Why We Got Our Kids a Flip Phone

About six months ago, we got our kids a flip phone, and I wanted to share why we chose it and how it’s working for our family.

Our kids are currently 13 (almost 14!), 11, 9, and 7. As they’ve gotten older, we’ve needed a simple way to stay in touch. Sometimes they’re home alone for a short time. Sometimes they’re at soccer practice and need to coordinate a pickup. And Lanie (11) is starting to do some babysitting and mother’s helper work, so we wanted her to be able to contact us or the parents she’s helping.

A shared family phone felt like a good fit for this season. It belongs to all four kids, and whoever needs it for an outing can take it along. When it’s at home, it stays plugged into its charger so everyone knows where to find it.

After looking at several options, we chose a Sunbeam F1 Horizon flip phone through Patriot Mobile, which we already use for our phone service. We paid $279 for the phone, so it certainly wasn’t cheap! But we liked that it has no web browser and that we could add it to our existing phone bill for about $15 per month. Our kids use it for calling and texting. (We always have access to their texts, though we haven’t felt the need to check them so far.) They do love texting our neighbors, who have a similarly limited phone, to ask if they’re available to play. 

And my favorite use? Getting calls from the kids when I’m traveling for work. Hearing their voices and catching up on the little details of their day has been so sweet!

Six months in, we’ve been happy with this choice. A shared flip phone has given our kids a little more independence and our family a convenient way to stay connected!