<![CDATA[When would you let your child own a phone?]]>Hi parents,


I would like to hear your views on how old would it be suitable for your child to own a phone or bring to school.

Would there be a case where they argued that they can do good with the phone rather than just social networking and playing games?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/28817/when-would-you-let-your-child-own-a-phoneRSS for NodeTue, 21 Apr 2026 20:04:20 GMTTue, 29 Nov 2011 02:49:59 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:13:05 GMT]]>I just can’t help to notice the number of old phones are Nokia. Haha.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706159https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706159Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:13:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:29:01 GMT]]>my boy uses our old nokia phone too. he switches it off in class and only when i am late to fetch him and he needs to contact me then he'll switch it on to call me. (good that his sch allows them to bring hp on condition that they'll not use it during lesson time and will not disrupt lessons). even when his friend sms-ed him, his replies are only a one-liner. me and his good friend's mum also had an agreement that they can only sms each other after a certain timing so that they can get their homework done first. 🙂


he uses the alarm on the phone to remind him when his fav shows are on and also as an alarm clock on weekends.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706074https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706074Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:29:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:54:03 GMT]]>I guess it’s on the need basis. My boy starts carrying my old Nokia phone from P5. He has many activities in school after lessons and we need a way to communicate with him. He usually switch off during normal lessons and switch on after school.


After that, he started to see his friends carrying touch phones and hinted to me how good it is. So I took it aside and explain to him that he is allow to carry the phone out of necessity, so I told him upfront I will NOT let him use any other phone other than the one I gave him.

He protested for a few months, stopping at phone shops everytime we walk past to pick up a brochure and purposely read beside me. I ignore his action and periodically reinforce the reason I gave to him. After a while, he sort of get the idea.

Seeing his result improved at the end of last year, I allow him to use my old 3GS during the year end holiday and he remembered to switch back to the old phone when school reopens.

So I am happy to let him continue to use the 3GS on weekends when he goes out with us, and he will always switch back to his old phone on Sun night.

So yes, I allow him to use a phone, but at my terms.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706010https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/706010Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:54:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:57:11 GMT]]>I let my boy use my old Nokia. Cannot let the young kids bring iPhone or Samsung andriods to school.. They do not know how to take care of their belongings :scared:


My nephew lost his HTC phone recently :sad:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/703294https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/703294Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:57:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:37 GMT]]>AGREE!


seekingangels:
if they do not have, its a matter of comparison between having and not having with their friends. if they do have it will be a competition to see who has the newest gadget. is it really fine to introduce the concept of materialism to them so young?I dont think so...

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/701860https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/701860Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:12:05 GMT]]>if they do not have, its a matter of comparison between having and not having with their friends. if they do have it will be a competition to see who has the newest gadget. is it really fine to introduce the concept of materialism to them so young?I dont think so…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/699274https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/699274Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:12:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:11:56 GMT]]>i think nt to expose them to gadgets that early will be better. setting aside the influence issue, there is still the electromagnetic wave issue. definitely bad to expose them to such harmful waves at their tender age. besides when they grow older, im sure they will seek out these gadgets on their own.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/699273https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/699273Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:11:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:28:22 GMT]]>My ds got his when he was in p5. A very basic phone. It’s for calling home if he has to stay back in sch and such. Now he is S1. He has an iphone too but he does not bring that to sch. He prefers to take his basic phone to sch as he finds that his friends generally grab and borrow whatever iphones they can get to play games.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/669184https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/669184Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:28:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:47:51 GMT]]>i think maybe it’s more of what age to start exposing them to all these gadgets.


it feels like even if they do not own their own gadgets nowadays, they are already over exposed to it that they have to have it.

like my kids’ classmate, keeps asking for "iphone" during the class which is very disruptive and distracting to my kids and other classmates.

if he does not get it he starts wailing and if he has it he plays with it and ignores whatever is being taught.

i guess corrective education towards gadget obsession should start from our level of strictness in the level of exposure we allow them.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/668985https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/668985Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:47:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:14:15 GMT]]>thanks for the inputs. my girl is going pri 4 next year. she has been asking for a phone. I seriously dunno when i shd give her a phone. Was thinking to pass her my iphone3. guess it is a bad idea. need to look for a dummy phone n top up card… but still deciding if i shd give it to her at all.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/659225https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/659225Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:14:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:04:16 GMT]]>I see…thanks all for the replies. so its based on need basis.


what about peer influences or peer pressure? when their friends have better phones or phones with games and 3G while theirs are dumb phones and not smart phones.

do they come back telling you that they want to change their phone or upgrade their phone? how you reject them? or if they said there are some features on the smartphone that can benefit them, will you change the phone?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/654102https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/654102Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:04:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:23:47 GMT]]>yes, disable her 3G, and only allow sms and phone with quota (50sms and 80min call time) Cheapest deal. Also, warn her if she max her quota and she will need to pay her extra and if continue to overshot twice in a row, will suspend her phone and terminate the contract.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/652974https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/652974Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:23:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:21:23 GMT]]>Gotten my girl (10) this year… cos my mom gotten a stroke, and we needed her to fetch her brother just in case we are late running around (hospital, work…etc)


We wrote to the class teacher explaining the situation, and my girl understand that she can only turn on her phone after school, outside school compound to check her sms if we are late to fetch her brother.

Thus, it’s on the need reason.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/652973https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/652973Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:21:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:30:12 GMT]]>DS’ pri school does not allow mobile phones. So there’s no need for us to buy him one. I just put 10cent coins in his pencil case. Guess I will only buy when he reaches upper pri or secondary school.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/650627https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/650627Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:30:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:07:40 GMT]]>Simple features (dumb phone) with no surfing capabilities. Top-up card. Mobile phones are almost as essential as electricity these days.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/650100https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/650100Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:07:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:15:21 GMT]]>we only allow phone to school when there’s after-school activities.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/649388https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/649388Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:15:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When would you let your child own a phone? on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:57:09 GMT]]>My DD has been carrying her own phone at the age of 5.

Just a simple phone for her to call and SMS me though.
Nothing fanciful and nothing from the FRUIT family aka Apple & Berry. :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/649343https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/649343Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:57:09 GMT