Many children think they are ready for a cell phone before they are and parents often fight the uphill battle of knowing when it’s the right time. In addition to children’s constant reminders, some of the primary reasons parents give children phones are for convenience (easier communication, tracking their location, providing access to information and creating independence).
Smartphones provide access to the internet, apps and social media so the responsibility placed on the child is much greater than simply providing them a phone they can use to call in case of emergency. How can parents determine when children are ready for a cell phone or smartphone?1 Some of the biggest concerns parent face when making this major decision are 1) will my child have too much screen time, 2) can strangers access my child without my knowledge, and 3) what content is my child viewing that I may not see?
Although children may be exposed to tablets and computers at a young age, they aren’t mobile. Phones can be taken everywhere and easily hidden so it may be more difficult to track how much your child is using it. Since phone are portable, the level of interruption can be much greater if it interferes with schoolwork, face-to-face interaction, playing sports and getting sufficient sleep.
- Why does your child want a phone and how do they intend to use it?
- Should you consider a flip phone rather than a smartphone to lessen the initial responsibility?
- Is your child responsible and do they show good judgment when unsupervised?
- Do you have the ability to oversee the child’s phone usage until you can determine that they are using the phone without potentially hurting themselves or others?
- If social connections are the primary reason a child wants a phone, are there alternatives (video chat and text messaging on an iPad or tablet or video games on a shared server)?
- Are you able to invest the time to mentor your child so they can be successful phone users?
The most important aspect of adding any new responsibility into your child’s life is to keep the lines of communication open. If you decide now is not the right time, explain the reasons to your child. Help them understand that you are protecting them, not disciplining them. AT&T offers a phone-ready questionnaire that might help you and your child determine when it is the right time.2 If you are interested in becoming a member and gaining access to our Resource Center ($10/month or $99/annually), visit https://advocatefortheinnocent.org/memberships/ to learn more.
1 –https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Cell-Phones-Whats-the-Right-Age-to-Start.aspx
2 – https://screenready.att.com/digital-parenting/