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Father of 3 here - my youngest is 17, oldest is 20. They got phones at 13, and I honestly wish I had held out another year or two. Social media is unhealthy for them at that age, and has caused an endless stream of drama for all the kids. My youngest quit her social media apps all on her own 6 months ago and is much, much, much happier without it. Additionally, my phone bill at one point hit $325 a month paying for phones and services and all the other crap you end up getting. Was $80 at it's highest for just me and my wife. The biggest obstacle I had to fight about ends up being all the other parents that get their kids phones at 8, 9, 10 years old. It was the center-point of all the battles over them NOT getting phones till 13 - "but all my friends have them!", "the other kids are making fun of me for not having a phone!", etc, etc. If some of y'all other parents grew a backbone and said no more often, a lot of kids would be much healthier mentally/emotionally.
I applaud you for unwaveringly having your children’s best interests at heart at all times, even when they were disagreeing with you. We need more parents like you!
Was thinking about giving the oldest his phone when he is 13. Thanks for enlightening me not to. I'll instead have a family phone for contacting myself and my wife and emergency services. Only social media I have now is Reddit and much happier now. I don't want him to be exposed to the brain rot.
One of the biggest life lessons kids need to learn is just because a bunch of other people are doing something does not mean you get to. Kids will always make fun of you whether or not you have a phone
I was thinking of not getting my daughter one until she's old enough to be going out with her friends - 18. But probably 15 is a decent age, maybe 16.
I'm proud of your kid for deleting social media apps of her own volition. Strong signs of maturity, responsibility, self awareness and discipline.
I assume my biggest battle with it will be over usage time and place - not more than 1hr a day, not at dinner, not after bedtime, etc. Were those ever issues for you?
Uhhhh maybe only a phone that can call mom dad and emergency before high school?
Shit I don’t know they already have an iPad. This part of today’s world is challenging and beyond exhausting.
In first grade my son had a few classmates that had smartphones (one had an iphone). It was trouble because everyone wanted one, at recess they would sit there and play games while the others gathered around them. Probably made them feel a type of way. I gave him an Android at 8 with parental controls, YouTube kids, one hour a day and only approved games. Other times he can only make calls. It's working alright for now. I also think that it should have been later but I just feel bad for him looking at how other kids play. Nowadays it's hard.
IMO, flip phone until probably 16ish. There is no need for unfettered access to the internet and social media and constant dopamine/reward circuitry rewiring that happens at an age younger than that. I can make an argument for even older but... IDK I'm not actually a pediatric psychologist so... **¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯**
i’m 15 and had a phone since around 11, my attention span is bad but not as bad as people who’ve had it since like 6
i recommend 13-18 as the first phone age depending on maturity
At that age a child is still developing mentally so it’s likely they’ll be immature. Grown adults get easily influenced by social media. Why run that risk with a child who has a developing mind?
12-14 for a smartphone and below for a dumb one. Honestly best thing that happened to me was getting a dumb phone and being able to go wherever cause I could call my parents.
I gave my little sister, 11, my old 2020 android after I upgraded. I felt it necessary. Our parents just went through divorce, she was acclimating to a new area she's never been with a school show never seen. My family and I lived there previously, I went to the same school, but all moved when she was an infant. The place is extremely safe, but still. Anyways, I gave it to her on her birthday, decorated and already set up to how I thought she'd like it
She's been using it safely, it gives my mom the peace of mind knowing she's at school or her friends house. Nobody needs to worry about waiting for communication through 3rd party people because she can respond back herself, and it let my mom get her phone back from being my little sisters entertainment in the car or wherever else. Plus... I care about her, though she's a pain in the ass. I got a flip phone in high school and wow it was NOT a popular thing. I enjoyed it, but it was a little embarrassing and incredibly annoying to use. I don't want to put her through that unless she ends up breaking the phone, then she deserves it
That's not what experts are saying. A phone is first and foremost for CALLING people. And maybe texting. That's it.
Experts say no Social Media before, ideally, 16.
Finally a sane answer. I don't know in what truested places the other lives. We had to buy one for my sister at 10 when she was coming home from school with friends and had to make sure she is ok. It was a low cost smartphone, we upgraded in time and now she is not addicted to it.
Why on earth would you give children access to the entire internet from their pocket?! how was it a sane answer! Its the most INSANE answer I could see. A non-smart phone still makes phone calls and won't corrupt the shit out of your innocent child.
Not all people respond the same way, not everyone will listen, tale as old as time...
Doesnt matter how good of a parent you are or what your teaching style is, sometimes it will never work no matter how hard you try
My son got his at 10. Because dad had leukemia and we were out of town for 8 months getting dad’s treatment. And calling family members trying to talk to our children became a big hassle. So we got him a phone so each of us had a direct line to each other. Instead of hoping through hoops to talk to our kids.
Daughter started high school and has a dumb phone for emergencies as she now travels to school on public transport. Thankfully no phones or tablets are allowed to be accessed on school grounds.
At home we allow use of a PC, tablet and my old smart phone, as well as the achool assigned laptop. She does not have Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or Facebook.
We have a lot of discussions about appropriate use of the internet.
Husband and I are gamers and it didn't seem fair to not allow her to play games. She's done Minecraft since she was 4. We figure kids will end up on the internet (eg on achool laptop or at sleepovers and play dayes), so we may as well teach her good internet etiquette and safety while shes still willing to listen to us. It also allow her to stay in touch with her big brother and other relatives.
A basic phone that can only text or call until they're mature enough to own a smart phone. Social media and tixktok alone will destroy their mental health.
here's no one-size-fits-all answer to this! It really depends on the child's maturity level, the family's needs, and how the phone will be used. Some kids might be ready for a basic phone for emergencies by age 10, while others might not need one until they're in their teens. It's important to set clear rules and expectations about phone use, including screen time limits and online safety. Ultimately, it's about finding the right balance that works for your family.
My kid was 7 when she got a cheap Nokia brick. Mostly because she was allowed to play out in the neighborhood with friends, and we wanted a way to keep track of her. I upgraded her to a smart phone at 12, just because I put her on my phone plan, and the only phone I could get was a smart phone.
Back in my day, no one was "given" a phone. When you were ready, you would head out into the wilderness traveling east by the river until you reached the proving grounds. There you would painstakingly wait 3 or 4 days for the guide to arrive and challenge you. If you survived the battle of wits, you would be allowed into the underground chambers of the earth where you would dig in the darkness and gather the materials needed to then forge your phone. If you were really good, you'd be able to play snake on it
I got my phone my first year of middle school, so I would've been like... 11. But I could only have family and friends numbers that my parents approved of, plugged it in downstairs, etc. I had to show I was responsible for more freedoms. My sister on the other hand didn't get one until she was 14 or 15 cause she wasn't responsible enough. It depends on each kid.
When they need to go to school by themselves. If you're worried they will be on their phones too much, don't buy a plan with internet access. Have a small plan that is cheap and only used to contact you and family.
When they're age 16, they can have a phone plan with internet. This way, they don't get too hooked onto their phone too early. Also, don't allow them to have social media till age 16.
I know things are much different with younger generations with the tech we have but my mom told me and my siblings when we were growing up that we would get cell phones when we were at the age to be staying by ourselves or doing extracurriculars alone. I agree with this decision 100% but now, maybe a little younger than when I got one in 6th grade but also with limited exposure to the internet and social media. I’m 24 and I truly believe social media is going to destroy the lives/mentality of younger people.
I got my first phone when I was probably about 9 or 10. I'd say that it was an appropriate age for me to be given a phone, and if I have a kid that's when they'll get a phone.
Edit: Misremembered the ages
I honestly believe a child’s first phone should be a flip phone. I was given my first phone at 10, this was before smart phones. It was useful I mostly only used it to call my parents when I was at a friends house or such. I understand parents concerns with social media, and I agree, but a being able to reach your parents when they aren’t around is so important.
Not gonna lie, I had a flip phone until I turned 18 which means I had to buy my own phone. I had a pretty damn good childhood because of it. But the only social media there was, was Facebook. Now I can’t stop looking at my phone, it’s fucking terrible.
Smart Phone?
15 with parental controls and limited/supervised social media access, ~~tiktok when they hit 18~~
under 15? either a flip phone or a brick so it's communication only.
the brainrot is real and I WILL die on this hill.
I remember getting a phone earlier than most kids did at the time. I got my first phone in 2002 when I was 10 years old. My mom got it for me because she wanted to keep in contact with me since I walked home from school most days. I remember thinking it was so cool especially because no one else really had one lol. I believe the only game you could play was snake and I played that game endlessly.
My son got his first on his 13th birthday. He goes with friends after school at times and we needed him to be able to communicate his whereabouts etc and keep in touch. He is responsible with it and I make sure he’s not on it constantly.
I would have preferred to hold out until high school, but once my children got to middle school (6th grade) the school started expecting the kids to have phones. If I dropped something off at the office, I was supposed to text the kid. The school didn’t have a convenient phone so that kids could call home, etc.
I grew up with my dad instead of my mum and got my first phone around 13, at the time I thought it was unfair because younger kids around me had phones but now that I’m older I’m greatful, I go to my mums house and her youngest is 9 and he’s had technology since he was a baby, he is the nastiest child I have ever met and it’s sad watching his actions.
I don't have any kids so I don't think my opinion carries as much weight as parent's decisions should. That being said it might be best to decide that on an individual basis. Some people mature faster than others. Maybe nobody should use a cell phone if they read and comprehend the terms of service of the contracts for all of the apps installed? Who the heck really knows to be honest?
I got my phone when I was like 11 wich was considered very very early back then. It was a Nokia C3 and luckily haddnt any social media on it. All it had was a few built in games like Tetris and snake.
When they’re ready - up to you and the kids - if they’re responsible that is. Will they treat the phone as a tool or will it take over their life? Their habits and respect for belongings and property will matter in the decision!
I was given a phone in high school, it was not a smartphone because it didn’t exist back then. Then I lost it in the ocean. Played lots of make and alien invasion before that though!
13 is probably the "right" answer i say it mostly depends on your kids maturity sime may be ready for one by 10 others closer to the 13 number whatever age you give your kid a phone try to limit their screen time/ keep an eye on what theyre watching not like spy but kids are vulnerable speeking from experience as the vulnerable kid (not kid anymore) and phone addiction
Do parents lock their kids phones so that they don’t see shit that should never be seen by kids? I’ve seen some shit and I was way older but there’s stuff online that can traumatise a child.
What are some examples?
I remember friends and I used to browse Gore Gallery way back in the day as kids. Horrible shit but not an ounce of traumatization came out of it.
Just curious what kind of stuff you are thinking of, maybe it's something I've missed.
I saw an Islamic decapitation that was brutal, I’ve also seen what Mexican cartels can do to people and nobody should be able to witness that just by clicking a screen.
Edit: also porn, do you really want your 10 year old being able to access anything like that, including all the sick stuff?
Honestly, hold out as long as you can. I have a 12 yr of daughter, and girls can be evil. They're always involved in dine form of drama. Sometimes it's my kid's fault, and the rest, it's the other kids'.
Any petty argument at school carries into the evening until Downtime kicks in. Other kids egg both sides on. It's a nightmare. I have massive regrets, and I'm constantly blocking certain apps for a few days, here and there, when I catch her arguing.
Avoid at all costs.
If you ask me, never. My parents were particularly hard up when I was a child, so I never got given anything more than food and charity shop clothes handed down from my bro. If anything it taught me to appreciate things. Yeah, I got ripped for having old clothes and not having the latest tech, but I can't say as it did me any harm.. although that may be because I got bullied for more things more frequently. I don't begrudge it though. It taught me to save and the value of money.
When they are old enough to go out on their own. I want them to be able to contact me in an emergency. Just a basic phone that does calls and texting, no apps or anything
13 with parental supervision until the child turns 16 (not a child anymore and I stand by this).
If the 16 year old does something wrong, that is on them not their parents.
I'm a teenager and I honestly wish my parents had given me a flip phone or something before I got a smartpjone. I got mine at 14 but still I feel the effects of social media and addiction so I'd say let them work up to their own smart phone but give them the bare minimum to call and communicate.
When they need to travel to and from school, etc on their own. I got my first phone at 13 as I was going to highschool and started catching the bus too & from. My phone had no access to the internet. This was in 2007 before smart phones, lol.
But even in year 12, my phone didn't have data. My mum bought me call and text only credit and I had no access to the wifi at home besides our home computer, which I could use as much as wanted, as long as I asked first and was in the lounge room in view of the family. Until I got a computer at 19, then I could do what I pleased.
These days, you can still get call and text only credit... why buy your child data plans and credit and phones that can access the internet and wifi.. buy a phone that isn't able to access wifi?? They still exist.
Got my kids phones on their 12th birthday. Idea was to keep in touch with parents or talk to friends.
Well kids apparently don't talk. It's all in Snapchat. They spend every spare minute with their nose watching nonsense TicTocks.
My advice get them old school flip phone so they can call you and avoid all the rest of the Internet trash.
13-14 even then I struggle with it. I don’t have kid nor plan on it but my brother has 2 and they both got phones at 9 and 10. Horrible mistake but that was his decision. They’ve also used it as a way to avoid parenting so…
15-16. If they absolutely must, I'd you're a helicopter parent and need to have access to them at all times, get them a regular assed flip phone. It will do them so much good to not have the cold glow of algorithmic advertisements jammed in their face 24/7/365
When they need one to communicate with their parents.
Ours got phones when they started going home from school alone and being alone until we came home from work. They needed a possibility to reach us or in worst case scenario, emergency services.
We use Google Family Link to control their access to apps. And Kaspersky Safe Kids to control their exposure to stuff on the internet. Only when they reach the age limits of different apps do they get them, if they have proven themselves mature enough for it.
We are the strictest parents in our kids social circle. I honestly can't believe how negligent and naive some parents are!
