At what age should children be allowed on internet and have a mobile?

11 Comments

There are too many perverts, child molesters, kidnappers and online bullies out there. I know families who have been devastated by these things.

Personally I don't plan on letting mine use the internet until they are teenagers, and even then it will be supervised until they decide to move out on their own. I only plan on having one pc, in the living room where people can "see" what everyone is up to.

My children will not have a phone aside from those 1-button emergency mobile phones. If they want a phone they can get a job and pay for it themselves; and even then, only if we know the passwords. They will not be permitted to have social media accounts. I also live in the countryside and I wouldn't raise a kid in the inner-city where I grew up. I know the shit that goes on in public schools and wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy's kid. Private school, not public, one near me disallows mobiles/electronics on campus. Will home-school if phone policy changes.

I also plan on enrolling them in self-defense classes and teaching them stranger safety early to lessen the chance that someone is going to walk off with them from the schoolyard.

I want to see what others plan to do with their children. So, poll away!

5-6 1
13-14 10
17 0
9-10 3
16 5
7-8 1
11-12 3
3-4 3
1-2 2
18 - Where parental rights End 3
15 2
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Comments ( 11 )
  • Arm0se
    9 years ago

    When they learn how to recognize a scam and how to avoid them.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      I suppose this depends on the individual (in your opinion)?

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  • Bobblahblah
    9 years ago

    It would be easier to vote on one thing at a time rather than both at once. The mobile would come much later than supervised internet access.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      Sorry about that. You could just write it in the comment.

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  • EnigmaticShadow
    9 years ago

    Internet: 11 Years Old
    Phone/Ipad: 15 Years Old

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  • chained_rage
    9 years ago

    The other day I was watching Catfish. A 21 year old girl fell in love with a guy named Jamison King.
    In the end, JK was actually a 14 year old fat girl.
    So who was more naive here?

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  • dom180
    9 years ago

    You seem like quite a controlling parent. I believe kids need freedom even if that comes with some measure of "danger", which I think you're really exaggurating. Of course awful things happen, but you can't ever completely eliminate that risk.

    It's one thing to montior your young kids, but do you really think it's proportionate to ban older kids from having any kind of private online life until they grow up and more out? Teenagers are not an extension of yourself; as they grow up they will want some privacy from you, and if you refuse to give it to them they'll resent you and they'll grow up maladjusted. Having that privacy and independence is crucial for their development. I know it must be tempting to wrap your kids up in cotton wool, but please don't do it. It isn't protecting them.

    No sensible person would give really young kids internet and mobile phones. When I was a kid I didn't even want those things. I wanted to play football and run around and play with my dog. I think that's all most young kids need to be happy. But as kids get older they change, and I think you need to let them get used to having a bit of independence.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      Yes, I do think it is proportionate to ban them from having an "online life". I want them to have a real life, not an "online" one. They can go outside and have a real private life instead of living off their mobile phones like some first world children do. If I have to move them out into the woods, I will. Plenty of people survive just fine without facebook. They can have a private life without having the internet and mobile phones, just like we did 20 years ago.

      I also don't plan on being a hypocrite and using fb or instagram in front of them. I don't use social media either and I survive just fine. The closest thing I've come to it is this site and yahoo answers. I did use myspace when it first became popular and I got enough perverted messages to know that having a private profile doesn't keep perverts away. And no, I don't trust all teenagers to be wise enough to recognize a scam, because it happens so often. Teens go missing everyday, even adults do.

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    • charli.m
      9 years ago

      This.

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  • GreyWulfen
    9 years ago

    I see no reason for children younger than 14 to be on the internet, other than for research and learning purposes. And about mobile internet - I didn't have that until I was 18, and I don't feel like I missed anything really.

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  • BennyWifey
    9 years ago

    I say 16 depending on how mature they are. I'm sure not going to buy them a laptop when they are about 11 or 12 (which a lot of parents do) I find that ridiculously if you ask me.

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