Parenting advice providers often recommend setting limits on children’s screen time.
So what is the right age to give a child a smartphone?
According to Dr. Joshua Stein, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical director at PrairieCare in Minnesota, this question isn’t as simple as it seems.
Sleep experts warn against late-night screen time: Phones can disrupt your sleep
“It really depends on a lot of factors,” he told Fox News Digital. “It’s estimated that half of children will have a smartphone by age 11, but many families wait significantly longer than that.”
Whether or not to give a child a smartphone should be a “thoughtful and considered decision” based on the child’s “maturity, development and impulsivity,” Stein suggested.
One psychologist urged parents to have “direct conversations” with their children about smartphone readiness. (iStock)
“You probably already have some idea of whether your child is capable of using a smartphone appropriately,” he says.
If there are already family arguments about screen time or appropriate content, or issues with online vulnerability, experts advised waiting a little longer.
Some claim ‘bed rot’ is self-care, but mental health experts warn against the social media trend
Fox News Digital also interviewed Titania Jordan, chief parenting officer at Bark Technologies in Atlanta, who recommended that parents “wait as long as possible” before giving their kids a smartphone.
“Of all the parents I’ve spoken to — I’ve spoken to thousands of parents over the last 10 years — not a single one has ever regretted not giving their child a cell phone sooner,” she said.
“Certainly, we know this isn’t always possible.”
Most children are exposed to pornography online by the age of nine, an expert has warned. (iStock)
“Every family is different,” said Jordan, author of “Parenting in a Technology World.” Some kids may need devices sooner than others depending on circumstances like divorce or extracurricular activities.
“If your child needs to communicate digitally with trusted parties and you need to track their location, choose more secure technologies,” she recommended.
Both experts suggested alternatives to traditional smartphones, such as smartwatches, flip phones and other mobile phones that cannot connect to the Internet.
Making a decision
A “valuable first step” in making this decision is to evaluate how screen time has affected your child and family so far, Stein recommended.
“A video game system, a parent’s smartphone, or [school laptop] “It’s possible to prove whether smartphones are a problem for children,” he said.
Social psychologists are urging parents to keep smartphones away from their children to “protect” their mental health.
Experts say many children are already suffering from inappropriate websites and screen overdependence before they turn 10.
“This shows that people are not ready to take prudent self-management of their smartphones.”
A “valuable first step” in making this decision is to evaluate how screen time has affected your child and family so far, one expert recommends. (iStock)
To help parents determine whether their child is ready for a cell phone, Jordan suggested considering these questions:
- Are your kids following current screen time rules for TV and video games?
- Can he or she keep up with schoolwork and know how to prioritize responsibilities?
- Does your child frequently lose or misplace things?
- Are you easily distracted?
- Does your child handle conflict well and learn from their mistakes?
“Kids make mistakes, and mobile phones are a huge risk.”
“Kids make mistakes, but the potential dangers are much greater on mobile phones,” Jordan said. “They need to understand and accept the consequences of their mistakes online.”
The decision could give parents an opportunity to discuss family morals and values, Stein said.
“Each household has differences and characteristics in terms of expectations and risk tolerance,” he added.
Experts say parents should teach their children that denying their children cell phones is a safety decision, not a punishment. (iStock)
“This can be a difficult conversation, because your child’s friends may have access to exciting technology sooner,” he added. “Parents can reassure their kids that the time will come, but it’s not yet time.”
Parents should also let their children know that the decision is based on safety and is not intended as punishment.
School board lawsuit claims social media giants like TikTok and YouTube are fueling a “youth mental health crisis”
“Have your child explain to you how to use a cell phone safely and appropriately,” Stein suggests. “This allows them to demonstrate that they are mature enough.”
Effects on cells
Stein said the “clear and significant” risks of having a mobile phone at too early an age included predation and viewing adult material.
Psychiatrists say there are also concerns about how screen time affects children.
A 2023 Gallup poll found that teens who spend more than five hours a day looking at screens are 60% more likely to express suicidal thoughts or self-harm. (iStock)
“There is evidence that children who spend excessive screen time and access social media at an early age are more likely to develop depression and anxiety,” he warned.
A North Carolina mother who “relied” on her daughter’s iPad suddenly took it away, sparking controversy
Another “significant concern,” Stein said, is that kids may waste time online rather than taking part in sports, drama or other extracurricular activities.
“They may find themselves scrolling through vignettes and snippets of other people’s lives and feeling pessimistic,” he said. “Screens rapidly allow us to watch other people’s lives instead of living our own.”
“There is evidence that children who spend excessive screen time and access social media at an early age are more likely to develop depression and anxiety,” warned one psychologist. (iStock)
Stein stressed that parents should teach their children that what they see online is an “idealized version of themselves” and often not reality.
“It’s easy to immediately feel inadequate based on the flashy, doctored presentations people share,” he said. “Explore your child’s perception of this concept.”
Mental Health Advice
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued official recommendations about the impact of smartphones and social media on teenagers.
Children’s screen time has surged during the pandemic but is still higher than before COVID-19
The notice warns that access to social media increases the risk of cyberbullying, depression, sleep problems, self-harm and body image issues.
A 2023 Gallup poll also found that teens who spend more than five hours a day looking at screens are 60% more likely to express suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
Weekly check-ins are “essential” for parents with kids who use smartphones, the psychologist said. (iStock)
These children were also 2.8 times more likely to have a negative view of their body and 30% more likely to report feeling “very sad.”
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
Stein stressed that parents should monitor their children’s mobile phones to regulate usage and protect their children’s mental health.
“Weekly check-ins are a must.”
For more lifestyle stories, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle
Parents may be surprised by the words their children use, the websites they visit and how easy it is for strangers to contact them, Stein warned.
She said families should stress that there should always be “open channels of communication” regarding smartphone use and that anything inappropriate or threatening should be reported.
“In these situations, it’s important to communicate family values rather than avoiding and ignoring difficult conversations,” the psychologist said. (iStock)
Parents need to remind their children that anything they post online is permanent.
“Kids can’t make the same mistakes that pre-digital generations made,” Stein said. “Posting something inappropriate can have consequences that will impact them for the rest of their lives.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
Jordan encouraged parents to talk to their children about the real dangers associated with smartphone use.
Experts also suggested that parents use third-party monitoring apps that scan their children’s phones for threats and keep a close eye on popular apps. Social Media Platforms.
