For me the answer is...........that depends. Using one and owing one is two different things. I think Idevices can be educational for children. I have no problem letting my grandson use my IPad under my supervision. However I will buy him a LeapPad to use whenever he wants. I do think around 13 or 14 a phone can be helpful for a teen and parents. The IPhone is another story. Both of my kids have an IPhone,but they bought them and pay for the service themselves. I personally would not pay for a teen to have an IPhone or any smartphone with a data plan.
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How young is too young for an iDevice?
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I'm 17 right now, and I got my first cell phone during third grade. It was one of those big bulky nokia phones my parents used to fill up with 50-100mins a month in order to call them when needed. At first I didn't use it much because all of my friends had gameboys instead of cell phones. Instead of begging my parents for a gameboy like most kids did, I loved to sit apart during recess and play snake on my nokia 
I remember once when another kid got into my bag(no way I could keep the huge phone in my small pockets ) and dialed a random number which ended up using up all of my monthly minutes. After that experience I learned to care for the electronics and services that my parents provide me with using their hard earned money.
I also remember asking my parents for help when I didn't know how to use a phone, now I'm teaching them how to use them. My first smartphone was my dad's old treo 650. I kept the thing up until I got the iPhone 4s with some money I saved for a while back in October.
Many may call me lazy and spoiled but at least I do well in school and work hard around the house in order to thank my parents. Once I start college I plan on getting a job and moving from sprint to at&t
(sprint sucks in Puerto Rico but my parents get a monthly discount so thats why we haven't switched)
I think we need to start early and easy with kids these days. I say easy because we need to give them small responsibilities in order for them to learn how to properly handle bigger ones. for example start with a cheap phone instead of an iphone. I know a friend who gave his son a brand new iphone 3gs for his 12th birthday and he lost it on the first day of school.
(sorry for the long post just wanted to share my opinion with you guys )
I remember once when another kid got into my bag(no way I could keep the huge phone in my small pockets
) and dialed a random number which ended up using up all of my monthly minutes. After that experience I learned to care for the electronics and services that my parents provide me with using their hard earned money.I also remember asking my parents for help when I didn't know how to use a phone, now I'm teaching them how to use them. My first smartphone was my dad's old treo 650. I kept the thing up until I got the iPhone 4s with some money I saved for a while back in October.
Many may call me lazy and spoiled but at least I do well in school and work hard around the house in order to thank my parents. Once I start college I plan on getting a job and moving from sprint to at&t
(sprint sucks in Puerto Rico but my parents get a monthly discount so thats why we haven't switched)
I think we need to start early and easy with kids these days. I say easy because we need to give them small responsibilities in order for them to learn how to properly handle bigger ones. for example start with a cheap phone instead of an iphone. I know a friend who gave his son a brand new iphone 3gs for his 12th birthday and he lost it on the first day of school.
(sorry for the long post just wanted to share my opinion with you guys
)
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My kid doesn't over do it. He loves playing outside and with friends. He's great with his Legos and action figures too. He's learned a lot from all the education apps and love to take some time and listen to music or watch a
Movie in the car. It's a forward thinking world people.
My kid doesn't over do it. He loves playing outside and with friends. He's great with his Legos and action figures too. He's learned a lot from all the education apps and love to take some time and listen to music or watch a
Movie in the car. It's a forward thinking world people.
My daughter got an iPod Touch (2nd generation, 16 GB bought from Apple Refurbished store) for Christmas a few years ago and she kept that thing in mint condition and she got the 4th generation 32GB white this past Christmas. I also use it as leverage, grades go down, no iPod.
She had a cell phone for a long time now. When she 1st got it, she can only call/text family and that's all. She doesn't live with me so her texting me helps us to keep in contact, and we text all day long too.
Times has changed and I think it depends on the kid what they get. When I was my daughters age I was playing with Transformers, now kids are into electronics, internet and music. Heck, my 13 year old can set up a closed network without the install software.