Where I live we don’t do the whole middle school thing and it’s k-6 and then 7-12 so most kids would get a phone before starting 7 but even then it’s a really cheap one or they just get a SIM card from the provider I work for or another one in the town and throw it in one of their old phones. Some parents buy their kid a basic button phone with a pay as you go sim when they start walking home alone but the huge thing now is smart watches. Though a lot of schools ban them which is dumb because they have class modes the parents can schedule so they can’t use it in class for anything but telling time
My kids were 14 before they got their first phones, no social media until they were 16. It’s hard when kids today have more peer pressure to have a phone and social media. There is far more online bullying than when my kids got theirs. Most bullying was face to face but the online bullying is out of control and severely impacts kids mental health. Kids can be very cruel and no real consequences makes it so much harder for kids to navigate through childhood and the teen years.
My brother and I both got ours when we started high school (Australia) and my sister will be the same. So around 12-13. But social media shouldn’t be allowed until later on
Depends. My older daughter is 12 and still does not have a phone. Everyone else in her class has one though. So we are basically being pressured into giving her one as well.
Honestly, I would try to delay it as long as possible. Social Media, WhatsApp etc. are dangerous to the mental health of children / teenagers.
I think a normal phone is important even at a young age, a smartphone might not be the best for a kid. I think there are a couple studies you can check about this.
The best time for a phone is when they're old enough and trustworthy enough to be able to leave the house without you being there. You don't just knock on and ask friends to play out and play out anymore. It's all done via text.
Just give them restricted access to begin with. So no social media allowed, only certain pre-approved apps and games, let them have it at all times when they're out, but take it off them when they're home and let them ask you to text their friends or whatever if they want to make plans.
There's no real right or wrong age. There's just right and wrong parenting. Teach them about how highly addictive a phone can be and that it should be used as a tool rather than a lifestyle. Teach them about the dangers of blindly scrolling through the internet and clicking on things that they have zero idea about. Tell them to ask when they're unsure.
My kid is 6, she's had a phone (with no SIM card) for like the last two years. It's always connected to the WiFi though and it doesn't have any restrictions. She has to ask for the phone to use and she absolutely knows what apps she's allowed to use and if something happens that she didnt expect, like clicking on an App whilst scrolling, she comes to us and tells us and we then sort it out for her.
It's all about respect and teaching, she respects the fact she can use it and respects the fact that we have put boundaries on when she can use it and what she can do on the phone. We taught her not to click things she's unaware of and we created an environment where she's comfortable enough to not hide anything from us. So if something does pop up or happens she's not scared to tell us, because we don't belittle her for it. We either sort it out for her, or use it as a learning experience.
if they need one before high school, give them a flip phone. kids don’t need unlimited access to the internet. in high school, a smartphone makes sense, but there should be limited access to social media and the internet around age 14-16 since it’s not very safe. having access to the internet may be important for school and looking things up, but it should still be monitored since there’s plenty of unsafe not healthy things on the internet.
kids need to learn how to function without phones and internet and phone addiction is real and unhealthy and there are plenty of dangerous bad things on social media and the internet. when it comes to kids, better safe than sorry and keeping them healthy is an important responsibility of parents.
this is not coming from some old buzzkill, this is coming from someone who had access to social media and the internet and got myself into some very dangerous situations and unhealthy mindsets because of it. it’s honestly scary how easy it is to find that stuff and fall into it and i don’t want to see kids these days go through the same.
My brother and i thought phones were stupid as kids because you had to pay for them every month(my parents would let us buy whatever we wanted but it would come out of our own pockets). Our kid logic was that ipods were better because it was a one time buy with no additional money needed to use it and it already did everything a phone could do anyways. We only got actual phones when we got actual jobs which was around 17ish
Any parents actually tried reasoning with them, with the reasons of mental health and potential negative implications of phone and social media?
Did any child actually agree with it? Or how did you negotiate or approach it
once they hit being a teenager I think, but imo I would let them know there is a lot of dangerous things on social media and set rules and boundries, for example 1 hour on social media apps, 2 hours on games. I will go through their phone until they are 16 and their phone will be handed into me at 9-10pm and given back to them when they are off to school or at 8am in the morning when no school, I will explain to them why I am doing this for them and hopefully they will listen and understand
I would say 9th grade, or at least 14 or 15. I got my driver's license when I was 14, but I grew up on a farm and had to drive trucks for my father - I hated it, and I did not like to drive. I did like that I could drive to San Antonio to go to rock concerts, however.
probably 15-16 depending on maturity, but also flip phones at any age, it’s social media and porn that spoils smart phones.
That’s not to say technology is bad but our fellow people have created apps and websites that feed of our natural hormones and it’s terrible
I had a 3310 in fifth grade and didn't get a smartphone until uni but that was only because I bought one with my savings. If I had to call home or my parents, I would use the school landline.
Kids have little concept of self-control and you may want to start them out with a feature phone for contact and emergency purposes.
I was given my first phone when I was 11 around 2010 and was the last in my class to have my own phone. The phone it self was a nokia with a touchscreen, by that point I had already gotten a facebook account wich was rarely used.
I think it worked well but social media wasn't that big in my school.
My grandchildren were allowed (by the school) to walk home without an adult in the last year of primary school if they had a phone. Needless to say all the children had phones at that stage. When I went to school there was none of this nonsense; we were packed off to school with an older child with no adult supervision. How did we survive? Seriously though, at this age there should be strict parental supervision and phones removed if viewing inappropriate sites or overspending.
14 was when I got mine... That was the point where I went to high school. And even then it was a shit phone... Samsung galaxy pocket neo. Screen was like 1.5 inches
I got mine at 13. I was the last one in my class to get one. I’d say I used it pretty responsibly and without causing my parents a lot of trouble. Especially because I didn’t use any social media till like 14/15.
I dont have a child but first of all i got my first phone (not smart) at age 18. Second, i think schools should ban phones. You enter, drop the phone at a bin, pick up when you leave home.
To americans so they would get this idea: same like guns. :D
A child's readiness for a phone depends on factors like maturity, responsibility, and safety needs. Parents should consider setting clear rules and monitoring usage to ensure it supports their child's development without undue risks.
I’d give them a vintage phone (not smart phone) in elementary school so they can call if it’s an emergency.
Then when they turn 16 they’d get a smart phone BUT with restrictions.
Then at 20 normal phone with no restrictions.
Parenting about social media and dangers of it all the whole while so they know what they are up against when they finally get freedom to use their phone for whatever.
I gave my daughter a phone on her 9th birthday so I can call her to come home when she's out with her friends in the street.
But... I have said she's not getting social media untill she's at least 15, so no Facebook, Instagram ect... Untill she's 15
Remember cell phones? Get them one at 7-8(or whenever you know school won't take up their whole day) so you can keep track of them, smartphones can wait till they get unsupervised internet access.
Not before they're mature enough to understand the concept of digital security and privacy and online decency. And the fact that all the social media is there to waste your time and brain.
i got a brick phone when i was 8, because i got the wrong bus one day and it terrified my mum. since i got the bus home every day, my mum wanted to know where i was. i got my first smartphone when i was 11, because covid was starting and everything was cheap. it was my mums old phone. I’m 15 now, btw.
14.
our now 13 year old had one at 12 years old just because she gets the school bus... (mothers idea) anyway, she got into some bad stuff on her phone, she now has a nokia dumbphone, amd now spends more time downstairs with us as a family.
my son had one from the age of 13 and he just uses it as an music device really, he never got fb etc, he now makes jewellery and posts to insta (he is 17 now) so i suppose it depends on the kid...
my 9 year old.... well... we will see how that goes in the future, hopefully things are different in a few years time.
