Is a 6-year-old too young for a cell phone?
By Lynn
@owlandbutterfly (304)
United States
February 16, 2017 4:56pm CST
How about a 3-year-old? 
I mentioned on another forum I write on that I'm going to take my kids out to play Pokémon GO tomorrow. They've finally added more critters to the game, and my kids are totally jazzed up about getting to add some new ones to their collections.
I also said that my kids were going to be taking their phones out.
Which is apparently a mistake, because it's damn irresponsible of me to give such young children phones of their own.
I guess it doesn't matter that the phones they use are prepaid Verizon phones without service.
Or that I get them ridiculously cheap with my employee discount.
Or that the kids don't actually get to use them unless they're out with me or their dad playing that one game... which generally involves 5-10 minutes of actual gameplay before they lose interest, hand the phones over, and start rolling around on the ground.
Kids their ages shouldn't have cell phones, period. Duly noted... but I really have to wonder who gave the infant in her profile the smartphone he's chewing on... 
I mentioned on another forum I write on that I'm going to take my kids out to play Pokémon GO tomorrow. They've finally added more critters to the game, and my kids are totally jazzed up about getting to add some new ones to their collections.
I also said that my kids were going to be taking their phones out.
Which is apparently a mistake, because it's damn irresponsible of me to give such young children phones of their own.
I guess it doesn't matter that the phones they use are prepaid Verizon phones without service.
Or that I get them ridiculously cheap with my employee discount.
Or that the kids don't actually get to use them unless they're out with me or their dad playing that one game... which generally involves 5-10 minutes of actual gameplay before they lose interest, hand the phones over, and start rolling around on the ground.
Kids their ages shouldn't have cell phones, period. Duly noted... but I really have to wonder who gave the infant in her profile the smartphone he's chewing on... 15 people like this
12 responses
@carebear29 (31961)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
17 Feb 17
i think it is but i think kids should earn responsibility too
3 people like this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
17 Feb 17
Yeah... I like to think we're doing a good job teaching our kids about being responsible. My 6-year-old is really serious about making sure her chores and homework get completed, along with her daily reading practice. She's taken over reading at bedtime, too, and now she's helping her little sister learn how to read. Which at this stage is more like memorizing the story and parroting it, but they're still adorable together. 
The little stinker calls me out on unnecessary purchases, too... If I had half the financial sense she does when I was her age I'd probably be a millionaire by now. 
The little stinker calls me out on unnecessary purchases, too... If I had half the financial sense she does when I was her age I'd probably be a millionaire by now. 4 people like this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
16 Feb 17
It would really depend on the circumstances, wouldn't it. Some are reading books on the phones they carry, so that would be a good thing.
3 people like this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
16 Feb 17
I'm guilty of that! I had to clear some off to make room for photos, but I had about half of my Kindle books downloaded to my phone at one point. Sure beats dealing with finding a magazine to read while waiting for an appointment somewhere.
3 people like this
@shaggin (71665)
• United States
16 Feb 17
Wow people are just way to judgemental. Your kids ... Your decision on if they have and are allowed to use a phone. I don't feel the need to give my kids one as the cost per month would be too much for me and they are almost always with me but that is my personal choice it doesn't matter to me what others do for their children. Mine can use the computer or tablet and out wifi to message their friends without me having to pay a bill each month for a cell phone. Mine are 12 & 9.
1 person likes this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
16 Feb 17
I know, right? It's weird how some people take your choices for your kids so personally. 
It's going to be years before my two actually get phones with service. I don't even think the 6-year-old has exchanged phone numbers with any of her friends from school yet, and she runs in mock terror every time I have a relative on the phone who wants to talk to her.
Maybe we'll get her a real phone with service when she's old enough to earn the money to pay for the line herself... but that's still a ways down the road. 
It's going to be years before my two actually get phones with service. I don't even think the 6-year-old has exchanged phone numbers with any of her friends from school yet, and she runs in mock terror every time I have a relative on the phone who wants to talk to her.
Maybe we'll get her a real phone with service when she's old enough to earn the money to pay for the line herself... but that's still a ways down the road. 1 person likes this
@shaggin (71665)
• United States
16 Feb 17
@owlandbutterfly That's what I told my 12 year old when she asked for a cell phone. I told her I never had one until I was an adult with my own job and bought one. I do think when she is a teen and out with her friends all the time it would be good for her to have one to contact me when she needs me and in an emergency but for now she is almost always gone so there just is no reason she really needs one.
1 person likes this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
16 Feb 17
@shaggin That makes a lot of sense, although cell phones weren't really a thing when I was a kid so having them wasn't an option. That was still back in the days before smartphones really took off, too. She found the very first flip phone I got when I turned 18 hanging out in a box the other day and couldn't believe that there was a time when phones actually did very little beside make calls. "But... how did you get directions and movie times and stuff?!"
"Well, you see, we had these magical paper things called maps... and newspapers..."
I added that one to my list of conversations that have made me feel older than dirt.
3 people like this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
2 Mar 17
If the kids are super little, you can take away the phone, that's the end of story. And like you said, they lose interest after a while, so all is good.
But my kids are 12 and 7. They don't have their own phones, but judging from how they are with their dad's phone (when he let's them use it, they don't touch mine), they are not ready to have their own phones, yet. They are Pokemon Go addicts just as any other kid, but we have to draw a line on the usage, because they won't.
You can imagine my 12 year old really wants her own phone as everyone has one middle school (and they do). We gave her a flip phone, which is all she needs to communicate with us (no one can bring out their smartphones during school hours) - besides, she can call us from the office if needed. We've heard every argument in the book . . . from "Everyone tells me I have a granny phone" to "I need it for school research" (she is welcome to use the computer at home at anytime for school). Um, no. I've seen too many kids go down the road of not having manners and forgetting their heads (perhaps that is a parenting issue more than a phone issue) - so no phone until she becomes more responsible.
