Is seven-years-old too young to give children a mobile phone?
If your child is nagging you for a mobile phone, it may help to know what age other parents decide to give one to them.
The answer, it seems, is from the age of just seven.
A new study by Childwise has found 53% of children are mobile phone owners by around the age of seven, and by the age of 11, nine in 10 have their own device. Once children are in secondary school, phone ownership is “almost universal”, the report says.
The report, based on a survey of 2,167 five to 16-year-olds, found children spend around three hours and 20 minutes each day messaging, playing games and being online, and 39% of those questioned said they couldn’t live without their phone. Researchers said the findings show the extent to which phones can “dominate children’s lives”.
But should such life domination be allowed at the tender age of seven? We asked parenting and tech experts for their views…
Wait until secondary school
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 promoting social development and language skills.
“If parents are concerned, organisations like Internet Matters and Childline have some good advice on how to set up devices safely, and how to talk to your child about staying safe online.”
No ‘one size fits all’ solution
Will Gardner, director of the UK Safer Internet Centre https://www.saferinternet.org.uk says: “Through speaking to many families, we see there isn’t necessarily a one size fits all solution to what age your child should have a mobile phone and how they should use it.
“We encourage families to have open and regular conversations with children at an early age about what technology they are using and how they use it. Decide together on boundaries and talk about how you can use devices together. Forming a family media plan that takes into account screen time, when and where devices are accessible and what content can be accessed will be beneficial for the whole family.
“The internet offers a wealth of empowering and educational opportunities for young people to experience and learn to be themselves. While it’s different for every parent and child, often the answer is to create a plan that works for your family. Children also look up to their parents, so role modelling healthy interactions with technology is a great way to show children how you can manage it effectively.
“We know talking works; last year, 78% of young people felt more confident about what to do if they were worried about something online, as a result of open conversations and lessons from Safer Internet Day .”
How mature is your child?
Research by Internet Matters , which helps parents keep children safe online, found the average age a child is given a smartphone is 10, their CEO Carolyn Bunting says: “The decision to give a child a phone is a tricky one – many parents fear it opens them up to too many risks, while others tell us it gives them peace of mind knowing they can keep in touch with their child. For young children it’s crucial devices are set up safely, making use of parental controls.
“Ultimately, these decisions come down to the parent and how emotionally mature they feel their child is and crucially, how prepared they are for the online world. It’s crucial parents make sure they’ve discussed the potential risks in an age-appropriate way, such as seeing inappropriate content, sharing personal information, cyber bullying, online grooming and peer pressure.
“Parents shouldn’t be afraid to set boundaries, making sure they clearly discuss what apps, games and websites their child can and can’t use, considering age restrictions, setting the necessary parental controls and when, where and for how long they can use their phone.”
Get advice on what mobile phone to give your child here , and advice on how to set up your child’s phone safely here.
Only in special circumstances for primary-age children
Family Lives trustee and parenting expert Suzie Hayman says: “The only reason for a primary school-age child to have a mobile phone would be if they were in the tiny minority who walk to school and you or they need that reassurance, or if their parents are separated and they need contact with the non-resident parent within their own control. And it should be a simple phone and text only one, not a smartphone.
“Smartphones are fine for secondary school kids but only after extensive discussion and agreements on rules and boundaries. Internet-enabled devices are exciting and useful, but parents and children need to understand that while they are a conduit to the world, they are equally a conduit for the world to you.”
Are you sure it’s safe?
Lorraine Thomas, founder of the Parent Coaching Academy, says: “We see children being given phones at earlier and earlier ages. It’s a major cause of stress in most families.
“Mobiles bring many challenges, and seven is too young to give a child a phone unless you have a very specific reason to do so. If you’re thinking about giving them a phone, take a few minutes to stop and ask yourself this question: what is our family screen ethos? Be clear about this. How do I communicate that to my child? Is giving them a phone helpful as part of that ethos? What are your boundaries around screens?
“Having a mobile phone is like teaching your child to cross the road safely. You hold their hand until you’re sure they’re safe to do it alone. Mobiles and the internet are the same.”
Stay in control
Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts says: “In most cases the feeling is children only need a data-enabled phone when they start making their own way to school, by which time children will have started to have an understanding of the downsides of internet access, and will have some knowledge of how to keep themselves safe online.
“One Mumsnet tip for mollifying younger children’s cravings for a handset is to give them an old device that connects to the home WIFI but doesn’t have a working SIM; this allows parents to stay firmly in control of what gets viewed, and has the added benefit of stopping children from constantly borrowing your phone to play Flappy Bird.”
Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto
