What age is a good age to get a first mobile phone?

Question

My niece is turning 14 in a week and she has asked her parents for a mobile phone they said no because they dont want to pay the bills. I have offered her a pre paid mobile phone for her birthday but she has to earn her credit when she runs out (like washing, dishers, walking the dog etc just odd jobs to get pocket money to pay for her own credit) Do you think 14 is old enough for a mobile phone?

Answer 1

that age is fine for her..and the use should only be for emergencies...if u want a cheap phone, cheap plan with great coverage the AT&T go phone is good..and u can control who she talks to on the phone by doing it on att's website

Answer 2

i'm fourteen, and i got my first phone in 3rd grade but it was JUST for emergencies. then a few weeks after i turned 12 i got my first REAL phone, and then last year i got texting for the first time.

Answer 3

It depends actually. Most people, however, do get their cellphones around twelve, thirteen and fourteen. Or, that is the logical answer.

What does it depend on? It depends on three factors. Whether the child is ready and deserving of a phone (i.e.; responsible, hard-working), the circumstances of the need (does she need it because she'll be out with friends a lot, or does she simply want one because "all the other kids have them!") and how much she wants the phone. If she wants it a lot, she'll be more afraid to lose it and therefore more responsible.

Hope this helps. :3  

Answer 4

It bugs me when kids have phones are aren't old enough for them. But 14 is old enough, so yeah that would be a great gift!

Here's what I propose though: Instead of a pre-paid phone, offer to buy her a phone (there are cheap ones for 30$ with a plan) if she makes a promise to her parents to pay for half the monthly payment. Or if even that's more than the parents want to pay, I'm sure she can do enough chores and such to pay for all of it if she really wanted it.

Having her have to pay for the monthly payment would be a major step in her learning responsibility. This could be a major selling point for the parents.

Answer 5

I say a child should have a phone when they have a job or are driving a car - whichever comes first.  It is all about the practical purpose of the phone.  Best way to teach a child to use it responsibly.