Avoiding the “I want a phone” conversation with your tween or teen? I get it. I’ve avoided getting my son a Phone for as long as possible. But then I asked myself the other day. Do I want to get my 10yo a phone while he’s still impressionable and more open to being held accountable? Or do I want to get my son a phone when he’s 16, at the height of desiring independence and privacy? If you’re considering getting your child a phone, the Pinwheel phone for kids should be first on your list. Here’s why.

Pinwheel understands these thoughts and conversations we parents deal with, and they have done extensive research on kids and media technology. With that in mind, they have created a phone that is therapist-endorsed, parent-approved, and kid-acclaimed.

It’s been a BIG mission of mine here on the blog to help parents nurture a healthy tech relationship with their kids. It’s better to be a part of something they will be curious about than keep them in a bubble that will someday burst. So here is yet another article to help you do so.

After a lot of research and getting shown an ad for Pinwheel (because Facebook and google know me well!) I decided to reach out to the newly formed company and form a relationship.

With all of my review articles, I test out the product extensively beforehand. I want to give my readers the most honest and in-depth understanding of a product. I care more about building trust with my readers than about pleasing the company I work with. But I only work with companies I truly stand behind. What’s the point of writing an article about something I disliked? Be sure to use THIS LINK if you decide to purchase your child a phone — it will get you an automatic 10% off!

Before you do, let’s look at some commonly asked questions about the Pinwheel phone and what my and my son’s experience has been like (at the very end).

You’re either reading this because you want to get your child a phone, or you’re considering it. To make this simple enough for you (I know parents are anything but free to read an hour-long article), here is a summary of what we will cover. That way, you can skip to the section that most interests you.

• What is a Pinwheel Phone?
• Are pinwheel phones good?
• Does a pinwheel phone have internet?
• What apps are on a Pinwheel Phone?
• Does Pinwheel Have GPS tracking?
• What are the features of a Pinwheel Phone?
• How will the Pinwheel Phone keep my child safe?
• How user-friendly is Pinwheel for parents who know nothing about tech?
• Why Pinwheel is a good option for younger kids
• Our personal experience with the Pinwheel Phone – getting it for our 10yo

What is a Pinwheel Phone and is it worth it?

Pinwheel prides itself on being a phone that grows with your child. If you so desire, you can simply have your child’s phone be a source of connection via text or call. But when the time is right, you also have a complete caregiver portal that allows YOU to choose the best apps. Of course, not all apps are on there because Pinwheel only approves safe and healthy ones for your child.

What’s also nice is when you’re going through the app library, it gives you information on what the app does, how your child will be using it, and if there are any loopholes for them to get to something they shouldn’t. For example, on specific apps, there are ways your child can wander into Facebook, and Pinwheel discloses this on every app with this detail.

If you find an app that you want your child to have, but it doesn’t exist in their library, you can request it. Everything is explained in a very easy-to-use setting within your caregiver portal.

Are Pinwheel Phones Good?

To sum it up, the Pinwheel Phone is very versatile and a device that parents have FULL control over. It allows kids to develop a healthy relationship with a mobile device from the start and gives parents the peace of mind they need. The phone was created to grow with your child. You can keep things simple by only enabling call or text and adding all the apps it has to offer — listed below. This is different from the Gabb Wireless phone, which ONLY allows call and text.

As a mom, I feel like the Pinwheel phone is an incredible way to teach accountability and healthy mobile usage from a young age so that when they are older, they will already know the boundaries established.

Does a Pinwheel Phone have internet?

The Pinwheel phone does NOT have internet or social media apps. However, it does have certain communication apps for older kids, which is why they’ve partnered with Bark. With older kids in mind, the Bark parental control app monitors (according to your preference) their communication with others. Read more about Bark and how it works in conjunction with the Pinwheel phone below, as well as more about the Bark app on my review here.

What apps are on the Pinwheel Phone?

The apps on the Pinwheel Phone are limited to ones that are safe for your kids and therapist-approved. That being said, there isn’t everything, and if you have an app you really want, but it’s not listed, you can request it. So far, these are the available apps.

How will the Pinwheel Phone keep my child safe?

The whole intention behind a Pinwheel phone is to keep your child safe — physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. So Let’s talk about how and why a phone like this is beneficial for your child’s well-being.

GPS Tracking and locator

The Pinwheel phone has a GPS tracker, so you can always check in on your child to find out where they are, keeping them safe from harm.

Bark parental control app for better mointoring

As mentioned above, Pinwheel has partnered with Bark to help monitor and screen for text messages and conversations with people that might prove harmful for them and for others. Pinwheel alone does this, but instead of sifting through all the apps and conversations yourself, Bark will do this for you and simply alert you to anything concerning. This can be especially useful for parents whose older kids are struggling to have healthy communication with them.

