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how to buy phone for 11 year old (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter snitwitch
- Start date
Mister CIA
Footballguy
I'd make him prove his device chops on a cheap phone for a year before committing to a nice piece of hardware. I still remember the time I got ticked because my son would not respond to texts or calls. Turns out, he jumped into a swimming pool with his phone in his short's pocket.
Apps? No idea. My kids are grown now.
Apps? No idea. My kids are grown now.
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snitwitch
Footballguy
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Galileo
Footballguy
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
teensafe is pretty good for monitoring, but kind of a pain with iphones. you need to keep re-authenticating unless you turn off 2-factor authentication across the board.
mspy is the only one that lets you monitor snapchat (afaik), but you have to jailbreak the phone.
i recommend trying to start with an android
mspy is the only one that lets you monitor snapchat (afaik), but you have to jailbreak the phone.
i recommend trying to start with an android
tommyboy
Footballguy
pollardsvision
Footballguy
Even an old iPhone for an 11 YO seems nuts to me. For an adult that pays for their own stuff, sure, do whatever. But there's no way I'd get an 11 YO, who's at least 6 years away from paying for their own stuff, locked into the iPhone ecosystem. Sure, you may be able to start with an old cheap one, but then you'll have 6 years of seeing friends get the latest and greatest, and the constant hounding you for a super expensive upgrade.
Until they get a job and stop freeloading on your dime, I'd make it an Android, where you'll constantly have a boatload of options where you don't have to spend $300 on a phone (or, really $200).
Until they get a job and stop freeloading on your dime, I'd make it an Android, where you'll constantly have a boatload of options where you don't have to spend $300 on a phone (or, really $200).
Ned
Footballguy
Sorry, Johnny... everyone's going to be getting the latest Jordan's, so here ya go. Enjoy your Walmart bo-bos.
Our 11yr old got an iphone5 for his bday last year - it's been great. Take the horror stories with a grain of salt. As long as the kid is mature enough and has shown they can handle the responsibility, they'll be fine. We have the location tracking turned on and parental settings set. We have an open 'I'll look at your phone whenever I want' policy and haven't had any issues.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
This is the route we went so my son could prove that he wouldn't kill the phone after 2 days. I think it was some LG model for $25. We said we would consider an upgrade for 13th birthday if he treated it well and we didn't have issues arguing with him about the usage.
Nope, it's not the cool phone, but on the flip side I think he is one of the few kids in school that have a phone of any kind which surprised me, so he is good with it.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Yep, it's been handy a few times after school or after sports for him to get ahold of us. (like somebody said, a flip phone would have done the same too).
The downside is, it just might be the last time you have an actual conversation with them.
Bull Dozier
Footballguy
Just piling on that I would recomend something cheap, and not iPhone. I don't have any scientific data to back this up, but I think it is easier to switch from an Android to an iPhone than it is the other way around. It seems once you get into iPhones, you can't/don't want to switch. An 11 year old isn't old enough to make that decision so I wouldn't get them into iPhones just yet.
My boys got phones when they were 12 and 14. I didn't install tracking apps to monitor everything as I trusted them, but there have been times I would have liked to take a look.
My boys got phones when they were 12 and 14. I didn't install tracking apps to monitor everything as I trusted them, but there have been times I would have liked to take a look.
matuski
Footballguy
My oldest (11) got the cheapest phone in the store.. best call ever. Kid has broken 2 of them.
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quickhands
Footballguy
Good call. Cuz my son blew a gasket when i took the game away.My 12 year old is mad at me and the wife because we haven't gotten him a phone or allowed him to play fortnite.
matuski
Footballguy
I haven't regretted the phone at all.My 12 year old is mad at me and the wife because we haven't gotten him a phone or allowed him to play fortnite.
Fortnite was really the worst until I bothered to watch and figure out how it works. I was under the impression that it was just nonstop die/respawn/die/respawn. It isn't, it is played in "rounds". So I'm able to yell up at him "last round!" and know that he will be down within a few minutes.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Yeah, this has been a tough one.
My wife and I have always been consistent with the kids that they will not play games that depict people shooting other people. We've also extended this to TV shows, movies, etc. The longer I can keep my kids from getting desensitized to violence and killing the better.
BUT, it's been hard to make the kids understand this isn't a punishment. And that not every kid that plays fortnite, or call of duty, or whatever turns into bad kids. This has been a hard one to try and explain to a kid who just wants to play online with his friends.
Brony
Footballguy
I would have liked to gone with Android for our 12yo, but every girl in her class already had an iPhone. I went with iPhone and she got it at Christmas. Since she already had experience with iPad mini and iPod touch (and our management of these), it has worked out just fine. We don't have any tracking on it, but reserve the right to check it. It can be a distraction, but not much different than TV etc. You set the guidelines/rules for your house and stick with them.
Not trying to justify this, but if you know they will have a smartphone sometime in their lifetime, I'd rather they learn social media and make mistakes when they are young and the stakes are much lower.
Not trying to justify this, but if you know they will have a smartphone sometime in their lifetime, I'd rather they learn social media and make mistakes when they are young and the stakes are much lower.