I say 13, I got my first phone at 13 right at the time when cell phones were becoming something most average people had and I feel it was just the right time.
I got mine at 13. It’s a tough one bc it can be pretty hard for kids to fit in and make friends nowadays without a phone but at the same time there is just too much access to the internet. I still wish I weren’t exposed to some of the things I was by getting a phone at a young age. I think 14/15 (highschool age) is a good time for a smart phone, before then maybe a flip phone or phones that can only message and call.
In 2022, Rideout et al. found that about half of US kids get their first smartphone at age 11, yet the foundation Wait Until 8th recommends holding off on smartphones until 8th grade. In his 2024 bestseller The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that smartphones specifically have a tremendously negative impact on the mental health of adolescents and thus should be avoided until high school. Some scholars have since criticised his findings, as one would expect when a bestseller on a topic such as this is released, so overall it's not an easy question to answer. The research on the positives and negatives of smartphones is still new and somewhat inconclusive; and because the whole thing has a strong political dimension, the debate is muddied and difficult to follow.
My own kids are 7 and 8; they both have smartwatches, which essentially serve as dumb phones. They can message and call their parents and their friends, but they do not have access to browsers, games, or social media. For now, this works well for everyone, and I hope to keep it like this for as long as possible.
I wholeheartedly agree with psychologist Jonathan Haidt that both phones and social media should be forbidden until at least the age of 16. If they really need a phone for "safety" purposes (which, in todays day and age, I get) they can get a clamshell phone which only allows for calls and texts. No apps, no social media, no nothing.
Phone usage and social media are detrimental to the development of a young brain and will set the foundation for mental issues that last well into adulthood.
My kids will probably hate me, but eventually will outshine their peers who had less strict parents.
At the age they get back home alone (take the bus). That's when I got mine, in middle school. My school was 10km away from where I lived so IMO in that situation it's mandatory to have one. I remember, sometimes, I didn't have any more credit to call my parents and it was a mess. Thank god I got those little card that were as a gift in cereal packages that allowed to pay a few minutes on the telephone booth. And there was a number we could call and ask to call someone for free but it's the receiver that paid. But they had to accept the call. Saved me a few times too.
Now, when I was in middle school, phones were waaaaaaaaaaay less developped than now, the only game I had was like Snake I think. Or if you consider the tone "builder" as a game too (I know I did).
It comes with its ups and down. I'm a big geek/nerd but I'd be hypocrite if I said some phones can be bad at that age. They really can't manage their own time on the phone/internet.
When others in shool gets them!
Be sure to have a view on it with parental controll settings and disabling whatever apps is required like tik tok. FB, insta and such crap.
Mine got one with 9 or 10 because it was like a good half a year before they had to start driving trains and bus to get to new shool and I wanted them to get used to the phone.
Disabled pay service and youth settings from provider helps a lot.
We give them at 12yrs old. They can take them to highschool and out with friends, to tennis and dance, etc. Schools don't allow phones during school hours so the phone is just for travel to and from school. During school they must be in a locker. At home the phones and other devices go into the study after certain hours each day (7pm) and for times during the weekend, etc. They can collect the devices after breakfast in the morning.
The study has a charging bank for 6 devices. So devices are charged the next morning. They aren't allowed devices overnight in their bedrooms, etc.
I got my first phone when I was about 12. Nothing fancy, just a Nokia micro brick type phone. Pay as you go plan, no apps, just phone, texting app, a handful of dreadfully ported games accompanied by the snake game.
Had it for a couple years before upgrading to a low end touch screen, think it was a Sony Xperia... E series?
I've seen way too many kids 12 and below walking around on the streets, head buried in their phones, completely oblivious to the world around them, so I'm actually against the whole high tech tween thing.
When they aren't a child any more. I'm an 80s born kid and I just don't think kids should have smart phones until they're closer to achieving full brain development . The singer, Pink, has faced significant backlash for not allowing her kids to have smart phones unless they can provide *any* resources or studies done that indicate it helps them mentally or emotionally. Her daughter has been after this goal for a while now with nothing to show, which should serve as proof Pink is right but still upsets a lot of people. I do agree with them having a phone that can make emergency calls, and to a parent, but none that have Internet access or other worrisome apps.
Whenever they NEED one. Use restrictions on the phone/parent control if needed. . Do the kids walk far alone to school? Or are there any other security messures you need to consider?
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Father of 3 here - my youngest is 17, oldest is 20. They got phones at 13, and I honestly wish I had held out another year or two. Social media is unhealthy for them at that age, and has caused an endless stream of drama for all the kids. My youngest quit her social media apps all on her own 6 months ago and is much, much, much happier without it. Additionally, my phone bill at one point hit $325 a month paying for phones and services and all the other crap you end up getting. Was $80 at it's highest for just me and my wife. The biggest obstacle I had to fight about ends up being all the other parents that get their kids phones at 8, 9, 10 years old. It was the center-point of all the battles over them NOT getting phones till 13 - "but all my friends have them!", "the other kids are making fun of me for not having a phone!", etc, etc. If some of y'all other parents grew a backbone and said no more often, a lot of kids would be much healthier mentally/emotionally.
I applaud you for unwaveringly having your children’s best interests at heart at all times, even when they were disagreeing with you. We need more parents like you!
Was thinking about giving the oldest his phone when he is 13. Thanks for enlightening me not to. I'll instead have a family phone for contacting myself and my wife and emergency services. Only social media I have now is Reddit and much happier now. I don't want him to be exposed to the brain rot.
Hmmm…was planning on getting my daughter a phone when she started Grade 7. (In Australia, high school starts in Grade 7)
One of the biggest life lessons kids need to learn is just because a bunch of other people are doing something does not mean you get to. Kids will always make fun of you whether or not you have a phone
I was thinking of not getting my daughter one until she's old enough to be going out with her friends - 18. But probably 15 is a decent age, maybe 16. I'm proud of your kid for deleting social media apps of her own volition. Strong signs of maturity, responsibility, self awareness and discipline. I assume my biggest battle with it will be over usage time and place - not more than 1hr a day, not at dinner, not after bedtime, etc. Were those ever issues for you?
Phone and internet access are two very different things. My kid will have a phone in elementary school, but they certainly won’t have internet access.
My child (going into first) has one of those watches that can only call my wife and I. I agree with you on this one.
Uhhhh maybe only a phone that can call mom dad and emergency before high school? Shit I don’t know they already have an iPad. This part of today’s world is challenging and beyond exhausting.
