When would you let your child have a mobile phone?

It is only 12 years since I was the same age as my younger sister is now, 12 years old. In that period of time, so much about the world has changed. Kids seem to grow up a hell of a lot faster these days, and I know that when I was 12 I was still a child. These days kids are old before their time and this reflects in how they talk, how they dress and the technologies that they have available to them.

When I was 12 I wasn’t allowed a mobile phone, and the phone models available then don’t compare to the ones available in the here and now. My younger sister Alice on the other hand is a completely different 12 year old to how I was all of those years ago. Our parents have mellowed in 12 years, they are happy for her to have a mobile on Pay As You Go because they want the option of being able to keep in touch with her for any reason.

It gives Alice the flexibility to keep in contact if for any reason she needs to speak to a member of the family. Maybe she has been out and missed the bus home and needs picking up? Maybe she is going to be late and needs to get in touch so that no one worries about her. Whatever the reason it is great to know that she has the means to get in touch regardless as to whether or not she has money to use a public payphone.

Alice has been using the Samsung Galaxy Fame for the last couple of months on a 3 mobile tariff. Pay As You Go has changed so much since I last used it, and in reality the packages available are more like having the benefits of a contract phone without the contract. Alice can top up £15 a month and benefit from all you can eat data, 300 call minutes and 3,000 texts. This bundle lasts for 30 days and guarantees that she always has the means to get in touch.

Alice has been raving about her Samsung Galaxy Fame, she loves the camera and being able to personalise all of her screens. She has access to a wide range of different apps and has even invested in a new case to keep the phone safe. The Fame phone offers an affordable Pay As You Go phone option, retailing at £99.99 and combined with the monthly bundle, it makes it realistic alternative to a contract and there is now worry about Alice raking up a bill.

In my personal opinion I think it is important for older children to have a mobile phone, we live in a digital world and rely so much on mobile communications. In the instance of a family emergency and you need to rally everyone together, it is reassuring that even if you are not all together you can still reach one another. In a time where you are giving your children more independence and they begin to go out with their friends on the weekends, I think is a great time to begin to consider the potential options. Believe it or not, when I was given that initial independence where I could take a walk into town or go to the local cinema in a evening.. My Dad handed me a Walkie Talkie. An actual Walkie Talkie. Suffice to say I was the only child with one, while everyone else had their very first mobile phones… I was cradling a Walkie Talkie!

When did you get your first mobile phone? And when would you allow your child to get one?

Disclaimer: We were sent the Samsung Galaxy Fame for the purpose of this feature. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.