The long overthrown argument “how young is too young for a smartphone” has been thrown back and forth here and there for quite some time but today is the day we settle this question. First of all, we have to understand the statistics of ages using a phone. For example, research has shown that 80% of kids aging from 12-17 years have received a type of smartphone. This is the average age for a kid to have a phone. However “recent surveys have shown us that 38% of kids have used some type of electronic device at, two years and possibly even younger.” Many people believe this is fine however there is always an opposing side to an argument. There are the different point of views to when an age is too young for a smartphone some being 12-14 years of age, nine – 11, and even the opposing argument that would say there is no young age for a kid to receive a smartphone.
Ages varying from 12-14 years old are a decent age to get their first smartphone. This is possibly the best age to receive a phone. Some reasons being that kids start middle school at this age and phones are practically essential items for school. This is due to having the ability to pop out a calculator every single time needed to. Also the possibility of doing a project in school that’ll include a device such as a phone. Or even educational games that are used in class. One example is kahoot. Kahoot is an educational learning game that is used in classrooms to help kids learn and understand a subject in class.
However, like all games, this requires an electronic device. Plus phones at this age encourage independence, for example, it can be a “tool for exploring passion projects”, can “provide social independence” and also the fact that phones “provide access to the world.”( This shows that phones can help kids gain independence) In other words, phones are a pretty big deal in middle school. However despite that, is nine – 11 years old to young for an iPhone?
An age that is too young for an iPhone is from nine – 11 years old. Nine – 11 years of age is meaning that they are still in elementary which is not as difficult as middle school meaning there are fewer expectations from a kid. This is because at this age kids are learning to do things and learning how they work. This is why kids don’t need an electronic device in their face making them wonder of worrying about things like social media. It just doesn’t make sense for example if a kid isn’t doing so well in class you’re not going to give them a smartphone that will interrupt his learning experience and possibly even bringing his grade down. It just doesn’t make sense.
One other thing is that kids are unaware of the real world and all the harsh things out there. If a ten-year-old is given a phone they are going to take it as a toy and not a tool and end up finding stuff that is too strong for them. Plus some kids react by changing their mental attitude to not so nice and innocent anymore. And one last thing is that kids can face cyberbullying at this young age meaning they are going to get hit hard and rough and sadly this is very common such as 34% of kids have faced cyberbullying and elementary is not a good age to front it. This is why kids aging from nine – 11 years old are too young for an iPhone.
Out of all these points of views, there are still people who believe that there is no young age for a phone meaning that it is never too young to get one. These people believe this because they think that a phone is just a toy and shouldn’t be taken so seriously. And statistics clearly show this as “38% of kids have used an electronic device at two years and younger.” Some people say they use it as an entertainment tool, some say as an educational tool or even just to get the baby or kid to stop crying. Nonetheless, there are still other ways to entertain, educate, and even just getting the baby to stop crying then putting a nice rectangular bright colored device in their hands. Some ways being giving them a book to read like Llama Llama, and even Pete the Cat. These books are entertaining and educational for two-year-olds. Plus, like stated earlier there are many bad things on that small device that could hurt your young child’s mind when you should be filling it with good educational information. So remember that next time you hand that device to them. Many people believe that any age is appropriate for a smartphone, but they are mistaken.
As stated, there are multiple ages that are too young and some appropriate to receive a smartphone such as nine – 11, 12-14 and even that there is no young age for a phone. Stated over and over if you give a kid a phone at a young age they are not going to do well on taking it in. That is why it is better to wait until middle school to give your kid that smartphone they have been wanting for quite some time. And this way you are sure it will be used as a tool and not a toy. There are many beliefs on the age when kids should get smartphones some being reasonable others not.
Work Cited
- Cbsnews.com. Kids with cell phones: How young is too young? https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kids-with-cell-phones-how-young-is-too-young/ Gonchar, M. How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone?. The Learning Network.
- Niche, V. Pros, and Cons of Cell Phones for Kids. Niche. https://www.niche.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-cell-phones-for-kids/
