Max Stossel, the founder and CEO of Social Awakening, a group that promotes healthy use of technology and social media, recommends that parents hold the line on giving kids smartphones until at least eighth grade.
The right age to give kids their first cellphone is really up to you. Age isn't as important as your kid's maturity level, ability to follow rules at home and school, and sense of responsibility as well as your own family's needs.
Basic Safety. It's important your kids can reach you easily and immediately in an emergency. This extra sense of security and safety is probably one of the main reasons parents even consider getting a younger child a cell phone. This is especially true once they get to the point of spending time with peers unsupervised ...
Recommended time limits
Under 2 years old: Zero screen time, except for video chatting with family or friends. 2-5 years old: No more than one hour per day co-viewing with a parent or sibling. 5-17 years old: Generally no more than two hours per day, except for homework.
“There is such a high incidence of mental and physical health issues among youth that is associated with technology overuse,” he says. He notes that most “official” recommendations are that a child is ready for supervised use of a smartphone by age 13.
What age is TikTok recommended for? Common Sense recommends the app for age 15+ mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content. TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the basic TikTok features, although there is a way for younger kids to access the app.
Experts suggest that you should wait to get your kid a smartphone until at least 8th grade. Along with age, a kid's social awareness, understanding of technology, and maturity should be considered.
It doesn't mean you can't take your kid's phone away if you think it's taking too much sleep time. About 25% of children received phones by age 10.7, and 75% by age 12.6.
When you give a kid a device will determine how long a parent is going to be monitoring them, though not all parents agree on when they should give up control. As we showed in our previous survey coverage, parents tend to agree that they have to monitor kids up to about age 10.
That's because screens and sleep do not mix. The light emitted by the typical screen inhibits the production of melatonin in our brains. Melatonin is the chemical that allows us to fall and stay asleep. In other words, a screen is like a wake up call for our brains.
The experience of having a crush can begin as early as preschool, and crushes can continue to occur throughout one's life. Usually crushes are one-way, though sometimes they are reciprocated. In any form, crushes are common among prepubescent kids and satisfy important needs.
Typically, it's best for children under 13 not to engage in romantic relationships as they are still developing emotionally and cognitively. Healthy friendships are encouraged for teenagers between 13 and 15, but romantic relationships could be too much for them to handle.
The Common Sense experts say the show is fine for kids 13+, while both parents and kids agree the show is appropriate for ages 12+.
It is also recommended that parents limit children between the age of two to five years to less than one hour of screen time a day (CPS, 2017). By this time, children are starting to enjoy independence from their parents. They spend most of their time in school and engage in extracurricular activities after school.
As a general guideline, Dr. Eagar advises not allowing single dating before age sixteen. “There's an enormous difference between a fourteen- or fifteen-year- old and a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old in terms of life experience,” he says.
Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.
Reading your child's text messages is not that different than eavesdropping or reading their diary.” She advises parents to stay in their lane by steering clear of needless snooping, whether trying to find out what your kids are saying or who they are hanging out with.
By age six, most kids understand the concept of privacy, and may start asking for modesty at home. Here's what you can do to honour your child's privacy. Be supportive A child's demand for privacy signals their increasing independence, says Sandy Riley, a child and adolescent therapist in Toronto.
Unlike iOS, Android doesn't enable you to view your child's text messages and doesn't forward them to you either. However, you can monitor your child's text messages and social media texts using Google Family Link.
Ages 12-13
If you're wondering when your kid should own their first phone, the vast majority of Australians agree that the age of 12 to 13 is the right time.
In Australia, the average age a child acquires a mobile phone is 13.1 years.
Research director at Childwise -children and young people's research specialists – Simon Leggett says: “ Most advice is to wait until children start secondary school to get them their first phone, when they'll need it to keep in touch, but there are benefits from using digital technology at a younger age, such as ...
Between 2015 and 2021, regardless of their age, the share of children owning a smartphone in the United States grew. During the 2021 survey, it was found that 31 percent of responding 8-year-olds owned a smartphone, up from only 11 percent in 2015.
It's also something that has a limited shelf life with your kid. Apple says it designed the service for kids ages five and up, but as mentioned, even my eight-year-old isn't independent enough to really make use of most of what it offers.