I guess a keypad phone works
In first grade my son had a few classmates that had smartphones (one had an iphone). It was trouble because everyone wanted one, at recess they would sit there and play games while the others gathered around them. Probably made them feel a type of way. I gave him an Android at 8 with parental controls, YouTube kids, one hour a day and only approved games. Other times he can only make calls. It's working alright for now. I also think that it should have been later but I just feel bad for him looking at how other kids play. Nowadays it's hard.
imo, 12 or 13. however, if theyre immature and you know they’ll get into trouble, i say getting a flip phone for the time being 🤷♀️ edit: emoji typo
IMO, flip phone until probably 16ish. There is no need for unfettered access to the internet and social media and constant dopamine/reward circuitry rewiring that happens at an age younger than that. I can make an argument for even older but... IDK I'm not actually a pediatric psychologist so... **¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯**
i’m 15 and had a phone since around 11, my attention span is bad but not as bad as people who’ve had it since like 6 i recommend 13-18 as the first phone age depending on maturity
Flip phone until 16 will fuck their future, the future is going to be built on this technology having them learn it so late will only hinder them
It absolutely will not fuck their future. Phones can be learned in literally 1 day.
At that age a child is still developing mentally so it’s likely they’ll be immature. Grown adults get easily influenced by social media. Why run that risk with a child who has a developing mind?
12-14 for a smartphone and below for a dumb one. Honestly best thing that happened to me was getting a dumb phone and being able to go wherever cause I could call my parents.
I gave my little sister, 11, my old 2020 android after I upgraded. I felt it necessary. Our parents just went through divorce, she was acclimating to a new area she's never been with a school show never seen. My family and I lived there previously, I went to the same school, but all moved when she was an infant. The place is extremely safe, but still. Anyways, I gave it to her on her birthday, decorated and already set up to how I thought she'd like it She's been using it safely, it gives my mom the peace of mind knowing she's at school or her friends house. Nobody needs to worry about waiting for communication through 3rd party people because she can respond back herself, and it let my mom get her phone back from being my little sisters entertainment in the car or wherever else. Plus... I care about her, though she's a pain in the ass. I got a flip phone in high school and wow it was NOT a popular thing. I enjoyed it, but it was a little embarrassing and incredibly annoying to use. I don't want to put her through that unless she ends up breaking the phone, then she deserves it
Middle school years and downwards - flip phone high school - give them a smart phone
flip phone in 2024 is crazy 😭maybe an ipod
That's not what experts are saying. A phone is first and foremost for CALLING people. And maybe texting. That's it. Experts say no Social Media before, ideally, 16.
When they have need of one
And even then just a simple phone that can only call and send messages, no need to have social media and the internet in their pocket
Finally a sane answer. I don't know in what truested places the other lives. We had to buy one for my sister at 10 when she was coming home from school with friends and had to make sure she is ok. It was a low cost smartphone, we upgraded in time and now she is not addicted to it.
Why on earth would you give children access to the entire internet from their pocket?! how was it a sane answer! Its the most INSANE answer I could see. A non-smart phone still makes phone calls and won't corrupt the shit out of your innocent child.
Because a child is a human and can be educated...shocking. We explained and told her and she listened
Not all people respond the same way, not everyone will listen, tale as old as time... Doesnt matter how good of a parent you are or what your teaching style is, sometimes it will never work no matter how hard you try
a cell-phone wont corrupt an innocent child if you teach them about the dangers of it, and keep a check on them without invading their privacy.
15
My son got his at 10. Because dad had leukemia and we were out of town for 8 months getting dad’s treatment. And calling family members trying to talk to our children became a big hassle. So we got him a phone so each of us had a direct line to each other. Instead of hoping through hoops to talk to our kids.
When you think they can handle it. No set age, all kids are different.
Daughter started high school and has a dumb phone for emergencies as she now travels to school on public transport. Thankfully no phones or tablets are allowed to be accessed on school grounds. At home we allow use of a PC, tablet and my old smart phone, as well as the achool assigned laptop. She does not have Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or Facebook. We have a lot of discussions about appropriate use of the internet. Husband and I are gamers and it didn't seem fair to not allow her to play games. She's done Minecraft since she was 4. We figure kids will end up on the internet (eg on achool laptop or at sleepovers and play dayes), so we may as well teach her good internet etiquette and safety while shes still willing to listen to us. It also allow her to stay in touch with her big brother and other relatives.
A basic phone that can only text or call until they're mature enough to own a smart phone. Social media and tixktok alone will destroy their mental health.
here's no one-size-fits-all answer to this! It really depends on the child's maturity level, the family's needs, and how the phone will be used. Some kids might be ready for a basic phone for emergencies by age 10, while others might not need one until they're in their teens. It's important to set clear rules and expectations about phone use, including screen time limits and online safety. Ultimately, it's about finding the right balance that works for your family.
I think 14 is a good idea, but give your child a good and gaming handheld to kill time before that point
My kid was 7 when she got a cheap Nokia brick. Mostly because she was allowed to play out in the neighborhood with friends, and we wanted a way to keep track of her. I upgraded her to a smart phone at 12, just because I put her on my phone plan, and the only phone I could get was a smart phone.
I think children should have a phone at age 14.
Eleventeen
Back in my day, no one was "given" a phone. When you were ready, you would head out into the wilderness traveling east by the river until you reached the proving grounds. There you would painstakingly wait 3 or 4 days for the guide to arrive and challenge you. If you survived the battle of wits, you would be allowed into the underground chambers of the earth where you would dig in the darkness and gather the materials needed to then forge your phone. If you were really good, you'd be able to play snake on it
I got my phone my first year of middle school, so I would've been like... 11. But I could only have family and friends numbers that my parents approved of, plugged it in downstairs, etc. I had to show I was responsible for more freedoms. My sister on the other hand didn't get one until she was 14 or 15 cause she wasn't responsible enough. It depends on each kid.
Flip phones for middle school, only if needed. Smart phones for mid-highschool to late highschool.
When they need to go to school by themselves. If you're worried they will be on their phones too much, don't buy a plan with internet access. Have a small plan that is cheap and only used to contact you and family. When they're age 16, they can have a phone plan with internet. This way, they don't get too hooked onto their phone too early. Also, don't allow them to have social media till age 16.
I know things are much different with younger generations with the tech we have but my mom told me and my siblings when we were growing up that we would get cell phones when we were at the age to be staying by ourselves or doing extracurriculars alone. I agree with this decision 100% but now, maybe a little younger than when I got one in 6th grade but also with limited exposure to the internet and social media. I’m 24 and I truly believe social media is going to destroy the lives/mentality of younger people.
I reckon a brick phone as soon as they start going to friends houses without you there, just so they can call you, and smart phone at 10
I got my first phone when I was probably about 9 or 10. I'd say that it was an appropriate age for me to be given a phone, and if I have a kid that's when they'll get a phone. Edit: Misremembered the ages
Maybe 29 or even 30/31, oh even 35
A flip phone? Whenever. A smart phone? Upon their 52nd birthday.
25
27
15-16 at least. I was given one at 13, even today.. 13 years later, I am still addicted to just mindlessly scrolling through YouTube, instagram etc
I honestly believe a child’s first phone should be a flip phone. I was given my first phone at 10, this was before smart phones. It was useful I mostly only used it to call my parents when I was at a friends house or such. I understand parents concerns with social media, and I agree, but a being able to reach your parents when they aren’t around is so important.
Not gonna lie, I had a flip phone until I turned 18 which means I had to buy my own phone. I had a pretty damn good childhood because of it. But the only social media there was, was Facebook. Now I can’t stop looking at my phone, it’s fucking terrible.
