I received my first cell phone when I was thirteen years old, and that's probably what I'd aim for with my own children as well. You become a teen. Not quite in high school, but you're in your last year or two in middle school. I'd like for them to wait longer, but I also don't want my kid to be the only one that doesn't have a phone. When I got mine, all of my friends had already had one for a while, actually.
It depends on the situation. If the kids are by themselves at home, they need a cell phone for you to contact them. Also when they get older and are in after school activities, they need a way for you to contact them.
Iirc, there’s parental controls you can put on a phone to restrict them from things you don’t want them to access. So I personally find it silly to ban a kid from having a phone because you’re scared of them accessing features that you can technologically restrict them from accessing.
I tell my kids that they will get a cell phone when they are responsible enough to understand how dangerous can be that powerful tool.
So, in other words, they will be adults before they understand that, so they will end up buying it themselves.
My daughter wanted a cell phone when she was about 12. Her best friend came to me to make the appeal as to why my daughter needed one...something about being able to call me after cross country practice so I can pick her up. Then my daughter wrote a letter too and I wish I would have kept it. She got one because they put a lot of hard work into giving the reasons and in the end, it was for safety.
It depends on how responsible the parents are. If the kids are good at using modern devices, they can be allowed to have mobile phones. As long as they set house rules for when to use them.
I got my first cell phone at 16. I think that I was quite too old. I am going to give my kids an Android tab at 8. It wouldn't be able to make calls. Just to watch educational cartoons and stuff.
I think giving kids phones early in life helps with their exposure to the technological development in the world. I think giving a kid a smartphone at 6 to 7 years old ain't bad.
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