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Is 9 1/2 too young for a phone for basic calls and texts?

3,620 2,238 March 17, 2014 at 11:21 AM in Question (3)
Was thinking about giving my daughter a phone. We have no house phone, only cell phones. Was thinking about getting her one so if she is at the rink and done early, she could call me to come get her or something like that. Or call her friends around the block rather than using my phone?

Wondering what is an appropriate age. She is not overly mature, not immature either.
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Joined Aug 2005
Baldilocks
> bubble2 41,172 Posts
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emelvee
03-17-2014 at 12:23 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:23 PM.
Quote from uniquename :
When you hop in with a bad pun, everyone falls.
Are you still hanging around this thread?
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Joined Jan 2007
Free hugs!
> bubble2 16,512 Posts
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uniquename
03-17-2014 at 12:27 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:27 PM.
Quote from emelvee :
Are you still hanging around this thread?

Barely. You could say "by a..." Man, I can't think of a witty finish for that...
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Joined Aug 2010
L12: God
> bubble2 11,454 Posts
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J03
03-17-2014 at 12:30 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:30 PM.
Not too young IMO. I would get her something attached to your plan so she will have enough minutes to talk to her friends. She WILL go over a limited minutes plan no matter how much you insist she doesn't and since she doesn't make money you will end up paying for the ridiculous overages. I of course had access to a house phone at that age and since you don't have one I don't think it's too unreasonable to get her a cheapo dumb phone with minutes and texts. Just remember what I said before: limit the minutes and texts and pay up the rear laugh out loud. My friends parents bought her 10yo a cell phone and plan with like 10 texts a month and he blasts through those at something like 25c/per because his friends all text him since that's all kids do now. Just something to keep in mind for 21st century kids.
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Last edited by J03 March 17, 2014 at 12:33 PM.
Joined Sep 2004
.........................
> bubble2 13,944 Posts
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Gray.
03-17-2014 at 12:51 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:51 PM.
You could give her the phone while she is away from you and them make her keep it at home during school etc. if you're concerned about her going over minutes. my sd had one when I was a stepmom and she couldn't survive with out it, but I couldn't survive without mine either so I am not one to talk. laugh out loud
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Joined Nov 2005
quick, like a bunny
> bubble2 28,148 Posts
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cav
03-17-2014 at 12:52 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:52 PM.
Quote from emelvee :
Your post is ledge...


wait for it...


endary


Scratchchin I don't think that's quite right.
quite a cliffhanger you had going there!
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Joined Sep 2004
.........................
> bubble2 13,944 Posts
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Gray.
03-17-2014 at 12:53 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:53 PM.
Quote from J03 :
Not too young IMO. I would get her something attached to your plan so she will have enough minutes to talk to her friends. She WILL go over a limited minutes plan no matter how much you insist she doesn't and since she doesn't make money you will end up paying for the ridiculous overages. I of course had access to a house phone at that age and since you don't have one I don't think it's too unreasonable to get her a cheapo dumb phone with minutes and texts. Just remember what I said before: limit the minutes and texts and pay up the rear laugh out loud. My friends parents bought her 10yo a cell phone and plan with like 10 texts a month and he blasts through those at something like 25c/per because his friends all text him since that's all kids do now. Just something to keep in mind for 21st century kids.
Iagree You either need to limit her use of the phone to certain times or you need to get a plan that allows her to text 15,000 times a month. And I am not kidding. laugh out loud
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Joined Mar 2009
Schrödinger's Frog
> bubble2 19,435 Posts
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Frogstar
03-17-2014 at 12:55 PM.
03-17-2014 at 12:55 PM.
YMMV, my younger kid did not exceed her allotted minutes at any point.
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Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 6,544 Posts
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PiratePenguin
03-17-2014 at 01:00 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:00 PM.
Quote from dizzsunshine :
Was thinking about giving my daughter a phone. We have no house phone, only cell phones. Was thinking about getting her one so if she is at the rink and done early, she could call me to come get her or something like that. Or call her friends around the block rather than using my phone?

Wondering what is an appropriate age. She is not overly mature, not immature either.
When I was 9.5 years old, I carried a few dollars worth of quarters with me in case I needed to use the pay phone to call home....I'm not THAT old.
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Joined Nov 2005
quick, like a bunny
> bubble2 28,148 Posts
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cav
03-17-2014 at 01:01 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:01 PM.
Quote from Gray. :
Iagree You either need to limit her use of the phone to certain times or you need to get a plan that allows her to text 15,000 times a month. And I am not kidding. laugh out loud
most teenagers can get by with a 10min/unlimited texting a month plan.
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Joined Mar 2009
Schrödinger's Frog
> bubble2 19,435 Posts
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Frogstar
03-17-2014 at 01:13 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:13 PM.
Quote from PiratePenguin :
When I was 9.5 years old, I carried a few dollars worth of quarters with me in case I needed to use the pay phone to call home....I'm not THAT old.
Next time you're out and about, see how many pay phones you can find...
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Joined Jan 2007
Free hugs!
> bubble2 16,512 Posts
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uniquename
03-17-2014 at 01:18 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:18 PM.
Quote from PiratePenguin :
When I was 9.5 years old, I carried a few dollars worth of quarters with me in case I needed to use the pay phone to call home....I'm not THAT old.

How many times a day did you have to call home?
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Joined Aug 2005
Baldilocks
> bubble2 41,172 Posts
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emelvee
03-17-2014 at 01:20 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:20 PM.
Why is OP's daughter even learning BASIC? That's what I learned back in the 1980s.

Quote from PiratePenguin :
When I was 9.5 years old, I carried a few dollars worth of quarters with me in case I needed to use the pay phone to call home....I'm not THAT old.
Would have been dimes for me. Frown
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Last edited by emelvee March 17, 2014 at 01:20 PM.
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 6,544 Posts
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PiratePenguin
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
Quote from uniquename :
How many times a day did you have to call home?
Once in a blue moon. Like hey mom mom soccer practice will be over early...

with that said, this kid would have no friends around who they could borrow a phone to call for that time? seems like a pretty big wasted expense for such use.
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Joined Jan 2007
Free hugs!
> bubble2 16,512 Posts
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uniquename
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
Quote from emelvee :
Why is OP's daughter even learning BASIC? That's what I learned back in the 1980s.

Proof that learning can happen even at a very late age in life.
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Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 6,544 Posts
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PiratePenguin
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
03-17-2014 at 01:21 PM.
Quote from emelvee :
Would have been dimes for me. Frown
10 cents for a telegram? seems expensive.
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