When is it the right age to buy your child a phone?

A three-year-old that doesn’t know how to navigate an extremely complicated smartphone might be a weird child in 2020, considering that nowadays even children as young as two know where to find Youtube Kids and navigate to their favourite cartoons.

In light of Netflix productions such as Cuties and The Social Dilemma, questions around the age appropriateness of phone usage have come to the fore.

Also Read: I’m a mom, watched ‘Cuties’ and liked it (Please don’t cancel me)

The response to this may differ from household to household, depending on the need. Sometimes, parents need to have access to their younger kids, and thus they purchase a phone. Some even use it for their GPS capabilities (to track the child).

Research from Influence Central’s 2016 Digital Trends Study show that the average age of a child getting a phone is 10.3 years.

But many people argue that there is a reason most social media apps have an age limit of between 12 and 13, such as Facebook’s age limit of 13.

Also Read: Do you know the age restrictions for the different social media platforms your kids are on?

A lot of parents are concerned about the level of sexual solicitation that is happening on social media at an age when kids are particularly impressionable.

Maybe the solution lies in keeping this group of kids away from, not only social media but using a phone, many argue.

Software Developer and mogul Bill Gates never gave his children devices until they turned 14. Speaking to The Mirror, Gates only gave his kids phones when they were in high school.

The important question to ask is whether or not your children ‘need’ a phone. If not, its a better idea, if you are concerned for their safety online, to not purchase one for them.

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