Any parents had success giving their kids semi-smart watches or are we just dishing out smartphones as soon as they can read?
Smartphones and daily debriefings about being controlled by technology vs. controlling the technology.
Yeah, and it`s literally disappeared for weeks at a time before.
My 5yo can read and does not have a phone because she`d just lose it. She has an iPad, and she loses it everywhere.
Still holding out over here
Your wife is doing everything isnt she? You don`t sound like someone taking care of a newborn.
my kids didnt get phones until 8th or 9th grade, and were prob last in their class to get one. And no you dont need to track them everywhere, they will be just fine.
Your kid is like a week old. Pump the brakes.
Gizmo is the best option we found. Helps push the clock back on an actual smart phone as well.
how many electric f150 lightnings does one man need?
Gizmo is a life changer. Zero tech worries/concerns
Yes in our case got it for 9 yr old and easy to keep tabs on him around the neighborhood via GPS plus has text and call capability with the few contacts you put in (up to 10)
Apple Watch cellular family plan with restricted for 5 and 7 year olds and no regrets. Fun to be able to text and walkie talkie.
Convinced my parents to buy me a palm pilot when I was in 4th grade
Only thing they get until they have a job is a beet salad and some Borodinsky bread. Maybe a borscht for New Year. They get free lodging as it is.
Have them reading 10ks and charts for you
I gave my son a compass
Got my 7 year old a gizmo, allowed us to feel comfortable with her walking home from school alone. That was 3 years ago. Now her younger sister (6) uses it and she roams the neighborhood gathering kids to aggressively sell lemonade.
There`s some novelty at first on the fitbit-esque tracker/watch. Hard to get mine to keep wearing it. Maybe they needed some sort of incentive/steps goals. Takes 60 days to form a habit blah blah blah.
i don`t know all the ins and outs of parental controls but i know he can only send and receive calls from certain numbers. and he likes getting different colored wrist bands as gifts so that`s easy.
Refurbed or used might be affordable. These kids were 7 and 9. Pretty responsible too. I think the catalyst was a school shooting in our neighborhood, so life experiences can def cause you to pay more than you usually would.
Just got my 10yo a gizmo. She was happy at first but has sinse figured out there`s no benefit to her. She tries not to wear it, forgets it and doesn`t charge it.
he prolly cares about his rep in nextdoor
Anyways, apple watch tracker heist You just keeping them warm for us
Its poison. Hold off as long as humanly possible
My old neighbors gave their kids Apple Watches instead of phones. They said it was totally worth it - all of the reasons a parent would want their kid to have a phone without any of the issues of them actually having a phone.
Proud owner of a Nintendo DS / iPod nano combo until 11 before the IPod touch.
dont you have like a nextdoor forum or something for this
Havent gotten my 14yr old either
don`t give in and listen to the experts (Zuck and Cook)
