I got my kid a smartphone when he started middle school and nobody was more surprised about that than I was. I always thought I?d hold out until grade 9 or so.
But it wasn’t because he begged. To my husband and me, it felt necessary. After a lifetime of attending after-school child care and literally never being without adult supervision, my tween would now suddenly be set free in the world at 3:15 pm every day, and taking public transit to get home. Right or wrong, we couldn?t live with the idea that he?d be unreachable in that time.
So last year, as he entered grade six, we gave him an iPhone. But here’s what’s interesting. Had I been making that decision today, I?d have another option: I could get him an Apple Watch with Family Setup. “But I need to be able to call and text my kid,” you’re thinking. “Apple Watch only lets you do that if you also have an iPhone.” That’s what’s new. With an Apple Watch set up through a parent?s iPhone, kids can get their own phone number and can make and receive phone or FaceTime audio calls on the watch. They’ll also have access to apps such as Messages, Maps, Mail and the voice assistant, Siri.
Obviously, an Apple Watch isn’t inexpensive, but it?s less than an iPhone. And strapped to your kid?s arm, it?s less likely to get lost or broken than a phone is.
If safety is a concern like it was for me, you?ll appreciate that your kid?s location can be shared with you throu...