She had a cell phone for a long time now. When she 1st got it, she can only call/text family and that's all. She doesn't live with me so her texting me helps us to keep in contact, and we text all day long too.
Times has changed and I think it depends on the kid what they get. When I was my daughters age I was playing with Transformers, now kids are into electronics, internet and music. Heck, my 13 year old can set up a closed network without the install software.
As far as "owning" their own iDevice, it's probably should be when they are at least 10. But, my nieces and nephew, 1 - 3 yrs old constantly use the iPads to play games (swipes to unlock, starts game by themselves), or use netflix. So they can pretty use one at any age, but own one later.
I am 15 and this is my personal experience with buying iPods/iPhones/iPads
iPad= I own an iPad 1, which was a very nice present from my mom. I was given it because Im in high school and needed a laptop for one of my classes. My mom figured the iPad would last longer and be more appreciated than a windows laptop, as she knows im a mac guy.
iPhone= I am getting my first iPhone, an iPhone 4S, on january 23 (my upgrade date), however I am paying for the phone, tax and everything. Also I mow 5 of my neighbors laws twice a month and have saved up a lot of money which i will use to pay the data on the phone. I feel thats fair because the minutes and text messages on our plan are shared across my parents and sisters phones also.
iPod=
Classic= this was my first iPod, once again i bought it with my own money (birthday money) when I was 12.
Nano= I was given an old one from a friend. I sold it to pay for my iPod touch
Touch= I got a 2nd gen iPod touch in 2009, about a year before I was given my iPad, I mostly payed for this with law mowing money but I also sold a few things because I really wanted it bad (this was my first iOS device)
Looking back I think I got all those devices when I deserved them, however if I had gotten them sooner that wouldn't have changed anything. I was always a very technologically minded kid. I remember when I was 7 and the night before christmas I slept with the iPod mini page open under my pillow because I hoped santa would bring one (he didn't ) The point is I would have appreciated and used the devices the same I would now. I live in a very wealthy area of California, and I remember one kid in 6th grade got an iPhone when they first came out (when they were $600), the kid acted like he was the coolest kid in school for a while, and really made him seem spoiled. But now just about every kid at my school has an iPhone or Android. Personally I don't see my self as spoiled when it come to comparing my friends and me. So ultimately I think it depends on the kid.
If they can pay for it, they deserve it.
If its handed to them, it MAY mess up there ego, and make them seem spoiled.
iPad= I own an iPad 1, which was a very nice present from my mom. I was given it because Im in high school and needed a laptop for one of my classes. My mom figured the iPad would last longer and be more appreciated than a windows laptop, as she knows im a mac guy.
iPhone= I am getting my first iPhone, an iPhone 4S, on january 23 (my upgrade date), however I am paying for the phone, tax and everything. Also I mow 5 of my neighbors laws twice a month and have saved up a lot of money which i will use to pay the data on the phone. I feel thats fair because the minutes and text messages on our plan are shared across my parents and sisters phones also.
iPod=
Classic= this was my first iPod, once again i bought it with my own money (birthday money) when I was 12.
Nano= I was given an old one from a friend. I sold it to pay for my iPod touch
Touch= I got a 2nd gen iPod touch in 2009, about a year before I was given my iPad, I mostly payed for this with law mowing money but I also sold a few things because I really wanted it bad (this was my first iOS device)
Looking back I think I got all those devices when I deserved them, however if I had gotten them sooner that wouldn't have changed anything. I was always a very technologically minded kid. I remember when I was 7 and the night before christmas I slept with the iPod mini page open under my pillow because I hoped santa would bring one (he didn't
) The point is I would have appreciated and used the devices the same I would now. I live in a very wealthy area of California, and I remember one kid in 6th grade got an iPhone when they first came out (when they were $600), the kid acted like he was the coolest kid in school for a while, and really made him seem spoiled. But now just about every kid at my school has an iPhone or Android. Personally I don't see my self as spoiled when it come to comparing my friends and me. So ultimately I think it depends on the kid.If they can pay for it, they deserve it.
