What kind of mobile phone to get for kids?

[MrBig]

Ichigokun:

Sure, there are apps that promote cognitive development and memory. But what about the other apps in the app store?

I mean, like, I have seen apps in there that are about s*x in the top 25 apps section. Shouldnt those be censored? :censored:

And what if your daughter decides one day to try out all the apps in the app store for fun and then the phone bill increases into a heap (Chinese newspapers two months ago reported that two boys used their mom's iPhone to download a lot of apps that costed their mom a few thousand bucks)

Hi Ichigokun

Yes, I agree that there are cases where abuse and mis-use occurs.
However I also view it as an opportunity to teach the child responsibility and how to spot scams too.

While we tend to think of the worst could happen, sometimes it is guidance along with the gift(mobile), that nurtures a responsible child into a responsible adult.

I'll give my child an iphone and set it to child guard functions and the locator, but I'll also teach my child the value of money and to spend wisely by buying gift certs. from the app store and rewarding her when she deserves it. This also gives me the opportunity to remove a reward, should she misbehave, by confiscating her hp for maybe 1 day?

From there, I'll go through how scams occur and teach her that not everyone online is who they propose to be. And how to spend wisely on things that are necessary vs what she wants.

All in all.... I feel that we cant just give a phone to a child and expect them to know or use it like we do. Rather it is the guidance along with the mobile that allows us the opportunity to nurture responsibility, while allowing us a chance to know their where abouts.

[phankao]

peterch:

Sec School kid must be a different one. :imanangel: Maybe it is cheaper if you get the youth plan for them. CMIIW

My other kids all use basic nokia phones with prepaid singtel cards. I like singtel bc I can top-up using my phone line. S$50 lasts for 3mths for my sec 2 son, so it's really very worth it. He uses a LOT of SMS. Not so much phone calls. My p6 son uses even less - rarely uses his mobile phone altho' probably will do so more frequently when he gets to sec school next year.

I only got my eldest girl a Sony android phone as a birthday present when she turned 16. Renewed my own phone plan to get that phone for her. I only just got a youth plan for her this year. Don't' exactly find it all that cheap. S$40+ each month, but and using free wifi not so stable. She's in JC now, and I have to be her guarantor (I think youth plan, below 16yrs - cannot, right?).

[KiasuNotEnough]

I thk one of the main issue is self control. Not easy for many kids. Just got a HP for my ds. Though Hv work out some terms n cond w him but realise he can get quite addicted when on a game n Hv to restrain him…

[Ichigokun]

KiasuNotEnough:

I thk one of the main issue is self control. Not easy for many kids. Just got a HP for my ds. Though Hv work out some terms n cond w him but realise he can get quite addicted when on a game n Hv to restrain him...

Hmm... The novelty will wear off sooner or later ba. Every time I play a game, I play for like two weeks and I get bored of it

[phankao]

Isn’t the iPhone rather expensive even with a plan? Maybe I’m quite a cheapo. With the plan that is suitable for my usage, I would need to pay like high S$300+ to S$400+ for an iPhone with any of the mobile service providers. And I checked all the student/youth plans, the pricing is similar too.


So, well, I cannot bring myself to buy a phone of that pricing. I only feel comfortable paying no more than S$150 for a handphone with plan. And I don’t feel comfortable buying for myself, certainly I don’t if it’s for my teenagers, much less my primary school kids. So only Dh has an iPhone in our family bc he signs up for Unlimited Plan as it’s highly used as he works too, so that’s fine, and monthly plan subsidised. With unlimited plan the iPhone is less than S$100.

How much do you pay for your iPhones for your children then? I see many secondary and even Primary 1 kids using iPhones, or Samsung Galaxies, or even Blackberry.

[beanbear]

KiasuNotEnough:

I thk one of the main issue is self control. Not easy for many kids. Just got a HP for my ds. Though Hv work out some terms n cond w him but realise he can get quite addicted when on a game n Hv to restrain him...

I agree that the issue is self-control rather than which brand of phone. Smart phones have access to many apps and internet. Do we allow our children to surf internet freely without our supervision? Even if they don't have a data plan, they can still access wifi in many places.

It's also the values that you want to emphasize. The retail price of an iphone or other smartphones go from several hundreds to more than a thousand. If you buy just the iphone without any contract, it's $1,200. Would you let your child carry an item worth $1200? What messages are we sending to our children that they can possess items of high value at school-going age?

[dicky]

Usually we wait till able to upgrade hp, then pass the iphone to children loh… If not get a new cheaper touchscreen phone.

[titank]

Which is the cheapest touchscreen HP? Maybe an android where can counter Apple?

[phankao]

titank:

Which is the cheapest touchscreen HP? Maybe an android where can counter Apple?

Samsung or LG or HTC, all can get for \"Free\" when sign up new plan. I very *stingy*, I have a LG.

[titank]

:imcool: Applications need to pay $$ also can downlaod free?