Bark is the leading software in parental control, so they are the first to know about secret words and emojis kids use to get around parental supervision. Bark also monitors screen time, keeping your older child accountable for how long they use their phones.

Why the Pinwheel Phone is a good option for younger kids

Many parents want a way to communicate with their kids while they are at school or an aftercare program. With choosing to only have the phone for text and calling purposes, Pinwheel is a great option that does exactly that while also having the capability to grow and change with your child.

We homeschool our 10yo, and when he goes on a bike ride or to the Library by himself, it gives me peace of mind knowing he can call me if he needs help or has questions. At the same time, he’s not old enough to need apps, except for a few. Pinwheel has been an incredible way for us to create our very own mixture of what he does and doesn’t need and be able to change it as he ages.

What are the features of a Pinwheel phone?

“With our thoughtfully created operating system, we give caregivers the ability to enable creativity, communication, and responsibility in the form of daily schedules that can be customized to suit your family needs.” – Pinwheel

Within the caregiver portal, either by using your computer or an app on your phone, you can control what apps your child can use, what contacts your child has, what their schedule will be with “days and modes” — say you don’t want them on their phones at all during a certain time of the day — you can disable everything during that time you allot. For more info on details and features, check out their website.

How user-friendly is the Pinwheel Phone for parents and people who aren’t tech saavy?

As a mom who’s not the best with technology, I found the Pinwheel phone extremely straightforward and user-friendly. This was actually something I was worried about when getting the phone, but I was pleased to feel confident when navigating everything.

Our experience of getting and using the Pinwheel phone.

You will find that the Pinwheel company has a great team behind it that is open to answer any of your questions and concerns. This makes the whole experience of stepping into unknown waters of buying your child their first phone pleasant and exciting for everyone.

With my son only being 10, I was hesitant as to whether or not this was a good idea. I am all about limiting screens, and this would typically be against my M.O. But then I started thinking. I don’t want to be a mom who keeps their child in a bubble until it bursts; I want to walk alongside him and help him have a healthy relationship with mobile technology. My other M.O. is also, “Prepare your kids for the world they WILL grow up in, not for the world YOU want them to grow up in.”

In this day and age, it’s not something parents can get around. Our kids will eventually end up with a phone in their hands, and us teaching them how to use it healthily is part of our parenting job. So why not introduce a phone at an age where he is still moldable, impressionable, and able to heed his parent’s advice?

Such things sparked our journey in getting our 10yo his first phone.

I told my son to close his eyes and hold his hand out. Usually, when I do this, it’s something special, so he knew it was a big deal. So he held his hand out with anticipation, grasped the phone, and, of course, burst at the seams. I mean, what 10yo DOESN’T want a phone?

We talked about how this phone is mostly for calling and texting, explaining its different features. He understands that he can ONLY text and call people I have approved through my phone. Which is a hilarious side-note. I accidentally put the wrong number in for one of his friends who lives across the country. So he ended up texting some stranger. Thankfully it wasn’t a creep or anything. But after that, I was able to change the phone number, and this person no longer can have contact with my son. If it were a regular ole phone, this guy could text back and have a conversation with my son without me ever knowing it!

Before I gave my son his new phone, I set up everything, including his contacts and apps. He has VERY limited apps (ones good for school and that chess game– he loves chess). Other than that, I want to still limit screens to a “must need” basis. That means he can’t look at his phone (which can be monitored in the Days and Modes feature) at certain times of the day. AND he can only bring his phone with him if he goes somewhere without us. He can text and talk to this friends and family who don’t live near us, which is nice. I also find it refreshing that I can monitor those texts as well. As he gets older, he will be given more freedom. But while he’s in our home, there will always be accountability and monitoring, and he knows that. By teaching this mindset young, he will hopefully be more accepting of it when he’s older. That’s the hope, at least.

My son has done a great job of understanding and adhering to the boundaries we’ve set so far, with a few “but why can’t I bring my phone!?” situations. But other than that, the Pinwheel phone setup makes it so easy for us not to be the bad guys. If it’s not in his schedule to text anyone or look at his apps, he can’t access it. The phone literally does all the work for us!

As a mom, I would totally recommend this for your child’s safety, as well as nurturing a healthy relationship with mobile technology from a young age.

And as with anything, remember that you are the example of everything to your child. Do you look up from your phone when they talk to you? Are you more in tune with the contents of your smartphone than you are with the contents of your child’s heart? Are you spending your entire day on your phone, or are you interacting with your loved ones?

I am constantly keeping myself in check on these things. But, because I’m not perfect, I have to apologize frequently — it’s also good for your kids to know that you aren’t perfect.

The post The Pinwheel Phone | A Mom’s Review of The First Phone Every Child Should Get appeared first on Word From The Bird.