Brony
Footballguy
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
shadyridr
Footballguy
My 8 year old wanted to play fortnight. I told him no chance in hell. That's all I need him to become obsessed with some other distraction. The best player in my little league team sucks now because he stays up late playing fortnight.
My son says "No fair, you never let me play anything". I almost gave him a backhand as he plays switch, ps4, and iPad age appropriate games.
My son says "No fair, you never let me play anything". I almost gave him a backhand as he plays switch, ps4, and iPad age appropriate games.
Bull Dozier
Footballguy
Not to hijack, but what's the hate with Fortnite? Unless it is the violence (which is cartoony, but obviously parents have to decide on age appropriateness)? My kids play "squads" which means they are playing with their friends and actually talking and strategizing. As far as video games go, I actually prefer it over some other stuff out there.
Foosball God
Foos
iOS child monitoring software pretty much blows in my experience. Apple doesn't let apps get to certain areas of the operating system.
E-Z Glider
Footballguy
Experts say it's a good idea to expose your kids to social media at a young age so they aren't as traumatized later in life. When our kids were in pre-school, we hung their artwork on the fridge and then wrote mean comments underneath it. Really seemed to work! 
El Floppo
Footballguy
Lol.Experts say it's a good idea to expose your kids to social media at a young age so they aren't as traumatized later in life. When our kids were in pre-school, we hung their artwork on the fridge and then wrote mean comments underneath it. Really seemed to work!
10yo son will be getting a phone for when he starts middle school and commuting on his own- probably for his bday this summer. He thinks he's getting the latest Pixel. Funny kid.
nirad3
Footballguy
My 7 year old is already asking how old she has to be to have a phone of her own. 
She and her brother have Kindle Fires and they're on those things constantly.
Hopefully in 4 years there will be ways to track everything with ease. I am not looking forward to having to deal with "all of that". Especially with the daughter. I can already tell she's going to be all up into that stuff.
She and her brother have Kindle Fires and they're on those things constantly.
Hopefully in 4 years there will be ways to track everything with ease. I am not looking forward to having to deal with "all of that". Especially with the daughter. I can already tell she's going to be all up into that stuff.
Ketamine Dreams
Footballguy
They still make flip phones....
If you go the iPhone route I'd say the iPhone SE with 32 GB is a good option. It's what we bought our 12 year old.
If you go the iPhone route I'd say the iPhone SE with 32 GB is a good option. It's what we bought our 12 year old.
Short Corner
Footballguy
Just give him your hand me downs?
AhrnCityPahnder
Yinz-o-riffic
previous unused is for when I break mine and need a quick-activate phone
3rd and 4th previous are dedicated to toilet readers and car GPS.
5th gen hand me down, maybe for the kid. otherwise do like the person above who went to Walmart and got the HUEWEI BLU TURD-B model for $17.99
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
not happening here yet. daughter turns 12 this summer. maybe for her birthday, maybe. she is the only one of her friends without one.
Courtjester
The Town Drunk
We got both our kids smart phones when they entered middle school. Now maybe some of your kids were not involved in a lot, but my kids were involved in everything and being able to keep up with them at all times was a necessity.
As others have suggested, a starter phone like an Iphone 6 is a good call. They are going to destroy it---it happens. .I have dropped and cracked phones in the past and my wife has done it multiple times. All four of us have Otterboxes now and those are the best investment you can make.
My other tip is forego your carrier's insurance on the phone. Cellairis inside Walmart offers a great deal for a one time fee of $49.00. You get a case, screen protector and unlimited screen repairs for 3 years. If you go in as a family, they will bundle a plan and it will save you more money. They don't ask questions--you can run your phone over and they will still fix the screen. I think we were paying like $9 a month for Verizon's coverage and it had a $75 deductible and it covered only theft and then you got a refurb phone back.
I love that my daughters have smart phones and they have had them since 6th grade. My 13 year old texts me throughout the day just saying hi or if someone was mean to her, she can vent. My 18 year old in college texts and facetimes us non-stop.
Oh and my 13 year old daughter is big into Fortnight. She has her own PS4 and so her and I can pay duos. I am really bad at it, so to hear her laughing as I die over and over is priceless.
As others have suggested, a starter phone like an Iphone 6 is a good call. They are going to destroy it---it happens. .I have dropped and cracked phones in the past and my wife has done it multiple times. All four of us have Otterboxes now and those are the best investment you can make.
My other tip is forego your carrier's insurance on the phone. Cellairis inside Walmart offers a great deal for a one time fee of $49.00. You get a case, screen protector and unlimited screen repairs for 3 years. If you go in as a family, they will bundle a plan and it will save you more money. They don't ask questions--you can run your phone over and they will still fix the screen. I think we were paying like $9 a month for Verizon's coverage and it had a $75 deductible and it covered only theft and then you got a refurb phone back.
I love that my daughters have smart phones and they have had them since 6th grade. My 13 year old texts me throughout the day just saying hi or if someone was mean to her, she can vent. My 18 year old in college texts and facetimes us non-stop.
