When Should Children Get Cell Phones?

According to Common Sense Media, smartphone use among children has risen significantly. In 2015, only 11% of 8-year-olds owned one. In 2019, that number jumped to 19%. These numbers increase with age, with over 80% of children aged 14 to 18 owning a smartphone. Cell phones continue to be more prevalent in everyday lives, with some parents having no problem giving their children a cell phone at a young age. Other parents are concerned about the effects they can have. There is little agreement on the “right age” to give your child a cell phone, but we’ll do our best to provide you with the pros and cons of use and a better idea of when your child is ready for ownership.

Benefits of Giving Children Cell Phones

Thanks to the well-publicized use of cell phones for safety reasons and school emergencies, parents understandably want their children to have access to these devices. However, they can also open educational opportunities for students that didn’t exist before. Technological advances have created a new academic environment with long-term benefits that we are just beginning to realize.

The Necessity of Cell Phones

Children often pick up new technology faster than their parents at home. So, it’s unsurprising that they would be more comfortable in a learning environment with the same advances. The use of technology has become more common in classrooms, thanks to the abundance and availability of cell phones. Students will be expected to become experts in all types of technology as they grow up and enter the workforce. So, using technology in the classroom is necessary in their education.

Accessing a World of Information

Young children are not patient when they want answers; they are curious creatures. The internet gives students countless ways to find information on any subject. Cell phones for kids have made that possibility even greater.

Bringing New Life to Older Material

For generations, students learned about history from simply reading books. However, including audio and video in a classroom can bring these stories to life. Watching man’s first steps on the moon or hearing Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech can imprint those moments in a child’s mind. The use of cell phones in the classroom has made them more accessible across the world.

Students and Educational Apps

As technology advances, educational apps online have advanced as well. Language and educational apps like Rosetta Stone and Khan Academy are more popular than ever, and competition continues rising. Teachers use these apps in their lesson planning, and students can use their iPhone, Android, or other mobile devices to follow along or continue at their own pace.

Enhancing Social Media and Learning Connection

Teamwork and social learning are important skill sets in child development. The inclusion of smartphones has made social learning easier and more accessible for shyer students, who can flourish in this new team environment of texting and social media.

Harms of Giving Children Cell Phones

While smartphones bring new educational opportunities and are a plus, it doesn’t take long to find warnings regarding children and screen time.

Increased cell phone use has added more distractions and interruptions for students, along with an increase in cheating and cyberbullying. Technology can have a significant negative impact on kids, while the benefits of reading to children and other non-technology pastimes, such as music, writing, or art, are clear.

Cyberbullying is a disturbing trend affecting children around the world.

• In the US, 34% of kids reported having experienced cyberbullying at least once.
• Students of color, LGBTQ, disabled, or female are more often those being bullied.
• Cyberbullying can range from hate speech to sexual remarks to ridicule and threats. It can lead to depression and suicide in some students.

Psychologists warn that cell phone usage can enable cyberbullying and put a child’s mental health at risk.

What Age Should Kids Get a Phone?

The average age at which kids get a phone is between 12 and 13. With that in mind, it’s up to the parents to judge whether their child is ready for a cell phone.

At a time when cell phone use is growing, tech industry leaders like Bill Gates have publicly said their children didn’t receive their phones until high school. James P. Steyer from Common Sense Media also didn’t allow his kids to have cell phones before high school but stated, “No two kids are the same. There is no magic number. A kid’s age is not as important as his or her own responsibility or maturity level.”

Modeling appropriate cell phone use, limiting access, implementing parental control settings, and teaching children about the dangers of cyberbullying and how not to be a cyberbully can help prepare them for this responsibility. As a parent, it’s important to recognize the common effects of technology on children to understand better how phone usage affects your child. If you’re looking for additional tips on how to teach responsibility to your child, the All For Kids parenting blog and resource page is a great place to start.