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Smartphones: what's the right age for a child to have one?

Hello

We've just seen a survey of 1000 parents, carried out by online safety group Internet Matters – and most  of the parents surveyed said they thought a child shouldn't have a smartphone till at least the age of 10.

What do you think? 

Does that sound about right? Or should it be older? Or younger?

Does your child have a smartphone? If so, how old is he or she?

Please do let us know by adding a post to this thread. We'd love to hear your views!

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Replies

  • 10 is quite old. My daughter is 8 and lots of her friends have one already, as she keeps telling me!

  • I think 10 is still too young!  Just my personal opinion, and I know technology comes on and we have to 'move with the times', but I am more of a sit and play a board game, or do some colouring, or get the kids outside.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, this is just mine :-)  Sometimes if we are in the doctors waiting room or something like that, I will let my little one watch something on my phone, but other than that, he doesn't play with one or use one.  I recently found out they let them use an I-Pad at nursery - just shows you how times are changing!  He won't have one at home for a long long while yet xx

  • I wouldn't dream of entrusting a 10 yr old with a smartphone,even for net access-  I limit net access at home (Inc parental controls etc )and don't think kids should be able to have free reign at so young an age.

     

    There's also the fact that kids so young would be at risk by owning them as (around our area anyway) smart phones are the muggers choice! How easy is it for a yob to target a child of ten or so to grab a phone !!!!

     

    There are so many different options now I can see the attraction for a kid to be with the in crowd at school but no way would I be forking out for a £600 iPhone like my sons friend has - he is 11 and after 3 days at school the screen is smashed lol  it makes me think some parents have more money than sence!

  • My son is six and plays on my old skarr phone but as far as it being in service no! He does catch WiFi and downloads games and watch Netflix , he prefers It over his tablet simply because its a phone "   . I  aslo teach three year olds who come with their parents old phones. At my sons school they sent papers home saying they are doing a byod program bring your own  device to school. Idk if I'm ready for that but will be surely monitoring it when the time comes . 

  • I think letting them have a phone around the age of 10 seems fair, provided you can still limit their access to the internet 

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