Recently, Joanne wrote a post about her ten-year-old daughter who wants a mobile phone. The main argument presented by her daughter was that all her friends had one (an argument I'm sure many readers will have heard at one time or another)

With children as young as four or five getting mobile phones, it can be difficult to resist their pleas. However, it might be worth considering alternative options.

If their main reason for wanting a phone is to keep in contact with their friends, it's a good idea to remind them that they can use the landline (especially if you've got a decent free minutes deal!)

Not convinced them yet? Here's a selection of fun novelty landlines, like the Lips one on the right from Nicomm for £9.45, to get them to pick up the phone.

• Hello Kitty Phone, top left, Argos, £6.99
• Hamburger Phone, middle left, Urban Outfitters, £25
• Lazerbuilt 451 Gondola Winnie The Pooh, bottom left, Landlinephones.co.uk, £19.49
• Mybelle Stiletto Novelty Phone, top right, Nicomm, £11.80
• Steepletone Retro BT Corded Telephone, bottom right, Amazon, £32.99