Oh no... HELP!

[featherfanatics]

My son is 9 and I got him a cockatiel about a year and a half ago. His tiel, Taz, can do everything the big birds can do and more! Taz knows all the birds names and can whistle all the same tunes. You don't have the same big bird hormones either with a tiel! My son is a very devoted bird daddy!
Now my son is wanting a TAG. I told him he could have one as soon as he saved up the money for it! So now he works every Sat. in my store for $5. Lol, at that rate it's going to take him awhile to get his bird; especially if he keeps sneaking out money for a candy bar!
Do I think my son is ready for a big bird? No, but by making him save his money for one rather than rushing out to buy it for him will make him appreciate the bird all that much more when the day does finally come.

[Oscar8]

Please Be Very Careful. Birds Can Be Very Unpredictable Around Children. Bigger Birds Can Cause Serious Harm To Adults And Children. I Think A Seven Year Old Is Way Too Young. Please Be Honest With Your Mom Concerning This. Maybe You Can Have Her Read All Of The Posts. Good Luck.

[Ashling]

I got my first bird at 9 years old, and cared for him myself. Food, water, clean cage, socialisation. He's the perfect bird- he whistles, talks and does tricks. But the gap between 7 and 9 is enormous, development wise.
My seven year old sister has claimed the budgie 'silk' as hers, but she doesn't feed, water, or clean the cage she's in. She takes her out every 2 weeks (or I come along and pop the little bird on her shoulder :) she looks at her every few days, if she's lucky. This is an animal- loving seven year old by the way!
Also, I have a (150 gram) lorikeet who is so intimidating to my sister that she can't even go near, let alone touch her! Ash puffs up, pins her eyes, sways back and forth, growls and lunges at my sis, who now is afraid of my cockatiels aswell! (my tiels don't even bite!) Ashling has tagged ny sister before, but has never drawn blood. It isn't about the biting, it's the intimidation. A child will easily grow scrared and then bored of a bird.
If any, I'd definately recommend a cockatiel. It was my first, and he sparked my love of birds and made me ready to move onto aviaries, more difficult to care for parrots and breeding. Plus I agree, tiels are bursting with personality if socialised and taught properly! A pearl-pied hand reared male sounds about right ;D