What phone rules actually work for a 6th grader who keeps saying "but everyone else has one"?
Middle school is coming up and my daughter is already saying she'll be the only kid without a phone. I'm not anti-phone, I just don't want group chats, random apps, and bedtime scrolling taking over. If you gave a phone around this age, what rules did you set first?
We started with no phone in bedroom, ever. It charges in the kitchen. That one rule has saved us from so much late night nonsense.
I think start smaller than they want. We did calling and texting only for family and a few friends. No social apps. She complained, then survived.
Group chats were the hardest part, not the phone. Our rule is if the chat feels mean, weird, or secret, show us and you wont be punished for asking for help.