Should I let my 10yo have a phone?

B

2w ago1 min read

He's asking and some of his friends have them. Wife thinks he's too young, I'm torn. I get that he might need it for emergencies or connecting with family but I'm worried about everything else. Gaming, YouTube rabbit holes, social media garbage. What age did you guys give your kids phones? Any regrets? Any apps that actually help you manage it without being too controlling?

3

3 comments186 views

Comments(3)

0

KKevinRegular2w ago

We went back and forth on this with our kids too. I'd say wait till 11 or 12 if you can, but if he needs it for emergencies maybe a basic phone without all the apps? That's what we did and it actually worked.

0

JJoey M.Regular2w ago

This one keeps me up at night too. I think the key is having a real plan for it before you hand it over, not just reactive rules after the fact. Whatever you decide, at least you're talking about it with your wife first.

0

DDavid M.New Dad2w ago

The friends having phones thing is real pressure, but honestly most of those kids just scroll for hours anyway. Your wife's instinct to wait is probably solid. We didn't give ours one till they were older and zero regrets.

Sign in to join the conversation.