Appropriate Age for a Child To...

omg!,... really?!!

i think it's a case by case study! YMMV
good luck with that!

 

- Have their own bedroom
as soon as they're done feeding off the boob

- Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom
my kids had a tv in there room from a pretty early age. they like to wind down watching cartoons before bed. not much different than an adult that winds down in front of the tube

- Have their first cell phone
i've thought about getting my 8 year old a cell phone if i could afford it because he's with his mom most of the time and i'd have easier access to him, but it's way too young. in there teens atleast is my opinion. more likely when they can afford it themselves.

- Spend their first overnight at a friend's house
my kids had sleepovers at 2

- Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction)
whenever they can operate it

- Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction)
10-12

- Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.)
as soon as possible. son started soccer at 6, didnt like it, played baseball at seven loves it. i wasnt in sports and i can see how much bad that did me clearly. he loves baseball

- Start learning a musical instrument
my son is turning 8 and has requested his first bass. my 4 year old shows interests in singing but i think he is too young for any kind of monetary investment. so some time between 4 and 8?

- Have a pet
of there own? never.. 0-21 the parent is gonna be the one taking care of it.

- Take their first paying job (babysitting, grocery store, whatever)
early teenage years.

- Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry)
my older son started around 5 or 6

- Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.)
no idea here

- Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc.
started letting my son at around 5, within reason

- Get their ears pierced
point of contention for me, hate when people get there little 6 month old baby girls ears pierced. disgusts me. I'd probably say teenage years

- Start dating
when they have a job

- Have their own vehicle
when they can pay for it themselves

- Open their first bank account
as soon as they get a job.

 

Definitely. It's going to depend on the childs level of intelligence as well as the parenting skills of child rearers.

 

I don't have any child and don't plan on it anytime soon but I'm still young enough to remember when all this happened from my parents stand point. For the most part, I would assume it will be the pattern I follow...every age give or take 2.

- Have their own bedroom
5

- Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom
5 (but nowadays, I would say 10 with the internet 1000x wider than 1997).

- Have their first cell phone
12

- Spend their first overnight at a friend's house
7

- Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction)
10

- Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction)
14

- Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.)
6

- Start learning a musical instrument
N/A -- hence learning bass at 19.

- Have a pet
8

- Take their first paying job (babysitting, grocery store, whatever)
13

- Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry)
5

- Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.)
16

- Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc.
15

- Get their ears pierced
I was months old--couldn't tell ya

- Start dating
16 (but only if they're driving and working)

- Have their own vehicle
16 (again, only driving and working)

- Open their first bank account
5 or when they know how to proficiently count money.

Again, this is just how my life went--a lot of difference factor would have me assume this just another way to play E.

Just my .02

 

I'll have to agree with just about everything stated here. I'm the guy that had his daughters' ears pierced early, but it was in consensus with my wife. My oldest daughter is eight and has ask for a cellphone because a few of her friends have them. I'm of the belief that unless she is going on a trip without my wife and I or her grandparents, she doesn't need one until she can afford it.

 

- Have their own bedroom
As soon as they are able to spend the night outside of there parents room.
After my brother was born (I was 6) we shared a room until I was 19.

- Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom
I am anti TV so I would say never.

- Have their first cell phone
As soon as they need one to be safe. I got one when I started driving. (16)

- Spend their first overnight at a friend's house
As soon as they want to (within reason).

- Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction)
As soon as they are able.

- Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction)
As soon as they understand right and wrong. I think if adults are allowed to do something so should kids.

- Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.)
As soon as possible.

- Start learning a musical instrument
Whenever they want to.

- Have a pet
I would say whenever they want one. Make sure to make them take care of it though.

- Take their first paying job (babysitting, grocery store, whatever)
As soon as they are able.

- Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry)
As soon as possible.

- Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.)
I got my first knife and learned to shoot when I was 8, I mowed lawns when I was 10. I would say as soon as they are physically ready.

- Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc.
As soon as they want to.

- Get their ears pierced
As soon as they want to.

- Start dating
as soon as they want to.

- Have their own vehicle
right after they pay for it.

- Open their first bank account[/QUOTE]

as soon as possible.

 

I want to say this too, based on my own experience. Parents, teach your children about making sound financial decisions. Start them with an allowance, even if it's something small like $5 a week for doing a set number of chores. $20-40 a month is a small price to pay for making sure your kid knows how to handle money when you send them off on their own. Teach them the benefits of saving. My parents did neither with me when I was growing up, and I really, REALLY wish they had.

Also, as soon as you can, start teaching them about credit and how to build their own, this is another thing I really wish my folks had done with me. Instead, they told me essentially credit was evil.