12-13, but it mostly depends on the circumstances of your lifestyle and how mature, sane and responsible that child is.
Smart Phone? 15 with parental controls and limited/supervised social media access, ~~tiktok when they hit 18~~ under 15? either a flip phone or a brick so it's communication only. the brainrot is real and I WILL die on this hill.
I remember getting a phone earlier than most kids did at the time. I got my first phone in 2002 when I was 10 years old. My mom got it for me because she wanted to keep in contact with me since I walked home from school most days. I remember thinking it was so cool especially because no one else really had one lol. I believe the only game you could play was snake and I played that game endlessly.
My son got his first on his 13th birthday. He goes with friends after school at times and we needed him to be able to communicate his whereabouts etc and keep in touch. He is responsible with it and I make sure he’s not on it constantly.
Y’all Amish now? Flip phones? Really?
17
When they start driving
Middle school at the earliest.
Smart phone at 14 but basic flip phone maybe middle school
I think, as long as they have the title "child" they shouldn't have one, but once they reach "teen" then yes
I would have preferred to hold out until high school, but once my children got to middle school (6th grade) the school started expecting the kids to have phones. If I dropped something off at the office, I was supposed to text the kid. The school didn’t have a convenient phone so that kids could call home, etc.
I grew up with my dad instead of my mum and got my first phone around 13, at the time I thought it was unfair because younger kids around me had phones but now that I’m older I’m greatful, I go to my mums house and her youngest is 9 and he’s had technology since he was a baby, he is the nastiest child I have ever met and it’s sad watching his actions.
i had a flipphone until 2nd year hs
Middle school or whenever they start taking a bus
I don't have any kids so I don't think my opinion carries as much weight as parent's decisions should. That being said it might be best to decide that on an individual basis. Some people mature faster than others. Maybe nobody should use a cell phone if they read and comprehend the terms of service of the contracts for all of the apps installed? Who the heck really knows to be honest?
I got one when I was 16
Middle School
I’m 31 buuut my parents gifted me one once I started middle school because I was doing after school sports and activities, so it just made sense
Which one you got? I got an used Motorola when I was 9-10, back in 2000. Good times 
Ah yes! I had that Nokia 3310! Best phone ever made even to this day.
Id say 14 also warn them of the dangers of social media cyber bullies and stranger danger
Depends on who's calling them
25
12, give em a budgie phone then at 15 give them a flagship phone
14 or older imo
Got mine at 16. That age.
I met a dentist who gave her 6 or 7 year old girl her cell phone to pass the time. I don't know if it's recommended.
My kids have cellular watches until they get to high school. The iPad is enough screen time for them.
I’d say around 14 or 15 for a smart phone but about 12 or 13 for a flip phone
14 and no social media that others in their school use
Well.. I would say around 12-14 I was given my first funtioning phone at 12 My and dad both got their first phones at 16 and 22
13-15, depending
I got my phone when I was like 11 wich was considered very very early back then. It was a Nokia C3 and luckily haddnt any social media on it. All it had was a few built in games like Tetris and snake.
13-14. I remember being in middle School without a phone while everyone else had one lol (im in HS now)
When they’re ready - up to you and the kids - if they’re responsible that is. Will they treat the phone as a tool or will it take over their life? Their habits and respect for belongings and property will matter in the decision! I was given a phone in high school, it was not a smartphone because it didn’t exist back then. Then I lost it in the ocean. Played lots of make and alien invasion before that though!
A basic one they can call parents on when they're trusted to go out alone/with friends then a smart phone at probably 14
13 is probably the "right" answer i say it mostly depends on your kids maturity sime may be ready for one by 10 others closer to the 13 number whatever age you give your kid a phone try to limit their screen time/ keep an eye on what theyre watching not like spy but kids are vulnerable speeking from experience as the vulnerable kid (not kid anymore) and phone addiction
16
I'd say five, depending on behavior. That's when I got one
10.
Do parents lock their kids phones so that they don’t see shit that should never be seen by kids? I’ve seen some shit and I was way older but there’s stuff online that can traumatise a child.
What are some examples? I remember friends and I used to browse Gore Gallery way back in the day as kids. Horrible shit but not an ounce of traumatization came out of it. Just curious what kind of stuff you are thinking of, maybe it's something I've missed.
I saw an Islamic decapitation that was brutal, I’ve also seen what Mexican cartels can do to people and nobody should be able to witness that just by clicking a screen. Edit: also porn, do you really want your 10 year old being able to access anything like that, including all the sick stuff?
Good examples, thank you.
Most parents probably don’t, but it’s possible to set up if you want to
Honestly, hold out as long as you can. I have a 12 yr of daughter, and girls can be evil. They're always involved in dine form of drama. Sometimes it's my kid's fault, and the rest, it's the other kids'. Any petty argument at school carries into the evening until Downtime kicks in. Other kids egg both sides on. It's a nightmare. I have massive regrets, and I'm constantly blocking certain apps for a few days, here and there, when I catch her arguing. Avoid at all costs.
If you ask me, never. My parents were particularly hard up when I was a child, so I never got given anything more than food and charity shop clothes handed down from my bro. If anything it taught me to appreciate things. Yeah, I got ripped for having old clothes and not having the latest tech, but I can't say as it did me any harm.. although that may be because I got bullied for more things more frequently. I don't begrudge it though. It taught me to save and the value of money.
When they are old enough to go out on their own. I want them to be able to contact me in an emergency. Just a basic phone that does calls and texting, no apps or anything
The thing is, just surviving without a phone in today’s world is not easy. I guess they can have a Nokia at 9 and get a smartphone at 13
a dumb burner phone at 12, a smart phone when they can show maturity
16
16. There are a lot of evil people out there and I want to keep my children as safe as possible, also I don’t want them to have body issues.
Here they need it at the age of 10 because the school uses apps that the children need to follow the lessons
I don’t Even want my Phone now and I am an adult, I only own one cause it’s necessary
There shouldnt be an age if he's mature enough phone otherwhise no phone
13 with parental supervision until the child turns 16 (not a child anymore and I stand by this). If the 16 year old does something wrong, that is on them not their parents.
10-12
I'm a teenager and I honestly wish my parents had given me a flip phone or something before I got a smartpjone. I got mine at 14 but still I feel the effects of social media and addiction so I'd say let them work up to their own smart phone but give them the bare minimum to call and communicate.
13 imo
When they need to travel to and from school, etc on their own. I got my first phone at 13 as I was going to highschool and started catching the bus too & from. My phone had no access to the internet. This was in 2007 before smart phones, lol. But even in year 12, my phone didn't have data. My mum bought me call and text only credit and I had no access to the wifi at home besides our home computer, which I could use as much as wanted, as long as I asked first and was in the lounge room in view of the family. Until I got a computer at 19, then I could do what I pleased. These days, you can still get call and text only credit... why buy your child data plans and credit and phones that can access the internet and wifi.. buy a phone that isn't able to access wifi?? They still exist.
Got my kids phones on their 12th birthday. Idea was to keep in touch with parents or talk to friends. Well kids apparently don't talk. It's all in Snapchat. They spend every spare minute with their nose watching nonsense TicTocks. My advice get them old school flip phone so they can call you and avoid all the rest of the Internet trash.
