You guys always give great advice when I ask for it, so I’ve got an important question:
My 11-year-old has already destroyed one laptop by dropping it on the
floor. I want her to have a phone but she’s assured me she’ll probably
lose or break any phone I get her. So I’ve been considering getting her
one of those watch phones for kids that has a GPS, can call a few
select numbers, and text a little. They seem to run $30-70 on Amazon.
Does anyone have any experience with these phones? Recommendations? Advice? If it makes a difference, we have AT&T.
No advice although I can’t believe you’re daughter is already 11. We thought about getting a watch phone for ours when she got locked out of our house last spring.
ReplyDeleteYour — damn autocorrect
DeleteI can't help, either, but-- I did just want to say how impressive it is, that your daughter is being realistic with you about what can happen with a phone in her hands. And that she's willing to communicate it, even though it's a potential impediment to her getting a phone.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were 2-4 grade we got them the Firefly Kids phone. We lived in a rural area and both my wife and I commuted to the nearby city to work. One day there was an unannounced school closure and they sent our kids home without notifying us and that was the trigger. Now they are all in their late teens but I still have the firefly phones and I threaten to make them use them again when they break the screens on their smart phones.
ReplyDeleteWe have a gizmo for our 7 year old which he only gets when he is left at practice/camp/etc. It has mom/dad/ grandmom on it. $5/ month on our phone bill. Don't remember the initial cost but it wasn't much. We like it.
ReplyDeleteGo for it. As I wouldn't even today But as we're ancient and out of touch it was probably not wise to ban TV and toy guns from our sons till they were of legal age... though I did teach them how to hunt ducks at 12 and take of bow hunting for dear at 14. Actually they turn out well as on is and doctor and the other a high school chemistry teacher in Arizona...:)
ReplyDeleteMy kids are 9, 11, and 13. No one has a cell phone. I recommend IPOD touch. As long as there is wifi they can call you or facetime for free. and text for free.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I can't give you feedback on watch phones. But if you end up getting a regular phone for her try a Lifeproof case - it's waterproof & shockproof!! I drop my phone ALL the time & never have to worry if it falls in a puddle. As a help for it potentially getting lost, the lockscreen on my phone has writing that says "If you find this phone please call..." and then have my mother's number on there. As an added bonus, if you have an iPhone you can track it & ping it on "find my iphone" from a computer. Hope this was helpful!
ReplyDeleteWe just got my 9 year old a gizmo watch with Verizon. $150 for the watch and $5 a month. She can only call pre-set numbers and receive calls and texts from pre-set numbers. There is a way to set quiet time for the school hours. Can also use it to set reminders, for example at 4 her watch beeps that she has dance class so that when I pick her up at 4:30 she's ready and dressed for dance.
ReplyDeleteMy son (12) also has the Gizmo Gadget watch. Like Unknown said, it's great for a lot of things. I can also use it to track his location. This comes in handy so I can make sure he is on his way home from the park, or to see if he and the rest of the family are all still out for the day (I work night shift, so this means I don't have to really wake up to call my husband and chat - I can just check DS's location on the app, see that they are still an hour away from home, and go back to sleep).
ReplyDelete