teens know how to get pass parental controls. But if u do get a smartphone I recommend life360
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We bought out 8 yr old a gizmo watch. I was very against a phone for our son but we knew that we would need to hire a sitter so he needed some type of communication just in case. We love it bc it has no internet, wifi, nothing. And in it, he can only contact and visa versa accept calls from.those that are programmed in his phone and no one else. There is a tracker on it as well.
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My daughter has a Motorola, I think. At the tmobile store there’s an area of cheaper phones that are like $250 and under. All my kids used those until 8th grade, when I got them their “last phone” which was any phone they wanted. The cheaper ones are easier to replace when broken, and most kids end up breaking them.
My going into 2nd grader has an iPhone. Text and call ONLY and I set the contacts.
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We used a Gizmo watch where our youngest could call us and 8 other numbers only, no internet, no games, just call and text from watch to call for rides etc.
none , use the school phone
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If it’s absolutely necessary (which I have strong feelings about that it is not) I would get an iPhone and get help setting very strict parental controls and I would check activity daily. I would also add an app that tracks key strokes that the child doesn’t know about. There are to many predators out there. Take the phone away once the child is home and only allow when away and insist on Find my phone being enabled at all times. If you don’t have iPhones something like Life360 that shows geolocation for you to see. The second you see anything suspicious it’s a conversation. If it happens again the phone is a privilege not a right and the child loses the phone. But talk to someone who knows phone software and can help you. Also ask the local PD for help with apps. They maybe able to offer suggestions.
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I got my son a flip phone. He’s 11 that way he doesn’t have unlimited exposure but he can call and text who he wants!
I have old iPhones for my girls (a 6s and a 7) but I have iMessage and phone calls all turned off, they can only communicate through Kids Messenger. With the Apple “screen time” controls you can completely restrict the phone so it doesn’t have internet access, but still communicates and has tracking!
The conversations (both initially and ongoing) that you have with them about what the expectations are, how to make smart decisions, and the truth about the dangers lurking on the internet are MUCH more important than what type of phone. Use all the parental controls you want, but the open and honest conversations are the key to keeping your kid as safe as you possibly can.
Any phone and add GOOGLE Family link can out parental controls and other cool features
Bark phone. My granddaughter is 5. I got her a cheap straight talk phone but didn’t activate it. She uses it on. Wifi. It’s set up as a kids phone and my email is notified if she tries to use or down load anything at all. It won’t allow her to access anything out of her age range. She kids messenger on it so she can video or text family. My daughter controls the app , who she can talk to. I haven’t heard of the gizmo until I saw this. She’s starting kindergarten this year so may look into that. Everyone sayi g kids don’t need phones , times are so different. We never know what could happen even in elementary. My kids did not have phones until middle school. I’d be more comfortable if my granddaughter had a way to reach us in am emergency.