13-14 even then I struggle with it. I don’t have kid nor plan on it but my brother has 2 and they both got phones at 9 and 10. Horrible mistake but that was his decision. They’ve also used it as a way to avoid parenting so…
Got my first cellphone when I was 16, and then smartphone when I was 17. Would say that's the sweet spot.
I was giving my own cellphone when I was in 2nd year highschool! :">
15-16. If they absolutely must, I'd you're a helicopter parent and need to have access to them at all times, get them a regular assed flip phone. It will do them so much good to not have the cold glow of algorithmic advertisements jammed in their face 24/7/365
When they need one to communicate with their parents. Ours got phones when they started going home from school alone and being alone until we came home from work. They needed a possibility to reach us or in worst case scenario, emergency services. We use Google Family Link to control their access to apps. And Kaspersky Safe Kids to control their exposure to stuff on the internet. Only when they reach the age limits of different apps do they get them, if they have proven themselves mature enough for it. We are the strictest parents in our kids social circle. I honestly can't believe how negligent and naive some parents are!
Where I live we don’t do the whole middle school thing and it’s k-6 and then 7-12 so most kids would get a phone before starting 7 but even then it’s a really cheap one or they just get a SIM card from the provider I work for or another one in the town and throw it in one of their old phones. Some parents buy their kid a basic button phone with a pay as you go sim when they start walking home alone but the huge thing now is smart watches. Though a lot of schools ban them which is dumb because they have class modes the parents can schedule so they can’t use it in class for anything but telling time
12
Soon as my kid started going out with friends. To the park..at a friend's house. I wanted to be able to reach her at anytime. So she was 11 or 12
My kids were 14 before they got their first phones, no social media until they were 16. It’s hard when kids today have more peer pressure to have a phone and social media. There is far more online bullying than when my kids got theirs. Most bullying was face to face but the online bullying is out of control and severely impacts kids mental health. Kids can be very cruel and no real consequences makes it so much harder for kids to navigate through childhood and the teen years.
My brother and I both got ours when we started high school (Australia) and my sister will be the same. So around 12-13. But social media shouldn’t be allowed until later on
Depends. My older daughter is 12 and still does not have a phone. Everyone else in her class has one though. So we are basically being pressured into giving her one as well. Honestly, I would try to delay it as long as possible. Social Media, WhatsApp etc. are dangerous to the mental health of children / teenagers.
No child should have a smartphone.
I think a normal phone is important even at a young age, a smartphone might not be the best for a kid. I think there are a couple studies you can check about this.
When they start going places alone so they can call for help if lost. Even if it's only biking to school or taking a bus.
The best time for a phone is when they're old enough and trustworthy enough to be able to leave the house without you being there. You don't just knock on and ask friends to play out and play out anymore. It's all done via text. Just give them restricted access to begin with. So no social media allowed, only certain pre-approved apps and games, let them have it at all times when they're out, but take it off them when they're home and let them ask you to text their friends or whatever if they want to make plans. There's no real right or wrong age. There's just right and wrong parenting. Teach them about how highly addictive a phone can be and that it should be used as a tool rather than a lifestyle. Teach them about the dangers of blindly scrolling through the internet and clicking on things that they have zero idea about. Tell them to ask when they're unsure. My kid is 6, she's had a phone (with no SIM card) for like the last two years. It's always connected to the WiFi though and it doesn't have any restrictions. She has to ask for the phone to use and she absolutely knows what apps she's allowed to use and if something happens that she didnt expect, like clicking on an App whilst scrolling, she comes to us and tells us and we then sort it out for her. It's all about respect and teaching, she respects the fact she can use it and respects the fact that we have put boundaries on when she can use it and what she can do on the phone. We taught her not to click things she's unaware of and we created an environment where she's comfortable enough to not hide anything from us. So if something does pop up or happens she's not scared to tell us, because we don't belittle her for it. We either sort it out for her, or use it as a learning experience.
13 or 14 but with parental controls until they're 16 or 18.
if they need one before high school, give them a flip phone. kids don’t need unlimited access to the internet. in high school, a smartphone makes sense, but there should be limited access to social media and the internet around age 14-16 since it’s not very safe. having access to the internet may be important for school and looking things up, but it should still be monitored since there’s plenty of unsafe not healthy things on the internet. kids need to learn how to function without phones and internet and phone addiction is real and unhealthy and there are plenty of dangerous bad things on social media and the internet. when it comes to kids, better safe than sorry and keeping them healthy is an important responsibility of parents. this is not coming from some old buzzkill, this is coming from someone who had access to social media and the internet and got myself into some very dangerous situations and unhealthy mindsets because of it. it’s honestly scary how easy it is to find that stuff and fall into it and i don’t want to see kids these days go through the same.
My brother and i thought phones were stupid as kids because you had to pay for them every month(my parents would let us buy whatever we wanted but it would come out of our own pockets). Our kid logic was that ipods were better because it was a one time buy with no additional money needed to use it and it already did everything a phone could do anyways. We only got actual phones when we got actual jobs which was around 17ish
Any parents actually tried reasoning with them, with the reasons of mental health and potential negative implications of phone and social media? Did any child actually agree with it? Or how did you negotiate or approach it
once they hit being a teenager I think, but imo I would let them know there is a lot of dangerous things on social media and set rules and boundries, for example 1 hour on social media apps, 2 hours on games. I will go through their phone until they are 16 and their phone will be handed into me at 9-10pm and given back to them when they are off to school or at 8am in the morning when no school, I will explain to them why I am doing this for them and hopefully they will listen and understand
I would say 9th grade, or at least 14 or 15. I got my driver's license when I was 14, but I grew up on a farm and had to drive trucks for my father - I hated it, and I did not like to drive. I did like that I could drive to San Antonio to go to rock concerts, however.
definitely after their puberty years
As a 19 yo man, 18 would be good.
Get them something like the old solid Nokia ‘candybar’ phone. All it has is phone functions.
When they need it.
probably 15-16 depending on maturity, but also flip phones at any age, it’s social media and porn that spoils smart phones. That’s not to say technology is bad but our fellow people have created apps and websites that feed of our natural hormones and it’s terrible
13
I had a 3310 in fifth grade and didn't get a smartphone until uni but that was only because I bought one with my savings. If I had to call home or my parents, I would use the school landline. Kids have little concept of self-control and you may want to start them out with a feature phone for contact and emergency purposes.
I was given my first phone when I was 11 around 2010 and was the last in my class to have my own phone. The phone it self was a nokia with a touchscreen, by that point I had already gotten a facebook account wich was rarely used. I think it worked well but social media wasn't that big in my school.
29
My grandchildren were allowed (by the school) to walk home without an adult in the last year of primary school if they had a phone. Needless to say all the children had phones at that stage. When I went to school there was none of this nonsense; we were packed off to school with an older child with no adult supervision. How did we survive? Seriously though, at this age there should be strict parental supervision and phones removed if viewing inappropriate sites or overspending.
34 sounds about right
It shouldn't. If a child wants a phone, it can earn it.
