Day one: Mum, Sarah
I’ve been putting off this day for a long time. I know it’s time to let my daughter have a little more independence, but I’ve been reluctant – it can be difficult to let them grow up. My daughter is 10, an age at which many children start travelling to and from school by themselves. It’s also the age most children are first allowed to have a phone, according to Internet Matters.
I get hold of a Mumsnet-rated Verve Connect IMO S2, then download the monqi parental guidance app for my phone – it’s already on my daughter’s – so I can oversee what she’s doing, then I watch her eyes light up as she sees the welcome screen. What have I done?
Day two: Daughter, Nancy
I’m so excited to have my own phone at last. It’s like getting an early Christmas present. Most of my friends have had phones for ages and they all message each other after school, then talk about it in the playground in the morning, so I’ve been missing out on everything.
I can’t wait to play games, take photos, and listen to some music. The first thing I do is add a few of my friends’ numbers. Mum approves them from her phone and I video call one of my best friends. She has me in stitches. It’s so much fun!
Day three: Mum
So far so good. I’ve had overexcited phone calls from every room in the house asking me if it’s teatime yet, and the cat is being constantly photographed. Clearly the phone is a hit. Every time my daughter tries to add a new contact or download a new app, I get a notification asking whether I approve of the change. If I don’t recognise the person’s number or don’t like the download she’s making, I can refuse it (no thanks, Snapchat!). And because I’ve set limits on her screen time and can track how much data she’s using, I’m able to relax and let her enjoy it.
Day four: Daughter
I love getting phone messages from my friends. They mostly just say hi, or we send each other funny memes and edited photos. I’ve found some great new games, such as Color Pin and My Virtual Pet Shop, watched my favourite gamers on YouTube, and created a playlist on Spotify. The colouring book app I use is a good way to deal with stress while I’m studying for my Sats.
Mum probably thinks I’m just mucking around, but I’ve Googled Cleopatra for my school project on Egypt and used Math Panda to practise my times tables. I did almost fall over once, though, because I was looking at the screen at the same time as walking down the stairs.
Day five: Mum
My daughter’s normally a big reader, but last night she spent most of her time on her phone instead. It pinged with chat messages even after she’d gone to bed, so we’ve agreed to lock it an hour before bedtime, to make sure she gets some proper downtime in the evenings. Despite this, the phone earned its keep when I was running late to meet her: I texted her where to wait for a few minutes, and it saved either of us panicking. It also sent me an alert when her phone was running low on battery, so I could remind her to recharge it. Clever.
Day six: Daughter
Having a phone has made me feel much more grown up. I can call Mum or Dad to find out what they’re doing, and I’ve set up my calendar to remind me when I need to take my swimming kit or guitar to school. Somebody called me from an unknown number today, which felt a bit weird, but I didn’t answer it. If it’s not someone I know in real life, I’m not going to talk to them.
The best thing is being able to stay in touch with my friends. Next year, when we start going to different secondary schools, we’ll still be able to chat.
Day seven: Mum
I’m so impressed at how my daughter has handled having a phone. She’s thrived on feeling more independent and managing her own time online. Having a parental guidance app can feel a bit controlling – you can see where your child is, who they’re speaking to, and what they’re doing online – but, let’s face it, that’s the whole point. It’s like having stabilisers on your first bike; they help you feel happier and safer while you find your balance.
Once she’s at secondary school we’ll have to tackle the minefields of social media, as she gets pulled into the world of Instagram and Twitter, but we’re off to a good start.
Visit Tesco Mobile to find out more about the IMO S2 with monqi
