What Age Should Kids Get a Phone? | SafeWise (2024)

FAQs

What Age Should Kids Get a Phone? | SafeWise? ›

Many children are ready for a phone at an average age of 12 or 13.

At what age should a kid get a phone? Experts suggest that you should wait to get your kid a smartphone until at least 8th grade. Along with age, a kid's social awareness, understanding of technology, and maturity should be considered.

Age 10 to 12 – At this age, experts recommend the potential of kids owning a phone only to call their parents. It's still not the right age for a smartphone, or at least not one with internet access. A ScienceDaily study shows that girls are particularly affected at this age, often negatively, by owning a smartphone.

After about 12 months of the child's phone ownership (give or take), checking phones needs to fade, and ongoing open communication needs to become the mainstay. At this older stage, parents should have frequent, open discussions with their children about online safety, respect and responsibility.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents should wait until their child is at least 13 years old before giving them a smartphone.

The minimum age requirement to create a Snapchat account is 13 years old. This means that younger children may not fully understand the implications of using the app or may be exposed to inappropriate content.

Snapchat's terms of service require users to be at least 13 years old. Bypassing these restrictions can expose younger children to content and interactions they may not be ready for. Don't overlook the Snap Map feature. While it can help friends stay connected, it also raises privacy concerns.

KH: When it comes to whether a child is ready to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, parents should consider their child's maturity rather than a particular age. Typically, it's best for children under 13 not to engage in romantic relationships as they are still developing emotionally and cognitively.

The iPhone 13 mini is one of the best phones for kids you can find. The most notable difference between the 13 and the 13 mini is its size (6.1 inches vs. 5.4 inches), which can be perfect for your children. Even though the mini is cheaper, the battery lasts considerably more, from 13 to 17 hours of video playback.

First crushes may occur at any time, but generally start at around 10-13 years of age. They are an important step in developing normal and healthy romantic relationships, and provide opportunities to learn how to compromise and communicate.

Should a 12 year old have a girlfriend? ›

Typically, it's best for children under 13 not to engage in romantic relationships as they are still developing emotionally and cognitively. Healthy friendships are encouraged for teenagers between 13 and 15, but romantic relationships could be too much for them to handle.

Tell them that you understand they may be mad and will give them a little time to calm down but we are going to talk about what I saw and what concerns me about it. 6. Discuss and decide on appropriate consequences and expected future behavior. It helps to ask them what they think the consequences should be.

No. Twelve years old is too young for dating. Go out with groups of friends if you want to meet up— but wait until you are a bit older and more emotionally savvy for actual dating.

When Is Your Teen Ready to Date “Solo”? Eventually, teens are ready to make the move and start going on what an adult would recognize as a date. Some pediatricians suggest that kids wait until they're 16 to start this kind of one-on-one dating. That's a good place to start the discussion, but every kid is different.

You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.

Many experts suggest waiting to give your kids a smart phone until they are at least 13 years old or in 8th grade. "Try not to give into the peer pressure when your child says everyone else has a phone, so I need one too," she said.

We recommend choosing an Android phone instead of an iPhone, since parental control apps have greater functionality on Android phones. Apple enacts strict privacy rules that hinder parental controls, but you can view a list of iOS parental controls in our setup guide.

Benefits of kids having a phone.

They may also access free online lessons, graphics, educational videos, and more. Increased Social Interaction: Children who have a cell phone have the ability to contact their friends and family outside of school, allowing them to further improve their social skills.