An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes • Hacker News Board

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#51

Post by rswerve » Fri, Sep 02, 2022, 5:25 PM UTC

michelb wrote: post #42

rswerve wrote: post #29

This has worked really well for us. My kids are 11 and 9 and we started with Gizmo watches a couple of years ago, and got them Apple Watches this year (one hand-me-down, one SE). Their friends are starting to get phones, and we're a hard no on phones for kids, but this way they can keep in touch with us and their friends without a phone. The effect on independence has been interesting. They seem to feel more reassure…

Can you recommend a rugged case?

On Amazon, if you search for "Misxi 2 Pack" you'll see the various size/color options. I didn't do much comparison shopping, but they're easy to put on, haven't fallen off, and haven't broken.

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#52

Post by vagrantJin » Fri, Sep 02, 2022, 5:34 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #28

vagrantJin wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> their children have long solo commutes, The same people who'd want to track their kid's every move with an absurdly expensive watch can also turn around and let that same kid commute solo? My brains turnng to mush.

I'm not sure why that's so surprising. I want my kids to develop independenence, but also be able to find them in an emergency.

> but also be able to find them in an emergency

Can you share what type of emergency needs an Apple watch to circumvent?

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#53

Post by ceejayoz » Fri, Sep 02, 2022, 5:53 PM UTC

vagrantJin wrote: post #52

ceejayoz wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure why that's so surprising. I want my kids to develop independenence, but also be able to find them in an emergency.

> but also be able to find them in an emergency Can you share what type of emergency needs an Apple watch to circumvent?

We've got a doctors' appointment we've waited six months for, and they're not checking their texts reminding them to head home from a friend's.

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#54

Post by tomjen3 » Fri, Sep 02, 2022, 11:29 PM UTC

astorsnk wrote: post #21

mrmincent wrote: post #16

As a parent of a 15 month old I can absolutely see myself giving them a smart watch instead of a smart phone for keeping in touch when they start school, but I don’t think it’ll be an Apple Watch. I’d want something cheaper and less capable, and preferably made for kids.

> for keeping in touch when they start school Do you mean generally once they’re school aged or while at school? I can’t see a reason a child at school would need to keep in touch with parents while at school. I don’t think I had to call home ever in 14 years of schooling.

Trivial: Mum can I go home with after school?

Setting up playdates are much easier and can happen much more often when the delay is not 24 hours.

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#55

Post by tomjen3 » Fri, Sep 02, 2022, 11:31 PM UTC

kramerger wrote: post #3

As is it was not hard enough to remember to charge your own watch every day...

Why not just charge it when you are also charging your own watch?

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#56

Post by mrmincent » Sat, Sep 03, 2022, 1:18 AM UTC

astorsnk wrote: post #21

mrmincent wrote: post #16

As a parent of a 15 month old I can absolutely see myself giving them a smart watch instead of a smart phone for keeping in touch when they start school, but I don’t think it’ll be an Apple Watch. I’d want something cheaper and less capable, and preferably made for kids.

> for keeping in touch when they start school Do you mean generally once they’re school aged or while at school? I can’t see a reason a child at school would need to keep in touch with parents while at school. I don’t think I had to call home ever in 14 years of schooling.

Off the top of my head -

- I won’t be able to pick you up today please take the bus instead

- don’t forget we’re going to Nan’s tonight so please come straight home

- it’s 5pm where are you?

- yes little Bobby Tables can come for dinner

- You left your hat at home, I’ll drop it off at morning recess

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#57

Post by Markoff » Sat, Sep 03, 2022, 6:17 AM UTC

AirTag would seem like better idea, though quite useless for people outside US even if I would consider it.

At least here in Europe you can't see that young kids with any watch, it's extremely rare to see kid with those huge bulky watch with GPS even I wouldn't put on my hand (anything thicker than 10mm is crazy), they look literally like they are in home prison.

First piece of electronics my kids will be wearing will be most likely Casio F91W, they already have cheap Chinese clones.

Father of two kids

Re: An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes

#58

Post by cknoxrun » Sun, Sep 04, 2022, 9:24 PM UTC

eimrine wrote: post #7

cknoxrun wrote: post #2

Interesting. I've often considered an Apple Watch for my 9 year old, who struggles with (and benefits from) ADHD and thus would benefit from specific features such as the reminders (especially location-specific), alarms, and overall organization capabilities. But I'm hesitant to open that box just yet... He isn't pining for a smart phone yet, nor do his friends seem to generally own them, so that wouldn't be the moti…

How a location-specific reminders will help the 9 year old ADHD and what org capabilities such a young person might need?

Only things he has asked for, this is not driven by a need for academic improvement or anything, but a chance to learn tools to improve a known deficit with ADHD that can negatively impact his ability to maintain social connections.