Parents worry their kids will spend too much time on their
phones, and they also have concerns about cyberbullying, health, and exposure
to nudity and violence. But there are many cases where parents feel their
children will be safer if they have a cell phone, with the ability to call home
whenever they need to. What is the age at which kids should be entrusted with a
smartphone?
Tech website AllConnect.com presents the most popular
theories that answer this question.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says
it depends on various factors, but advises parents not to be in a hurry to give
their kids smartphones. Consider the needs and values of your family before
making the decision. Consider creating a Family Media Use Plan that
covers such actions as setting a media curfew, deciding what your family feels
is important tech-wise, explaining to kids how the Internet uses information,
discussing possible scenarios they might encounter online.
Related: Protect your child's personal information when they are online
Microsoft CEO Bill Gates
gave a 2017 interview in which he said his kids didn't get phones until they
were 14. His family sets limits on screen time and nighttime usage as well.
The
nonprofit Common Sense Media advises that you
make the decision based on how mature your child is, whether they can
consistently follow rules, and whether they'll be in situations where they need
a cell phone. However, the CEO said his own kids didn't get phones until high
school, once they had learned “restraint and the value of face-to-face communication.”
The Harvard Graduate School of Education suggests not giving smartphones
to kids until you've given them a thorough education in the implications of
phone ownership. This background includes modeling wise phone usage yourself,
not using texting excessively to maintain contact with your child, finding out
how tech is used at school, and developing rules together
Since
peer pressure is one of the major influences on kids' desire to have
smartphones, Wait Until 8th was founded by
parents to encourage families not to give their kids phones before eighth
grade, or the age of 14. Groups of parents in a given geographical area sign a
pledge to stick to this agreement.
And
then there's compromise. If safety is an issue, with children needing
ways to get in touch with parents and vice versa, one option is to buy your
child a basic calling and texting plan, without access to data that would place
them online. Some Internet providers offer plans designed for children,
allowing parents to monitor contacts and usage, set limits to search options,
and block specific kinds of sites.
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