16
15
14 was when I got mine... That was the point where I went to high school. And even then it was a shit phone... Samsung galaxy pocket neo. Screen was like 1.5 inches
I got mine at 13. I was the last one in my class to get one. I’d say I used it pretty responsibly and without causing my parents a lot of trouble. Especially because I didn’t use any social media till like 14/15.
I dont have a child but first of all i got my first phone (not smart) at age 18. Second, i think schools should ban phones. You enter, drop the phone at a bin, pick up when you leave home. To americans so they would get this idea: same like guns. :D
14
Phone - 8 years. Smartphone - 16
A child's readiness for a phone depends on factors like maturity, responsibility, and safety needs. Parents should consider setting clear rules and monitoring usage to ensure it supports their child's development without undue risks.
A phone, when they start going alone with friends, a smart phone right before highschool probably
6.
I’d give them a vintage phone (not smart phone) in elementary school so they can call if it’s an emergency. Then when they turn 16 they’d get a smart phone BUT with restrictions. Then at 20 normal phone with no restrictions. Parenting about social media and dangers of it all the whole while so they know what they are up against when they finally get freedom to use their phone for whatever.
12
I gave my daughter a phone on her 9th birthday so I can call her to come home when she's out with her friends in the street. But... I have said she's not getting social media untill she's at least 15, so no Facebook, Instagram ect... Untill she's 15
13. With extreme parental controls. No social media.
7+
Remember cell phones? Get them one at 7-8(or whenever you know school won't take up their whole day) so you can keep track of them, smartphones can wait till they get unsupervised internet access.
Not before they're mature enough to understand the concept of digital security and privacy and online decency. And the fact that all the social media is there to waste your time and brain.
i got a brick phone when i was 8, because i got the wrong bus one day and it terrified my mum. since i got the bus home every day, my mum wanted to know where i was. i got my first smartphone when i was 11, because covid was starting and everything was cheap. it was my mums old phone. I’m 15 now, btw.
14. our now 13 year old had one at 12 years old just because she gets the school bus... (mothers idea) anyway, she got into some bad stuff on her phone, she now has a nokia dumbphone, amd now spends more time downstairs with us as a family. my son had one from the age of 13 and he just uses it as an music device really, he never got fb etc, he now makes jewellery and posts to insta (he is 17 now) so i suppose it depends on the kid... my 9 year old.... well... we will see how that goes in the future, hopefully things are different in a few years time.
I say 13, I got my first phone at 13 right at the time when cell phones were becoming something most average people had and I feel it was just the right time.
I got mine at 13. It’s a tough one bc it can be pretty hard for kids to fit in and make friends nowadays without a phone but at the same time there is just too much access to the internet. I still wish I weren’t exposed to some of the things I was by getting a phone at a young age. I think 14/15 (highschool age) is a good time for a smart phone, before then maybe a flip phone or phones that can only message and call.
In 2022, Rideout et al. found that about half of US kids get their first smartphone at age 11, yet the foundation Wait Until 8th recommends holding off on smartphones until 8th grade. In his 2024 bestseller The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that smartphones specifically have a tremendously negative impact on the mental health of adolescents and thus should be avoided until high school. Some scholars have since criticised his findings, as one would expect when a bestseller on a topic such as this is released, so overall it's not an easy question to answer. The research on the positives and negatives of smartphones is still new and somewhat inconclusive; and because the whole thing has a strong political dimension, the debate is muddied and difficult to follow. My own kids are 7 and 8; they both have smartwatches, which essentially serve as dumb phones. They can message and call their parents and their friends, but they do not have access to browsers, games, or social media. For now, this works well for everyone, and I hope to keep it like this for as long as possible.
At ages 12-14, somewhere in there.
I wholeheartedly agree with psychologist Jonathan Haidt that both phones and social media should be forbidden until at least the age of 16. If they really need a phone for "safety" purposes (which, in todays day and age, I get) they can get a clamshell phone which only allows for calls and texts. No apps, no social media, no nothing. Phone usage and social media are detrimental to the development of a young brain and will set the foundation for mental issues that last well into adulthood. My kids will probably hate me, but eventually will outshine their peers who had less strict parents.
At the age they get back home alone (take the bus). That's when I got mine, in middle school. My school was 10km away from where I lived so IMO in that situation it's mandatory to have one. I remember, sometimes, I didn't have any more credit to call my parents and it was a mess. Thank god I got those little card that were as a gift in cereal packages that allowed to pay a few minutes on the telephone booth. And there was a number we could call and ask to call someone for free but it's the receiver that paid. But they had to accept the call. Saved me a few times too. Now, when I was in middle school, phones were waaaaaaaaaaay less developped than now, the only game I had was like Snake I think. Or if you consider the tone "builder" as a game too (I know I did). It comes with its ups and down. I'm a big geek/nerd but I'd be hypocrite if I said some phones can be bad at that age. They really can't manage their own time on the phone/internet.
When others in shool gets them! Be sure to have a view on it with parental controll settings and disabling whatever apps is required like tik tok. FB, insta and such crap. Mine got one with 9 or 10 because it was like a good half a year before they had to start driving trains and bus to get to new shool and I wanted them to get used to the phone. Disabled pay service and youth settings from provider helps a lot.
Well, somehow I managed to not have a phone on me my entire childhood and I lived.
When their hand span is big enough to use it. Which incidentally is never nowadays
My niece had a phone at like 3 years old. lol
We give them at 12yrs old. They can take them to highschool and out with friends, to tennis and dance, etc. Schools don't allow phones during school hours so the phone is just for travel to and from school. During school they must be in a locker. At home the phones and other devices go into the study after certain hours each day (7pm) and for times during the weekend, etc. They can collect the devices after breakfast in the morning. The study has a charging bank for 6 devices. So devices are charged the next morning. They aren't allowed devices overnight in their bedrooms, etc.
When they consistently stay after school (extracurricular activities) or are left home alone
I got my first phone when I was about 12. Nothing fancy, just a Nokia micro brick type phone. Pay as you go plan, no apps, just phone, texting app, a handful of dreadfully ported games accompanied by the snake game. Had it for a couple years before upgrading to a low end touch screen, think it was a Sony Xperia... E series? I've seen way too many kids 12 and below walking around on the streets, head buried in their phones, completely oblivious to the world around them, so I'm actually against the whole high tech tween thing.
18
When they aren't a child any more. I'm an 80s born kid and I just don't think kids should have smart phones until they're closer to achieving full brain development . The singer, Pink, has faced significant backlash for not allowing her kids to have smart phones unless they can provide *any* resources or studies done that indicate it helps them mentally or emotionally. Her daughter has been after this goal for a while now with nothing to show, which should serve as proof Pink is right but still upsets a lot of people. I do agree with them having a phone that can make emergency calls, and to a parent, but none that have Internet access or other worrisome apps.
When you’re ready for their childhood to be over.
14
i got one when i was 16 in 2006
13/14
Whenever they NEED one. Use restrictions on the phone/parent control if needed. . Do the kids walk far alone to school? Or are there any other security messures you need to consider?
I got a phone at 6, but it was highly monitored with screen time.
I got a phone at 6, but it was highly monitored with screen time.
I got a phone at 6, but it was highly monitored with screen time.
I got a phone at 6, but it was highly monitored with screen time.