Lizzie Smith, a mother of three, was terrified of giving her 11-year-old a smartphone, but she found a solution: the OtherPhone, a £279 device with SafetyMode, developed in partnership with Mumsnet. This phone combines the restrictions of a dumbphone with the advantages of a smartphone, giving parents control over apps and screentime.
A Parent's Dilemma
When her children were young, monitoring screentime was simple, but as they grow older, phones become a complex issue. With her 11-year-old about to start secondary school, anxieties about friendship, school choice, and phone usage arose. Phones are undeniably useful for modern family life, but finding the right balance is difficult.
Four years ago, when her eldest started secondary school, Smith wanted a phone that allowed quality pictures, preapproved apps, and location tracking, but no social media or unmonitored internet. After hours of research, she downloaded third-party parental control apps onto a standard smartphone, but within days, her 11-year-old had outsmarted the software. High-street shops offered no solution; brickphones and dumbphones cut off the internet entirely, which was too restrictive. She ended up buying a phone marketed at pensioners, with large buttons and WhatsApp but no internet.
The OtherPhone Solution
Now, with her daughter following her brother to secondary school, Smith found the OtherPhone. It looks like a standard smartphone but gives parents complete control over app access and screentime. SafetyMode, unlike traditional parental controls, claims to understand context, distinguishing normal conversations from concerning interactions like bullying, grooming, and explicit language, while reducing unnecessary alerts. Parents can gradually relax restrictions as the child grows.
During a month-long trial, Smith set her daughter's usage to one hour per day, with the phone locking an hour before bedtime and remaining unavailable until after breakfast. The phone could also be restricted during school hours if needed. The phone allowed her daughter to listen to audiobooks, film cats, video-call grandma, and create playlists, but without unlimited access or social media.
Kids' Verdicts
Her 11-year-old daughter loved the camera but found the safety settings overprotective; a photo with a thumbs up was blocked as it thought she was not dressed. After adjusting the settings, she enjoyed listening to Mallory Towers audiobooks and found the phone easy to use. She would be proud to have it with friends.
Her 15-year-old son praised the fast setup and simple, non-addictive interface. He noted it combines smartphone convenience with dumbphone principles, and the controls are impressive, preventing access to sites like YouTube. The camera was better than his own smartphone.
Alternative Options
For those considering other options, Uswitch rates the Samsung Galaxy A15 (£250) as the top pick for an 11-year-old's first smartphone, citing affordability and parental controls. The Moto G15 is the best option under £120, described as reliable and easy to set up. If the family uses iPhones, an iPhone SE allows iMessage and FaceTime without needing WhatsApp.
