It's not entirely unwarranted begging. Personal electronics are the few status items kids/teens own, and while I'm sure every marketing department on the planet loves it, it's still a bad idea to make them visibly outcast by withholding a decent phone.
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> it's still a bad idea to make them visibly outcast by withholding a decent phone.
Where does it end though? A phone in one thing; what about a video game console, or pricey sneakers or brand name clothing from the top streetwear brands?
Rvery day I'm feeling a little more grateful that we had school uniforms where I went. The materialist one-upsmanship was insane even then, but at least for 8 hours/day people weren't walking billboards for "look at how much my parents have spent on me".
> Where does it end though? A phone in one thing; what about a video game console, or pricey sneakers or brand name clothing from the top streetwear brands?
They don’t use those things to talk to their friends. Think of how many things are digital-first or digital-only these days. Their phone is how they literally exist among their peers in society. It is non-optional.
Yep, exactly. $400 is not unreasonable for the most important communication device, which should be amortized over 2-3 years (and explained to the kid)
And/or give them chores and pay them an allowance. Offer a free phone of your choice, or they can save money for whichever one they want.
May or may not work though. I have a friend that does this, and one of his kids simply cannot save money. So when there's something he knows that they all want, he buys it for all of them rather than make them save for it.
Maybe, but please keep in mind $400 is a different price for the silicon valley developer earning $300k/year vs the equivalent developer in e.g. Berlin earning $80k.
If the iPhone SE is the difference between being in the out and in groups, then you have much bigger problems.
This is no different from how things have always been. When I was growing up the kids who got hand-me-down clothes got picked on. Now it will be the kids with hand-me-down phones.
Then the entire planet has bigger problems