If its handed to them, it MAY mess up there ego, and make them seem spoiled.
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My son got his iPhone 4 when he was ten. It's been over a year now and he does great with it. It was made very clear what the rules were and if they got broke then the phone was mine. And if he actually broke the phone he was sol! He does not know our pass word to download anything without our knowledge and he only calls people we have approved. It's all about your child in my opinion. If you set rules and stick to them and your child minds and respects the device I don't think there is a specific age. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had to. It teaches the kid respect, rules and responsibility and it's a privilege to have a iPhone at 11 years old!
Well I got my first cellphone (a cheap $99 one) when I was 12, and my first iDevice (my current iPhone 4S) when I was 15. The youngest person I know that owns an iDevice is my friend's little sister, who is 13 and has an iPod Touch. Although I guess there is a big difference between having an iPod Touch, which aren't too expensive, and having an iPhone or iPad...
Haha, not at my school so much... Only a few people have iPhones, and they are mainly 3GS's, with one 4 that I know of. As far as I know, I'll be the only one with a 4S this year, which means there'll be a higher chance that it'll get stolen... Androids are pretty common though, especially the low end ones.
Haha, not at my school so much... Only a few people have iPhones, and they are mainly 3GS's, with one 4 that I know of. As far as I know, I'll be the only one with a 4S this year, which means there'll be a higher chance that it'll get stolen... Androids are pretty common though, especially the low end ones.
I have met some 4 year olds that would be bored with this deivce.
It all depends on the kid!
I didn't get a phone until I was 16 and any phone I had after that on my parent's plan was bought with my own money. As for iDevices, I bought a first generation iPod touch, which I still have and use. I'm a gadget freak so I always baby my gadgets to some degree.
Fast forward a few years and my youngest brother has a third generation iPod touch at age 8. He's had it for about two years or so and that thing looks like it's been to hell and back. He's left it outside countless times and I'm still amazed that it hasn't been caught in a rainstorm yet.
In short, it depends on the kid. If you think they can handle it, go for it.
Fast forward a few years and my youngest brother has a third generation iPod touch at age 8. He's had it for about two years or so and that thing looks like it's been to hell and back. He's left it outside countless times and I'm still amazed that it hasn't been caught in a rainstorm yet.
In short, it depends on the kid. If you think they can handle it, go for it.
Depends on the kid. "Rules" like this are fairly pointless IMO. Some adults shouldn't have one.
If the kid has been taught to be responsible, I don't really see a certain age being the right age. I started on my first computer when I was six or so, in kindergarten. We never had much growing up, and I know that I took care of EVERYTHING I had better when I was ten than most high school kids take care of their things now.
I received my first iPod when I was nine. But keep in mind back then the word 'wifi' or 'cellular data' did not exist. What was considered revolutionary back then is just a pile of junk to kids now so the playing field is different. I'm not a parent, but I also don't believe in buying a device for your children just to restrict its ability. So I'd wait till they hit the age of puberty to give them the devices and then said device(s) would be theirs with no restrictions or hidden strings attached. I would just remind them sporadically to make good choices with this said device and to not abuse the power that comes with the ownership.
Can't be because it's bright green can it? Aren't those things like $150 also? I don't see why an iPod touch isn't a better deal. It can do much more.
I chuckle when I hear my friends call me spoilt. It's not my fault that I have a lot of iDevices, ey? ;D
I'm twelve. My first iPhone was a 3GS, when my dad got out of his contract. I was 10 at the time, and I needed a phone because I started to go out on my own to school, and all of the bricks we had were literally broken. I only paid about £5 ($7.50) for it every month, with 500mb of data, as my calling/texting went through Pinger (which I still use today, with the same number.)