 

- Have their own bedroom - as soon as they don't need to share a room with the parents.

- Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom - 10-12, let them read before bed, not a bad habit to learn.

- Have their first cell phone - when they can afford it (for keeping in contact with friends) but at a younger age with a pre-paid limit for emergencies, depending on circumstances.

- Spend their first overnight at a friend's house - 5-7ish trust lies with the other parents here though.

- Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction) - Useful tool to learn as young as possible.

- Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction) - Teens (heck, if they are remotely tech savvy it'll happen with or without your knowledge!).

- Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.) - Early as possible, so around 5.

- Start learning a musical instrument - Early as possible, which I'd also say is around 5.

- Have a pet - Depends on the child and how smart and responsible he/she is (also depends on the pet).

- Take their first paying job (babysitting, grocery store, whatever) - ~13.

- Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry) - ~5-7

- Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.) - ~13 (depends on the child to a certain extent).

- Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc. - ~ 10

- Get their ears pierced - 16

- Start dating - Depends on the child.

- Have their own vehicle - Depends on the child (plus when they can afford it).

- Open their first bank account - Early as possible, a wee bank book to keep some money aside and learn that they don't need to spend money as soon as they get it.

 

Talkbass was your choice for child rearing advice?

 

13, 16 and never.

 

+1. I really don't see the point of kids having phones unless they're spending significant time without dedicated adult supervision.

 

from birth



Of coarse ymmv and children all have different maturity levels. Younger kids do things earlier as the emulate their older siblings.

 

I don't have kids but here it goes:


- Have their own bedroom
As soon as they can
- Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom
TV: Never, Laptop: College... That's how my parents did it and it's a good thing. It makes for a more social household.
- Have their first cell phone
When they're willing to pay for it.
- Spend their first overnight at a friend's house
5-6~
- Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction)
As soon as they can
- Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction)
13 or so, I'd rather entrust the kid then have him do it behind my back.
- Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.)
As soon as they can
- Start learning a musical instrument
As soon as they can
- Have a pet
I grew up in a house with family pets, I'd want the same for my kids.
- Take their first paying job (babysitting, grocery store, whatever)
12 or so for gigs like baby sitting, actual gigs: 14
- Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry)
Putting the table, feeding the animals and the such? 7~
- Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.)
13-14~
- Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc.
Progressively from about 10 until they have full control (with mean grumpy dad having some form of veto rights) around 15~
- Get their ears pierced
When they want
- Start dating
When they want
- Have their own vehicle
As soon as they pay for it
- Open their first bank account
The moment they get their first allowance.

 

The easy answer: When they get a job! ha ha.

Basically every new privilege can be balanced with responsibility that they show they can handle before they are handed more freedom/opportunity... The most important thing that kids can learn is to be aware! Be aware of consequence, danger, opportunity, responsibility, cost, value... who they are and who they want to be... Every kid does dumb things on occasion, but hopefully, if they are aware they won't make the really bad decisions over and over.

 

Have their own bedroom: As soon as they're sleeping through the night.

Have a TV and/or computer in their bedroom: Never.

Have their first cell phone: When they can pay for it.

Spend their first overnight at a friend's house: 2nd or 3rd grade.

Go on the Internet (WITH supervision/restriction): As soon as possible.

Go on the Internet (WITHOUT supervision/restriction): When they understand that I can look up everything they do and are responsible enough to ask before downloading something. For my daughter, this was 4th grade. For my son, it's still a work in progress and he's going into 7th grade.

Start participating in a team sport (soccer, baseball, etc.): As early as possible.

Start learning a musical instrument: As early as possible.

Have a pet: When they're responsible enough to take care of and clean up after said pet.

Take their first paying job: 13 or 14.

Start contributing to LOW RISK household chores (cleaning, laundry): As early as possible.

Start contributing to HIGH RISK household chores (lawn mowing, ironing, etc.): 10 or 12.

Start choosing their own clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, etc: Depends. I generally always let my kids pick their own clothes and they generally did a good job. Last year my daughter (15 y/o at the time) came to me with some super short shorts and I made her put them away.

Get their ears pierced: Whenever.

Start dating: 14

Have their own vehicle: 16

Open their first bank account: My kids have had bank accounts since birth, but it's only been since my daughter started working that she has access to that account. My son still doesn't and he's 12.

 

Time and time again, it's been proven that advice from the TBOT population tends to be pretty good on a great many topics - parenting included. Sometimes it's necessary to filter out whack-ball and glaringly ignorant responses, but the overall consensus is generally very solid.