Sounds like you have a good handle on it though - your little one is using it in healthy way. The phone isn't being used as a babysitter, like for some that I know .
.1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
7 Mar 17
Mine is not going to get a cell phone any time soon, either, but she keeps pushing for it.
She has just about every other electronic device now, so there is absolutely no reason for her to need a phone. She tried the "so I can call you if something is wrong" argument, but I pointed out that the only time she is not with me is when she is at school, and they are not allowed to have phones in school.
She has just about every other electronic device now, so there is absolutely no reason for her to need a phone. She tried the "so I can call you if something is wrong" argument, but I pointed out that the only time she is not with me is when she is at school, and they are not allowed to have phones in school.1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
8 Mar 17
@much2say The biggest "want" reason is for status with my daughter. She absolutely HAD to have a laptop, so she got one for Christmas. She used it a lot at first, but she does not use it much any more. The biggest thing for her to use on it is the academic websites for school, although she does have some games she plays on it as well. When she has playdates here, though, then she will bring it out to show off, but they don't actually play on it or use it.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Mar 17
@purplealabaster Oh yes, they will keep pushing too ! I know the biggest "want" reason is for the games and YouTube. Like I said, they can use the computer at home. But of course they want to be mobile with their gadget - sorry, but I refuse to let my kid become a walking phone zombie pulling out their phones during every spare moment. My daughter can use her flip phone to call us - and that's all she needs.
! I know the biggest "want" reason is for the games and YouTube. Like I said, they can use the computer at home. But of course they want to be mobile with their gadget - sorry, but I refuse to let my kid become a walking phone zombie pulling out their phones during every spare moment. My daughter can use her flip phone to call us - and that's all she needs.1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
18 Feb 17
6 years will know how to use the mobile better than me. I think my son was 10 maybe 9 when he first had is and that because I was divorced and he wanted to be in touch with me.
Enjoy Pokémon GO my kids went crazy over it for a few months.
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
18 Feb 17
@owlandbutterfly True we don't but you are right it's is kinda scary how fast they pick up the new technology and yet sometimes we struggle with it. It does make you wonder what our children's, children will be like.
1 person likes this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
18 Feb 17
@kevin1877uk Hopefully not androids.
1 person likes this
@sishy7 (27169)
• Australia
17 Feb 17
@owlandbutterfly They're good kids! 
I know you had this profile only 11 days ago, but my feelings are telling me I might have known you before... 
They're good kids!
I know you had this profile only 11 days ago, but my feelings are telling me I might have known you before... @owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
17 Feb 17
@sishy7 You could say we're acquainted.
Shhh... I really wanted this username, so I reserved it before I quit using my old account. I was hoping payday would come earlier than it did this month. 
Shhh... I really wanted this username, so I reserved it before I quit using my old account. I was hoping payday would come earlier than it did this month. 2 people like this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
17 Feb 17
At least that's one situation where my kids do as I say and not as I do!
I've really been working to cut down on my screen time, but it's tough when there's so much interesting stuff out there to read... Sometimes I think I just need to do a technology cleanse and go cold turkey for a week or two just to flush out my system.
I've really been working to cut down on my screen time, but it's tough when there's so much interesting stuff out there to read... Sometimes I think I just need to do a technology cleanse and go cold turkey for a week or two just to flush out my system.1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
21 Feb 17
So, do I happen to know you from somewhere before ... maybe for oh, about six years or thereabouts?
Normally, I would agree that children that young should not have their own cell phones. Having said that, knowing you, I realize that you are responsible and monitor their usage. Also, my opinion really has no bearing on how you are allowed to choose to parent your children. In addition, all children are different, so what might not be a good idea for the majority of children might be perfectly fine for a select few.
Normally, I would agree that children that young should not have their own cell phones. Having said that, knowing you, I realize that you are responsible and monitor their usage. Also, my opinion really has no bearing on how you are allowed to choose to parent your children. In addition, all children are different, so what might not be a good idea for the majority of children might be perfectly fine for a select few.
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
17 Feb 17
Maybe, but they love getting to catch Pokemon and I'm not giving them my (significantly more expensive) personal Android phone to play with. I'm stingy like that.
The 6-year-old caught a Hoothoot tonight. It looks kind of like an owl... which is the 3-year-old's most favorite animal in the history of forever.
WWIII is going to break out in the car tomorrow if we can't find her one, too.
The 6-year-old caught a Hoothoot tonight. It looks kind of like an owl... which is the 3-year-old's most favorite animal in the history of forever.
WWIII is going to break out in the car tomorrow if we can't find her one, too. 1 person likes this
My daughter has a phone, she's 9.
@Tampa_girl7 (49133)
• United States
17 Feb 17
No one has a right to judge you or how you are raising your children.
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
19 Feb 17
I let my grandchildren use the PC for educational games when they were 4/5 years old. Today's children are tech-savvy. Although they knew how to use a cell phone when they where in elementary, it was only when they enter high school that they got their own cell phone.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
17 Feb 17
So you decide whats OK for your kids. Its tough bringing up kids as it is.
People do give lots of advice, you choose what suits you best.
1 person likes this
@owlandbutterfly (304)
• United States
17 Feb 17
That's ultimately what it boils down to, isn't it?
We have to filter everything that we see or hear or read, choose the parts that apply to us, and hope that it's the right combination to set our kids up for success in their own lives.
2 people like this