However, a few months later, the battery burst. The reason for that was because my dad actually accidentally dropped it before giving it to me, but I was still happy with the phone. It was my birthday then, and I accumulated enough money for a cheapy smartphone (December 2012.) So I bought the Samsung Galaxy Ace (I didn't really need an iPhone, as I had my own iPad 2, so yippe!)
My dad got a new phone on his birthday (August 2013) so I got to have his iPhone 4. He didn't really need a new phone; his iPhone 4 was in perfect shape, but the "Talking speaker" which was next to the FaceTime Camera, hardly worked. I also had an iPod Touch, which I got in July because of good grades.
I made a mistake of actually upgrading to the iPhone 4. It was terribly slow on iOS 7 when I upgraded it. It wasn't my fault that I upgraded it, someone put a passcode on my phone and I didn't know what it was!
I finally have an iPhone 4s (My mum upgraded to the Nexus 5) and I'm actually happy with it. Don't encounter lag anymore, so I love it!
You may call me spoilt, but I am not. I wouldn't have got my first iPhone if I got high grades, so I deserved it. I actually needed a new phone because my Android phone was falling apart; but I still kept using it, not demanding for a new smartphone. I wasn't happy with the lag that I got with the iPhone 4, and I wasn't expecting the 4S as I was saving up for a new phone. But I turned out lucky to have it. So, in conclusion, I think that, when your child is responsible enough to have an iPhone, he can have it. But make sure that it isn't a slow one that they'll be demanding a new one! My phone had never been stolen before. They're all in a drawer, (Most of them) spotless.
I'm twelve. My first iPhone was a 3GS, when my dad got out of his contract. I was 10 at the time, and I needed a phone because I started to go out on my own to school, and all of the bricks we had were literally
broken. I only paid about £5 ($7.50) for it every month, with 500mb of data, as my calling/texting went through Pinger (which I still use today, with the same number.)However, a few months later, the battery burst. The reason for that was because my dad actually accidentally dropped it before giving it to me, but I was still happy with the phone. It was my birthday then, and I accumulated enough money for a cheapy smartphone (December 2012.) So I bought the Samsung Galaxy Ace (I didn't really need an iPhone, as I had my own iPad 2, so yippe!)
My dad got a new phone on his birthday (August 2013) so I got to have his iPhone 4. He didn't really need a new phone; his iPhone 4 was in perfect shape, but the "Talking speaker" which was next to the FaceTime Camera, hardly worked. I also had an iPod Touch, which I got in July because of good grades.
I made a mistake of actually upgrading to the iPhone 4. It was terribly slow on iOS 7 when I upgraded it. It wasn't my fault that I upgraded it, someone put a passcode on my phone and I didn't know what it was!
I finally have an iPhone 4s (My mum upgraded to the Nexus 5) and I'm actually happy with it. Don't encounter lag anymore, so I love it!
You may call me spoilt, but I am not. I wouldn't have got my first iPhone if I got high grades, so I deserved it. I actually needed a new phone because my Android phone was falling apart; but I still kept using it, not demanding for a new smartphone. I wasn't happy with the lag that I got with the iPhone 4, and I wasn't expecting the 4S as I was saving up for a new phone. But I turned out lucky to have it. So, in conclusion, I think that, when your child is responsible enough to have an iPhone, he can have it. But make sure that it isn't a slow one that they'll be demanding a new one!
My phone had never been stolen before. They're all in a drawer, (Most of them) spotless.For goodness sake, stop saying bs about when your children ARE going to get an iPhone. It depends on the child's maturity. If you say you'll give it to them when they are sixteen, and don't take into account of your child's behaviour just because of the added data plan, that sucks hardcore. Because, if you are on a mobile share plan, you're sharing the same data so no more included fees. Now, I understand of some of your children are reckless and idiots, but there are a lot of children who aren't, and they have earnt it. Just listen to them and give a good decision because you'll regret it as you only live once.
Depends on the kid and what they're doing with it. I don't think it's a bad thing for a four year old to have an iPad and use it for educational games or even things like Skype calling family. What matters is HOW they use it, not whether they have one.
