Do You Think Kids Should Have Smartphones?

[BK_123]

Hi everyone. I have just seen this article Rise in number of Australian kids with smartphones | News.com.au, What is your views?

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 PM ----------

What Age Should Kids Get Their First Smartphone?

 

[Life]

Simple, I'd say no one gets a phone until they get their car, when they might actually need it in case of emergency. but before that, kids don't need phones of any type, and it only spoiled them. Good topic, it'll be interesting to see what people say.

 

[BK_123]

I think that if there parents decide to give them a phone, Give a basic phone not a smartphone. A child can be easily exposed these days with apps like Snapchat that allow people to send photos to anyone, It's a paedophiles hotspot to pray on young children, Even with age restrictions it will never stop anyone because they will always lie to cheat the system.

 

[Life]

I think that if there parents decide to give them a phone, Give a basic phone not a smartphone. A child can be easily exposed these days with apps like Snapchat that allow people to send photos to anyone, It's a paedophiles hotspot to pray on young children, Even with age restrictions it will never stop anyone because they will always lie to cheat the system.

The reason I say no phone, is because the kids can't handle it. I know a whole bunch of kids, who have phones, ad Always looking at the screen, txting txting txting. It is never enough. They haven't developed the sense of when you are over doing it. I just don't think I would let me child have any phone until really needed. There just is no need, and will only get them into trouble. most of the cases anyways.

 

[muz]

well I got my first phone when I went to secondary school . That was when I started making the journey to school and coming back from school on my own so my parents decided I needed a phone then so that I could contact them in an emergency/let them know if I was coming straight home or was going to a friends house etc so they wouldn't worry that I wasn't home when I was supposed to be .
But it was a very basic phone a Nokia 3410 that I could just use to text and call .

but yeah I think the temptation that games and the internet pose on a smartphone would be a massive distraction in the classroom and the phone also makes the children attractive to thieves

I think when I have kids I will give them a basic call and text phone so they can always contact me in an emergency and then when they get old enough if they want a smartphone they can work for the money to buy it

 

[setishock]

Given to a child in the young forming years and they stop thinking and playing. Kids with smart phones world will revolve around playing games and texting. The real world lessons will be missed. I voted no.
Only exception would be a simple phone with GPS tracking so I would know where they are. But there'd be some major rules as I would have an itemized bill for that phone.
1. Any calls made during school hours and they lose the phone for a week.
2. Texting during school hours, see above.
3. Grades start falling off, lose phone for a month.
4. Summer school (failed grade) gone for good.
5. Wanting to play with the phone more than physical play and the phone gets put up.
Something to that affect.

 

[OhSnapWord]

My kids will not be getting a smartphone. I didn't have one when I was a kid and got by fine.

 

[BK_123]

well I got my first phone when I went to secondary school . That was when I started making the journey to school and coming back from school on my own so my parents decided I needed a phone then so that I could contact them in an emergency/let them know if I was coming straight home or was going to a friends house etc so they wouldn't worry that I wasn't home when I was supposed to be .
But it was a very basic phone a Nokia 3410 that I could just use to text and call .

but yeah I think the temptation that games and the internet pose on a smartphone would be a massive distraction in the classroom and the phone also makes the children attractive to thieves

I think when I have kids I will give them a basic call and text phone so they can always contact me in an emergency and then when they get old enough if they want a smartphone they can work for the money to buy it

My first phone was an old Nokia 1100

Given to a child in the young forming years and they stop thinking and playing. Kids with smart phones world will revolve around playing games and texting. The real world lessons will be missed. I voted no.
Only exception would be a simple phone with GPS tracking so I would know where they are. But there'd be some major rules as I would have an itemized bill for that phone.
1. Any calls made during school hours and they lose the phone for a week.
2. Texting during school hours, see above.
3. Grades start falling off, lose phone for a month.
4. Summer school (failed grade) gone for good.
5. Wanting to play with the phone more than physical play and the phone gets put up.
Something to that affect.

You makes very good point's Seti & Muz. As Seti said that would happen to me when I was young I would always have mine confiscated have long periods of time for various reasons including some of the above.

Does anyone know if you can still get those phones that you have approve everything the child does like a text message or phone call.

 

[Jesusfrk611]

I'm 22 and only have a regular cell phone. I didn't get a cell phone until I got my car and even then I rarely used it. It was a prepaid phone. Kids don't need phones. I got along fine as a kid without a phone. Even once I got a phone I only needed it for emergencies.

A smart phone is a convenience, not a need, especially for kids. As fragile as those things are, kids would go through a lot of them. I wouldn't mind having a smart phone, but the cost per month just isn't worth it to me.

My brother wanted an iPhone while he was in high school so he had to pay for it. I think that's how it should be.

Phones absolutely are a distraction in class. When I was in high school smart phones were just getting popular but regular phones were just as much of a distraction. People live on their phones these days. Driving while calling or texting, walking and texting, playing games or texting in class or at the dinner table... It's a great tool under the right circumstances, but pay attention to what else you're doing and get you nose out of the phone for a couple minutes when you have real people who might want to talk to you in person...

I had a group of friends locally several years ago that got together a lot. One day I was sitting in a friend's living room and no one is talking to each other because all they're doing is sitting there using their phones. I think they might have been texting each other part of the time. I was thinking I might as well go home and talk to them on Facebook or something...

 

[BK_123]

I'm 22 and only have a regular cell phone. I didn't get a cell phone until I got my car and even then I rarely used it. It was a prepaid phone. Kids don't need phones. I got along fine as a kid without a phone. Even once I got a phone I only needed it for emergencies.

My brother wanted an iPhone while he was in high school so he had to pay for it. I think that's how it should be.

Phones absolutely are a distraction in class. When I was in high school smart phones were just getting popular but regular phones were just as much of a distraction. People live on their phones these days. Driving while calling or texting, walking and texting, playing games or texting in class or at the dinner table... It's a great tool under the right circumstances, but pay attention to what else you're doing and get you nose out of the phone for a couple minutes when you have real people who might want to talk to you in person...

I had a group of friends locally several years ago that got together a lot. One day I was sitting in a friend's living room and no one is talking to each other because all they're doing is sitting there using their phones. I think they might have been texting each other part of the time. I was thinking I might as well go home and talk to them on Facebook or something...

I didn't get my first smartphone until I was probably 14-15 and I am now 17 and have an iPhone, I didn't get my first basic phone until I was 11-12. I have probably gone through nearly 8 basic phones and 2-3 cheap android smartphones and I have had my iPhone for for nearly 6-7 months and I have that many cases for it and other accessory's. I use mine heaps but hardly even go through my prepaid cap of $220 each month, Its mostly texting and internet I use it for and occasional calls.

I only got my iPhone after I finished year 11 last year and towards christmas.

I will admit that in high school I was always using my phone in class and it was a major distraction, Even when I got caught using it I would flatly refuse to hand it over and got away with it. All I'd be doing is texting, facebook and using it to listen to music. Now in college it isn't that much of a problem, It will just sit on the desk charging or just sitting there. My Nan will always tell me to put my phone down. I don't have all my friends numbers because I have them on Facebook.

I don't always get together with my friends but I see them during my breaks. I will admit that I rely on mine heavily, I can be walking to the bus stop of a morning and have my phone in my hand and iPod and just hold them and I am very fussy with who I let my use my things like that or I won't at all because people will take and probably won't get them back and that's the same with money I never get it back