Perhaps your son has asked you to have a cell phone. Or it is possible that you are considering it due to different factors. But, for parents, it is always difficult to come to a conclusion. Is the time right or should I wait a little longer? What is the most recommended age for children to have their first mobile?
It could be in your hand to make a good or a bad decision. And the problem is that, beyond what the specialists recommend, in the end everything happens for you. Therefore, it is important that, before making the decision to buy a mobile for your child, you take many factors into consideration.
Now we will talk about all this, but to whet your appetite, we can tell you that what is considered the most common experts, scientists and specialists in child development, is that the first mobile arrives, at the earliest, around 13 years of age. However, there are many exceptions and aspects to assess as you will see.
Are you ready to have it?
That is one of the big questions and one that, on the other hand, possibly only you can answer. Parents are the ones who know their children best and know which foot they can limp on. In this regard, surely you can imagine if your child is prepared for an element such as a mobile to enter his life, which could have a strong impact on his day to day. However, you do not have to trust 100% in that supposed maturity that your child could have, because you never know what the effect of having one of these devices will be. You may be surprised and the result will be totally different, although, as a starting point, your conclusion will be good.
Think that there are children who have not matured enough to have a mobile and that perhaps they already have other elements around them that prevent them from continuing to progress. If you give a young person who has problems with his studies, who does not concentrate enough or who does not know how to organize his time, another dispersion tool, you will be making life even more difficult for him (no matter how much he hugs you and tells you how much he loves you for buying him the phone).
Do you need it?
You also have to ask yourself this question. Why are you going to buy your son’s mobile? There are parents who give it to their children even at a young age of 10 years. But is there really some kind of reason to do it? One of the reasons most parents mention is that by giving their children a mobile, they have the security of knowing where they are at all times and that they can also call them. It’s a solid argument, no doubt about it, but it can be argued.
In reality, simplifying this situation and necessity with a mobile, especially with a smartphone, is an unwise decision. Instead, it might be better to give your child a smartwatch or other type of wearable. Think that there are already devices that are designed with children in mind and the ability of parents to communicate with them at a distance. Of course, they also have GPS functions. Therefore, it is not so necessary that you resort to a mobile.
It could be that, for example, your child asked you to do school work or consult any kind of thing on the Internet. But don’t forget that the computer is still there and that it works for all of this with a higher level of flexibility.
Is it more than a whim?
Children are children and, as such, they can become infatuated with something. It is possible that they see you keeping an eye on your mobile or even their older brothers. They themselves will consider why they could not also have a mobile if everyone at home has it. This method of acting would fall within the whim and there would be no great need to fall into it, since you would know, at the same time, that the child has not matured enough to be able to dispose of the device and all that it entails.
Another situation may be that your son’s friends do have a cell phone and he is being separated for this reason. That situation would be really tricky, since you don’t want your child to be the odd one out of the group who always stays on the sidelines while his friends are on the phone. Times change and today it is very common to see preteens who meet to go out and then are more aware of their phones than the company next to them. If this were the situation, you would have to analyze many details and if it is possible that the purchase of the mobile does not end up being so problematic.
Warning signs to watch out for
how it is exposed in different studies, specialists ask parents to be aware of a series of alarm signals that would confirm that children are not ready for their first mobile. This is the case of those young people who are already too distracted by other technological devices to the point where it can affect them from sleeping long enough.
If your son is one of those who stays up late or doesn’t follow your instructions when it’s time to go to sleep because he’s using the computer, watching TV or playing on the console, you probably won’t do anything good by giving him a mobile. The same applies not only to sleeping, but to doing homework, studying, doing the housework you entrust to them or maintaining a good balance between the leisure that is enjoyed at home and that which takes place outside of it.
Another warning sign is the lack of socialization. Does your child have friends or have a full social life, either inside or outside the family? A cell phone can encourage more withdrawal into yourself and more problems with your ability to socialize. Finally, you will have to assess if your child has self-control and if he is capable of reasoning about the risks he would be exposed to on the Internet. Cyberbullying, problems that can occur on social media, and other types of obstacles could be too much for a mature child.
What to do then?
As we told you before, the parents’ decision is final. But don’t take it lightly. As you have seen, there are many factors that must be taken into account. With some children, given the lack of ability to delay the purchase of the mobile phone, what parents do is resort to parental control and the restriction of certain content. Those that are usually on the list of the most blocked applications and elements are everything related to gaming and social networks.
Some parents block even browsers, so that children can only use some messaging tools under supervision, positioning applications and calls. If in the end you decide to buy a mobile phone for your child, it will be important that you keep track of his activity, both what he does with the mobile and his own actions beyond the use of the phone. What you do not want is for the mobile to cause negative changes in the child or in her personality. Good luck!