Sorry but I have to disagree with you there. If a 4 year old needs to call family on Skype then they could use the parent's device. As for educational purposes a 4 year old child can learn through games with peers and parents at home or outside in fresh air.
I think kids today are left to play on their devices all day. They spend an hour on iPad, an hour on PSP, and hour on DS, an hour on Xbox and so on........ . No wonder a lot of kids today are turning out fat pumpkins that have no clue about exercise and life skills.
My son is 13 and he has a smart phone. But that is a cheap HTC rather than an expensive iPhone. He has no email address apart from his school one. He has a Mac Mini which is controlled through parental controls and he can only use for 1 hour per day maximum. He is allowed 3 hours in total on his Xbox over the weekend and he does not have any electronic devices in his room (apart from the Mac Mini).
He is very much encouraged to spend plenty of time with his friends playing out in fresh air (and he certainly can't stay out after 7pm even on a fine summer's day).
I couldnt care less if society sees that as too strict. In my opinion a child is a blank slate. Friends and society do have a lot of influence on them but in my view parenting accounts for 70% of that influence. Robust and fair parenting can counteract a lot of negative influences that the society or friends may have on a child.
As far as iPhone goes he can have my old iPhone when he finishes his secondary school (on the provision that he gets good grades). And he will be informed that if he breaks it or loses it he shall not be getting another iPhone as a replacement.
iPad I hear you say? He does have a Mac mini so I dont see the reason for him to have an iPad. When he finishes college with good results I'll get him an iPad. Until then.... he can study really hard and go out and enjoy life.
Quite literally everything you said here has nothing to do with simply having the device, just how it's used and how much the kid's allowed to sit and use it.
I just laugh my ass off when people view things as so black and white. Like either the kid sits in his room playing Angry Birds from sunup to sundown or he's outside making a million friends and playing stickball with the local scalawags.
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One hour through parental controls no less.
You know what's gonna be hilarious? When the kid hits college and ends up going bananas because his parents were stupid strict so rather than actually learning discretion for himself he lived his life solely by mommy and daddy's iron-rock schedule and rules.
Teach your kid to think and make judgements. Otherwise all you've done is create a kid who has no reasoning skills or self control, just an adaptation to rules that will not always be there.
EDIT: Please understand the above isn't me being a jerk. I had friends that this happened to. Smart kids with overprotective parents who set rigid schedules for them. Great grades all through school, got accepted into good colleges, and you know what happened? Dropouts. Bad grades. Got into drinking and partying because they went "OMG I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT NOW" and, lacking the judgement skills of their OWN, just had no self control or restraint. TEACH your kid, don't just put them in a dang box.
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@SomeGuyDude I agree. At least, if he does have a device he could use unsupervised as he is mature, he won't be doing drugs with people twice his age.
Pretty much. I mean if your kid is a bag of hammers and can't figure out that sitting on his butt all day long isn't a good idea when it's a beautiful day outside then yeah, maybe you'll need to throw him outside.
I grew up with the 80s and early 90s equivalent of iDevices: video games. No rules, no restrictions (unless I got in trouble). If I wanted to spend all day inside playing, I did. You know what happened? When we lived in an area where there were no kids around, I sat inside a lot of the time, but when we moved to a place where I could go out and play... I did. I woke up at 9am during the summer and spent all day with my friends playing tag, tennis, basketball, whatever. The computer (when we finally got one when I was 13) was what I used on rainy days or when I was just too worn out to go outside.
See, kids want to move around. They WANT to run around and expend energy and interact with others. They're like puppies. Kids aren't going to sit all day letting their spines deform unless you have a parent that's using the device INSTEAD of letting their kid go out or playing with the kid themselves. If it's a surrogate guardian and mom and dad are saying "be quiet, play some Candy Crush". Set a kid down and say "we can go to the playground or you can play on your iPhone" and guess which they'll pick?
Gadgets and toys aren't good or bad. They're just gadgets and toys.