I see parents give their kids I Phones, Pods, Nano's etc, there just isnt a network activation.

Personally, I would give my a kid a phone at the earliest age possible and have that tracking system on it and/or the ability to see/review all messages.

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Just implant them with a chip and make them wear Google glasses everywhere they go if you trust them so little.

10? 12?

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

High school will be the earliest for my kids unless something unforeseen happens. No need for them now and only stupid things can happen if they have one. They all have tablets that never leave the house. That's about as far as I'm willing to go.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

But to answer the question, any cell phone over 2 years is too old.

I'm pretty sure mine will be 2 years old either this month or next, and it's been crapping out for a while.

_________________

I'd be concerned about the repressive and often pernicious effects on an individual of constant surveillance, especially on a youngin.

Whatever age they are when you give them their first iPhone, take the time to teach them to hold the phone in landscape orientation when filming their friends getting crowned with shovels/scooters/etc.

My future child will carry around a carrier pigeon.

My phone will be five years old in November.

_________________

Well that's worked well for your moderation of the board...

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

When they're old enough to afford one.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

I was thinking 10 at the earliest

I can't see any reason why a 10 year old would need their own phone.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

I don't know we talk about it but haven't figured it out.

I guess when kids start going places on their own. So by 12 I would think its reasonable

I keep a couple active tracphones for them to take if they are going out alone.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Oh is that the one that calls home and emergency only or whatever? Those are good, that's what wed get

She wants to play Candy Surfing or whatever she can pay for it

I didn't get my first cell phone until midway through my senior year of high school (which I then kept for three years), and it was only to be used for calling to get rides and stuff, not longform yakking, until college. Of course, those were different times. 7th or 8th grade is probably about right nowadays. You couldn't call for a ride home from a pay phone today if you wanted to.

_________________

I like the tracphone idea.

Our 10 year old is asking when she can get one and we said when we decide you can have one.

12 is the age in our house. About the time we let them start doing some things on their own and take on more responsibility

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I didn't get my own phone until I worked and bought it. I believe there is some value to that. You appreciate it more and care for it more when you pay for it.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

totally agree there.

Asked my mom when I could get contacts. She said "when you pay for them". Detasseled that summer and paid for them.

I thought Obama paid for your phone.

15-16

The only problem with the "whenever they pay for it" is that it's now theirs. It's harder for me to control it, right?

_________________

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

No. I will have no problem taking anything away even if they pay for it. I'm their father and they live in my house.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

That's exactly how barry took our freedoms.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

That's why he is the greatest president we've had this decade and one of the top 43 of all-time.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Yep. Everything in my house is mine, regardless of who bought it. I am a benevolent dictator.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

We gave our oldest a phone the first time I had to wait for him to get out of football practice his freshman year. (the coach's inability to organize a practice won't cost me an hour twice). After that, the two younger ones got theirs for Christmas of their eighth grade year. Basic phone/plan offered with upgrade at their cost from their earnings. Both went with the one-model-obsolete-but-still-new iPhone, and paid for their own plan upgrade. Has worked well so far.

The phone I carry today was the first one we got for the middle kid his eighth grade year- he graduates high school next week. It's a semi-smart phone from Nokia.

He just makes the top 44.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer