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Monday, 30 January 2012




Phones - Do you agree with me?

By redhorse10 (Age 14)

Hi everyone, it's Redhorse10 here. Sorry I haven't really written, I've had quite a lot of homework to be getting on with in the last few weeks and I just wanted a bit of time to relax. Also, I've been resting my wrist a bit to no avail, but never mind.

So, I was looking on the gadget section on the Join In part of the website, and I saw an article asking what age you thought you should be to have a phone. 

So this is what I think: I think you don't need a phone until you are just about to start secondary school, or until you are roughly 11. I have my reasons for this, and I think that you do not need a phone to call friends or keep in touch with anybody in primary school, you see them every day. You may argue with that point and say that we see our friends in secondary school daily, but secondary school is a lot more important and a lot harder than primary school. When you go to primary school, some people moan and groan, saying they have lots of work, whilst some actually understand that in secondary school, people have GCSEs and life influencing exams. So, if you miss a day in primary school, it's not important. But if you miss a day of secondary school due to illness or some other cause, you NEED to know what you've missed. It's important that you find out if you are responsible because it's so much more important. Also, more people walk to and from school when they reach the age of 11, so they would really need something just in case of emergency. Also, if something happens at school (eg you are staying late) you can't always just go to the admin. office to do this, you may have to send a message on your phone. When you're below ten and you're playing out, you don't need a phone. It's just a matter of common sense - anybody getting a phone (especially a decent one like an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy) who is under ten will probably just trash it or not take care of it properly as someone more mature will.

Please note I'm not caling ANYBODY immature or irresponsible on here, no matter how old they may be, but it is a matter of opinion whether you need a phone at certain ages. You may think you need a phone at age 8 (which is, to be honest, silly, and I think everybody knows it really), so I would like to hear your opinion on this matter.

Please respect everybody else's opinion in your comments as not everybody thinks the same way, though I am sure that nobody would behave erroneously.

Redhorse10 :)

P.S- Erroneously means wrongly/incorrectly for those of you who don't know!





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23 Comments


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  • sweetpea (Age 11) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 11:53

    I had a phone at 7 which was a basic pink nokia because I had to be picked up from places when I was in brownies and rainbows but I never chatted with any of my friends on it and still don't... lol because I only have about 3 and they don't have phones... =)

  • millieboo (Age 10) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 13:10

    I don't have a phone :( Oops, I forgot all about you! Sorry :S

  • smokeyice (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 13:17

    i got a phone when i was 7 but i never used it it was when the first iphone came out and all i did was download games and play them. i used the internet for miniclip but i sent one text in 8 months to my mum saying i missed her because she was in Portugal

  • PinkBoden (Age 14) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 16:43

    I got a phone when I was 11 for high school because I think, due to peer pressure it's best to have one. A friend of mine is 8 and she has just got a phone. I don't think it's silly for her to have one because she doesn't see her mum for quite a few nights a week because her mum owns an award winning buisiness which takes her all over the country, to radio stations and the BBC for interviews so she she uses her phone to keep in touch. FOr other 8 year olds I think having a phone is a bit silly. :)

  • laurcool (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 16:54

    I got my first phone when I ws 10 in Year 6 because it was the last year of primary and I wanted everyone's phone numbers before secondary school. I think you should get them at about 10 because I know a lot of people who are in Year 5 who have phones and I guess people might want them because their friends have them. I don't really get the reason why people who are about 10 or 11 have Blackberrys or IPhones ect. I think you only need a smartphone when you are about 14/15 but that's just my opinion :)

  • pipapip (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 17:10

    PinkBoden - which business????????

  • redhorse10 (Age 14) wrote on Monday, 30 January 2012 @ 17:51

    Hmm I think 14/15 is a bit old Laurcool... At my age, 13, you kinda need a better phone. :)

  • Fibr33 (Age 13) wrote on Tuesday, 31 January 2012 @ 15:57

    I got my first phone when I was 11. :)

  • honeybun00 (Age 11) wrote on Tuesday, 31 January 2012 @ 17:24

    I see what you mean and I agree :)

  • cowmoo1170 (Age 10) wrote on Wednesday, 1 February 2012 @ 18:52

    I am getting a phone for my 11th b'day but all the girls got them for the 11+ as they thought they did so well but I got the top score.

  • redhorse10 (Age 14) wrote on Thursday, 2 February 2012 @ 18:38

    PinkBoden, I agree, in cases like that it's fair enough. However in cases like Smokeyice's I think it's a bit silly... Cowmoo, well done! :)

  • 123Gadget (Age 11) wrote on Friday, 3 February 2012 @ 19:27

    I had my first phone when I was 7 but it was a REALLY old Nokia phone which didn't have a camera or games.After that phone , I had a Pink slide up Samsung Phone which did have a camera but I still wanted a better one so.. I had my HTC for my 11 birthday and I am now nearly 12 and I use it all the time to chat to my mates n stuff on a app called Live Profile , it's really good!! :D

  • Kingkezzi (Age 11) wrote on Sunday, 5 February 2012 @ 16:00

    I gto a phone when I was 8 but it didn't have a sim card..... wen i was 9 i got my sisters old phone which had a bit of credit but not much.... I got a good fone for xmas tho.....

  • samz (Age 13) wrote on Sunday, 5 February 2012 @ 17:09

    I h ad my first phone on my 8th birthday, but it was a really simple call and text one (the same one as my dad who'd had it 10 years before). Then I got a new one on my 10th christmas and I still have it 2 years later, but i agree with redhorse that you don't need one till you get into secondary school. I have a 6 year old friend who has her mum's old htc!!!

  • hockeyxox (Age 12) wrote on Sunday, 12 February 2012 @ 20:36

    It really depends on if your phone is - Pay as you go - Contract - Capped Contract (as pay as you go u have to pay for everything that you send and internet you use ) ( as Contract you pay a certian amount to use but if you go over that budget they dont tell you and you end up with a BIG ,EXPENSIVE bill. NOT GOOD FOR CHILDREN BELIVE ME) (Capped contracts are much better as you can't accutally go over the limit) But in some resbects i do agree partly with redhorse10 but when you are in primary 6 and 7 at my school you start to take public transport so P6 is the level for me and my friends

  • superdog7 (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 13 February 2012 @ 13:49

    i got mine a few months back because my mum drops me of at netball for an hour so as the place i go to is well known for thing "sudeny" being cansled i need one and my friend who is also 12 is not aloud one untill 16 so it is good for me and her!

  • redhorse10 (Age 14) wrote on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 @ 09:40

    6 is a stupid age to give someone a phone. I think 10 minimum unless there are special circumstances. It's just common sense!

  • PinkBoden (Age 14) wrote on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 @ 11:07

    Pipapip - it's called Food Safari. Google it :)

  • Laurakat1 (Age 15) wrote on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 @ 11:17

    I agree with Laurcool about getting a smartphone at the age of 14/15 because all you really need a mobile phone for is to text and call and that is really it. People who are 10-13 don't need a smartphone because it isn't necessary to play games. I see people in my school in year 8 and year 9 who have Iphone's etc. and to be honest I get jealous because I don't even have a smartphone and I am 15 in May!! I want a Iphone but I know that I won't get one because my mum only buys me things for Christmas and Birthdays on a budget of £70! But I am okay with that because I know that I don't need a smartphone and probably never will. Just think about the REAL and original reason of owning a mobile phone: To contact people.

  • Laurakat1 (Age 15) wrote on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 @ 11:18

    But the age of getting a basic phone I think is probably the age 11.

  • Historian8 (Age 11) wrote on Monday, 2 April 2012 @ 09:23

    I got my first phone (iPhone 3GS) on my 11th birthday for senior school.

  • methebee (Age 10) wrote on Friday, 13 April 2012 @ 08:11

    I got one when I was 9 but it was just before I started middle school and I was always going shopping with my friends

  • methebee (Age 10) wrote on Friday, 13 April 2012 @ 08:14

    but when i was 9 I had the old nokia but now I have my dads old HTC Wildfire