Oh and my 13 year old daughter is big into Fortnight. She has her own PS4 and so her and I can pay duos. I am really bad at it, so to hear her laughing as I die over and over is priceless.
MindCrime
Footballguy
And a new iPhone SE model is rumored this month, fyi. Promised both my sons that they would get a phone when they hit middle school. Oldest is now finishing up middle school, had a hand me down phone for a year, so he got an SE that he has treated like gold for two years. Will probably split the cost of a new SE with him, and hand his current one down to his brother this summer.
RC94
Footballguy
The advent of the mobile phone has really ruined the humor of pushing a fully clothed person into a pool.
DJackson10
Footballguy
Give him a cheap phone first. My parents had my brothers and I use flip Phones (This was in 04 though). I never had a smart phone till I was in college. We had to prove we were mature enough to use the phone. For example no phone use during school ( wasn't able to take it to school for the first few months), answer when mom or dad told etc. Lost phone I had to pay for a new one. If you get him a smart phone get him as basic as possible but one with apps where you can parental control the phone. I don't know your provider but go to any Apple Store and they will gladly show you anything you want to help control your child's phone usage. I believe they can disable internet like safari browsing and such. This quick read might help though. Phone suggestions with best parental guides. Apps depends on the phone you get them and I would ask whoever you get the phone from.
Best Phones for young people
DJackson10
Footballguy
I don't think Fortnite is as bad as PUBG AKA Player Unknown Batteground which has blood and real weapons. Fortnite is more of a scifi game and takes some development. It also helps people with building skills and such. If they are playing squad or teams it teaches them to play within a team something they could have to do as an adult in the real world for work.
DJackson10
Footballguy
I like the thought but eventually they need to get involved. Sometimes too much under exposing can cause issues. Also curious but how old are your kids? I think 8th grade into HS is an appropriate time to allow them to start seeing these movies, shows or playing the games but moderate the time they have with them. I hate people who blame video games, shows etc for violence. It's no different then the 80s where the PMRC got involved and blamed certain music for child suicide. It was also hypocritical when you had rapper out their rapping about killing cops, terrible treatment of women, drinking and being hood. I blame a lot of this on parents who don't want to acknowledge their kid had an issue. It's easier to blame others then hold yourself accountable for things. Similar to how people play the race, disabilities etc cards without holding themselves accountable in any regard. I'm not saying you are being a bad parent but theres a Ying/Yang equal portions here.
DJackson10
Footballguy
People say it's distracting and time consuming. I play it but find it boring if not playing with friends (I'm 29 almost 30) who many can't play do to jobs or kids etc now in life. I have more of a hard time seeing kids that age though playing Call of Duty and games like GTA. My friend from HS her mom use to tell me her youngest played Call of Duty and he was 7. She said and I agreed that's too young but dad let him get it. She did tell them COD was as far as she was going and there was no chance in Hell she'd let them get GTA or he could expect a divorce. Safe to say both believe it wasn't an empty threat now so don't even bother trying.
Short Corner
Footballguy
Smartphones have become essential for communication. My son has WhatsApp groups for each of his classes in school as well for each of his basketball teams. It also gives my wife and me peace of mind sending him to the city by train by himself.
pollardsvision
Footballguy
Good analogy, except you can buy great shoes (and I believe in good shoes) that aren't Walmart bo-bos or $200 Jordans.Sorry, Johnny... everyone's going to be getting the latest Jordan's, so here ya go. Enjoy your Walmart bo-bos.
Our 11yr old got an iphone5 for his bday last year - it's been great. Take the horror stories with a grain of salt. As long as the kid is mature enough and has shown they can handle the responsibility, they'll be fine. We have the location tracking turned on and parental settings set. We have an open 'I'll look at your phone whenever I want' policy and haven't had any issues.
People can blow their money however they like, I know I blow it on plenty of stupid stuff. $500-800 phones for SnapFace and $200 basketball shoes for growing non-basketball players don't make a lot of sense to me though.
Non-parent alert, but it seems like it's a good idea to teach kids to be reasonable with money instead of buying them whatever their friends have. Not that an iPhone is an unreasonable purchase, but it seems like one when you're a freeloader with no job or ability to take care of it.
El Floppo
Footballguy
All good stuff.
You're obviously an apple family, but fwiw I've never had a Samsung or Pixel crack on me despite pretty brutal treatment.
I would think a phone that's less likely to crack would be a good starter for the kids... And then work towards an iPhone. But I get that it makes less sense for tying in with the family OS.
coyote5
Footballguy
Going through this with my son this summer as he's going to be on his own more and need to be able to get a hold of me and his mom. Was thinking about giving him a hand me down 6s. Can't I just lock the #### out of it so no browser and a parent has to approve (via password) any apps installed? That was our plan.
belljr
Footballguy
Its funny. Wife has had 2 Samsungs prior to her 8 - this one she actually cracked. Got a replacement and a week later cracked that :SMH:
El Floppo
Footballguy
Ruh roh. Maybe Samsung switched over to the Apple screen. We went Pixel... haven't had a galaxy since 5 or 6
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