Should DS get a phone?

[KpbS]

DD has a Gabb watch. Unlimited calls and texts to preset contact numbers. She can send audio messages. We can see where she is. No online access. Location services. You can use it with any carrier you may have. It’s been great.
Looks similar to an Apple Watch/smart watch if you choose a black band. Highly recommend.

[PZMommy]

I’d just get a phone. It’s hard to text from an Apple Watch. Calls aren’t too bad, but everyone can hear the call, which is not always practical. 6th grade was when my kids got phones. They have had so many group projects that they need to work on at home, so texting, calls, FaceTime happens regularly to do the projects. I know an iPad can do most of these, but the phones seem to be easier.

[AnnieW625]

DD has a Gabb watch. Unlimited calls and texts to preset contact numbers. She can send audio messages. We can see where she is. No online access. Location services. You can use it with any carrier you may have. It’s been great.
Looks similar to an Apple Watch/smart watch if you choose a black band. Highly recommend.

How old is your DD? Just curious. Dd2 does a lot of voice to text.

I have an Apple Watch and while I don’t text with it all of the time I do find it helpful. I have had people call me and I pick it up and they tell me they can’t hear me well.

Fwiw: DD2 uses the iPad for texting and face time. I think she has also used Google chats as well. I know I am only avoiding the inevitable though and Dd1 got her phone going into 7th grade so we will probably do the same.


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[KpbS]

Rising 7th

[georgiegirl]

DD has a Gabb watch. Unlimited calls and texts to preset contact numbers. She can send audio messages. We can see where she is. No online access. Location services. You can use it with any carrier you may have. It’s been great.
Looks similar to an Apple Watch/smart watch if you choose a black band. Highly recommend.

We considered that, but the Apple Watch was actually cheaper (ours is only $10 for cellular service AND the cost of the watch.) we all have iPhones, so being part of the apple ecosystem was easier.

[AnnieW625]

We considered that, but the Apple Watch was actually cheaper (ours is only $10 for cellular service AND the cost of the watch.) we all have iPhones, so being part of the apple ecosystem was easier.

I am leaning that way as well. We already have a free iPhone and we also inherited an Apple Watch (from the same aunt) but I have no idea if it has cellular or not…I need to check that out. The rest of us have all Apple as well.


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[niccig]

Get the phone, skip the watch.


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Yes to this! I the watch is more difficult to use for calls and texts

DS got a hand me down phone when he went to middle school as he walked about 1.5 miles.




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[khm]

I am leaning that way as well. We already have a free iPhone and we also inherited an Apple Watch (from the same aunt) but I have no idea if it has cellular or not…I need to check that out. The rest of us have all Apple as well.


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If it has a red circle on the crown, it's cellular. If it doesn't, it's just wifi.

[AnnieW625]

If it has a red circle on the crown, it's cellular. If it doesn't, it's just wifi.

Thanks! I haven’t looked at it too closely.


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[candaceb]

Admittedly I am not reading all the responses.
I have a rising 8th grader and he got a phone for his bday the summer before 6th grade.
He has ADHD and loses EVERYTHING. He has lost the phone multiple times but somehow has always been able to recover it. I can hardly believe that we are most likely going to make it to the end of the contract in a couple of months with the phone still in service (he goes to camp without the phone for 4 weeks of that 2 months).
I vote for getting the phone and locking to down as much as possible with parental controls.
I can't imagine my son's social life or independence without it. Everything happens via text and discord. And with the phone he can do things like ride the bus and have the map service to get him from the bus stop to his destination - he has zero sense of direction.
He does not have instagram or snapchat, but he does have discord and whatsapp.