What age would you get your child a smart phone?

[Allofaflutter]

If they don’t go anywhere by themselves? Would you wait until high school or earlier? Just wondering what people have done. My kids are adults now but I have been asked for my opinion by a friend on when they should let their child have a smart phone. It just got me wondering what people do these days. My kids had very non smart phones at high school only but that was normal then. What have you decided?

My children had them in year 5, aged 10, when they started to walk to and from school by themselves, and go to the park and friends houses without us.

I wish smartphones were banned for under 16s, it would save all this worrying about them being the only kid in school without one.

I firmly believe a child is safer without a smartphone than with one. When I leave my 13 year old at home alone I take his phone with me. If there are any emergencies he can go to a neighbour's. I know some people won't get that but he is safer. He is not allowed bring his phone out of tge kitchen. I might sound nuts but he has broken trust with the phone on 2 occasions.

Year 6 heading for secondary...

Yes, that will really deter all those under 16 year olds who buy their own smartphones.

When starting secondary school, at the absolute earliest. And even then the phone would be locked down/restricted with no access to social media or YouTube. I may also limit data/internet access.

Maybe even a "dumb phone" would be preferable, though it'd depend how comfortable they are with being taunted by mean peers 🙄

Already having conversations about this with my 9yo.

Direct your friend to smartphone free childhood (on Instagram). They share loads of data around why smartphones are harmful and what people can do instead. There’s a huge grassroots movement among parents to try and move away from primary-aged children being given smartphones (or being left out for not having one).

My DD is 6, but there’s no way she’ll be getting a smartphone while she’s still at primary school. Parents who say that they’ve set them up to be ‘safe’ are kidding themselves.

I would wait as long as possible. Childhood has changed so much in the past decade or two and not for the better. Part of the change is related to the unnecessary restrictions and lack of freedom and independence that seem common for children nowadays. But one huge part of the puzzle is the ubiquity of smartphones, tablets, etc. The two things are related, of course. Some parents seem to think that the real world is more dangerous for their children than the virtual world, that staying indoors looking at screens means they are keeping their children safe. In fact, the disadvantages hugely outweigh the benefits IMO.

Smartphones and their techy cousins aren't the only reason for the explosion in depression and anxiety among children and young people, or for the decline in educational achievement. But they are a significant element in all of that. No child needs a smartphone. I would wait until age 13 at the earliest.

I don't think kids should have smartphones until at least 13. The longer they avoid them the better.

Why did your 9 year old need a smart phone though? A basic Nokia that allows calls and texts is all that would be needed

It was peace of mind for me to be able to track her phone via Life 360 and Google Family Link.
I have it on a child account so that she could only download PEGI 7 apps with our permission by password, disabled Youtube etc. She's sensible and I've had no issues with her phone use, she's 11 now and always messages when she's leaving school.

This book just came out and explains the scientific evidence we have so far on the effect of smartphones on children and teens. Really recommend.

www.penguin.co.uk/books/456971/the-anxious-generation-by-haidt-jonathan/9780241647660

When they can afford to buy one themselves.

I am not kidding 😂 I will buy them a phone with no apps on it if they want to call or text me/their dad/friends, but absolutely no apps. If they need to facetime for a school project they can use the family computer, which is in a communal space.

Me and DH work in tech. We are not luddites, we are simply protecting our children. I hope that their friends' parents have a similar view.

amp.theguardian.com/books/2024/mar/21/the-anxious-generation-by-jonathan-haidt-a-pocket-full-of-poison

im waiting until mine are at least 16